being questioned, it is a question which needs to be answered.

It is interesting to note that the problem is not unique to the United
States. In the Soviet Union, which counts itself as the world's prime
investigator of space, there is likewise an element of citizenry which
finds itself puzzled over the U.S.S.R.'s penchant for the interplanetary
reaches.

"What do sputniks give to a person like me?" a Russian workman
complained in a letter which _Pravda_ published on its front page. "So
much money is spent on sputniks it makes people gasp. If there were no
sputniks the Government could cut the cost of cloth for an overcoat in
half and put a few electric flatirons in the stores. Rockets, rockets,
rockets. Who needs them now?"[1]

It goes without saying that the workman was severely chastised by the
Soviet newspaper, but his point was made.

No matter where taxpayers live they want to know--and are entitled to
know--what good a program of space exploration is to them.

During the 1960's it is expected that the U.S. Government will spend
anywhere from $30 to $50 billion on space exploration for all purposes,
civilian and military. It is the intent of this report to delineate in
lay language, and in terms which will be meaningful to those who have
not followed the American space program closely, the reasons for this
great investment and the probable returns.

[Illustration: FIGURE 1.--A single shot of the 8-barreled
Saturn of the future will cost millions of dollars, maybe tens of
millions. What makes it worthwhile for the taxpayer?]

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Associated Press dispatch, dateline Moscow, June 12, 1960.

I. The Unseen Values

The United States has not embarked upon its formidable program of space
exploration in order to make or perpetuate a gigantic astronautic
boondoggle. There are good reasons, hard reasons for this program. But,
in essence, they all boil down to the fact that the program is expected
to produce a number of highly valuable payoffs. It not only is expected
to do so, it is doing so right now.

Many of the beneficial results can be identified.

Those already showing up are detailed in the sections of this report
which follow. They include the most urgent and precious of all
commodities--national security. Beyond that, they also include a
strengthened national economy, new jobs and job categories, better
living, fresh consumer goods, improved education, increased health,
stimulated