rds, history seems to support the proposition that no matter
how remote or unlikely new discoveries and approaches may first appear,
the military eventually finds a way to use them.

Will it be any different with space exploration?

OUR POSITION IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

Like the military values of space research, the practical value of space
exploration in terms of world prestige has also been acknowledged almost
from the beginning of the satellite era.

The White House, in its initial statement on the national space program,
declared:

It is useful to distinguish among (the) factors which give
importance, urgency, and inevitability to the advancement of space
technology (one of which) is the factor of national prestige. To be
strong and bold in space technology will enhance the prestige of
the United States among the peoples of the world and create added
confidence in our scientific, technological, industrial, and
military strength.[18]

Only recently, however, has the full impact and meaning of this phase of
our national space program come to be widely recognized. It has been
stated, perhaps in its most forceful and succinct form, by an American
official in a unique position to know. The Director of the U.S.
Information Agency, part of whose job is to keep track of the esteem in
which America is held abroad, has told Congress:

Our space program may be considered as a measure of our vitality
and our ability to compete with a formidable rival and as a
criterion of our ability to maintain technological eminence worthy
of emulation by other peoples.[19]

This element of space exploration takes on particular significance in
light of the current international struggle to influence the minds of
men, in light of the rising tide of nationalism throughout the world,
and in light of the intensification of the cold war as demonstrated by
the now-famous U-2 incident and the hardening attitude of oriental
communism.

In the words of an influential newspaper:

Wholly apart from the intellectual compulsions that now drive man
to move higher and higher into the high heavens, it seems clear
that our country can be niggardly in this field only at the risk of
being completely and forever outclassed by Russia--a gamble that
could have the most fearful political, economic, and military
consequences.[20]

Incidentally, there is anoth