HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.
![handle is hein.gao/gaobaabfa0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 0 I_ -1* - 7: ,e o
UNITED STATES GENERAL ACCOUNTi-G OfFiCE £ '] - C- ' ,)
4. - -' I12
WASHINGTON. D.C. 20b48
6-179665 iwt; F' ITS9 1I
Th' Honor aole James C. Fletcher El I111I IIII 1111IIIIIII 1 fliIN
AdMIstrator, National Aeronautics LM097112
ant Space Administration
Dear or. Fletcher:
GAO is examining the Earth Resources Technology Satellite
(ERTS) program to identify issues of primary interest to the
Coiijres concerning tne implementation, status, and future
of the program. Although our dorK is continuing, we are bring-
ing to your attentirn at this _ime matters con e:nling plannnd
. procurements by the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, and A -
4' the Interior which we bd-lieve should be avoided or diferrec
until the future of the ERTS program has been clearly
established.
The objectives o. the SLRTS program are to (1) obtain
antor tion concerning the earzh's surface, (2) determine
the teapAbilty of remote sens-ng from space and (3) provide
cxoe;ience for 3 decision on developing an operational earth
resourzeb zqyst,;. Tne initial satellite was placed in orbit
in July 1912 ir h,,s provided valuable data towarn accomn
pL1.-aUng these onjectives. However, inprovements are needed
in sunsor resolution ana uata processinq and interpretation
for potential users.
Bills have been introduced in the Congress to implement
an operational system, either in the National Aeronautics and
Space Admit jstration (NASA) or te Department of the Interlor.
NASA and the Interior are on record as favorinu a continung
prouran of research and development and, if this is justificd,
then graaually phasing in some applicatLions to operational
uses. At t is time, however, there is no crtanty of a
f ture operational system.
; CiiLASEfL COSTS DU6 TO DECENTRALIZATION
hS FDAA',, P CESSING
NASA's Goodard Space Flight Center provided all data
from tne satellite needed by the scientific investiqators
to carry cut treir exneriments. NA$A decided that ata
fro°_ the ESlTS-B satellite--to be launched in early 1975--
BEST DOCUMENT AVAILABLE
- - -' - - __.](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.gao/gaobaabfa0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)