One of the most important developments of the twentieth century has been the movement of humanity into space with machines and people. The underpinnings of that movement--why it took the shape it did; which individuals and organizations were involved; what factors drove a particular choice of scientific objectives and technologies to be used; and the political, economic, managerial, and international contexts in which the events of the space age unfolded-are all important ingredients of this epoch transition from an Earthbound to a spacefaring people. This desire to understand the development of spaceflight in the United States sparked this documentary history series. The extension of human activity into outer space has been accompanied by a high degree of self-awareness of its historical significance. Few large-scale activities have been as extensively chronicled so closely to the time they actually occurred. Many of those who were directly involved were quite conscious that they were making history, and they kept full records of their activities. Because most of the activity in outer space was carried out under government sponsorship, it was accompanied by the documentary record required of public institutions, and there has been a spate of official and privately written histories of most major aspects of space achievement to date. When top leaders considered what course of action to pursue in space, their deliberations and decisions often were carefully put on the record. There is, accordingly, no lack of material for those who aspire to understand the origins and evolution of U.S. space policies and programs. This reality forms the rationale for this series. Precisely because there is so much historical material available on space matters, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) decided in 1988 that it would be extremely useful to have easily available to scholars and the interested public a selective collection of many of the seminal documents related to the evolution of the U.S. civilian space program. While recognizing that much space activity has taken place under the sponsorship of the Department of Defense and other national security organizations, the U.S. private sector, and in other countries around the world, NASA felt that there would be lasting value in a collection of documentary material primarily focused on the evolution of the U.S. government's civilian space program, most of which has been carried out since 1958 under the Agency's auspices. As a result, the NASA History Office contracted with the Space Policy Institute of George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs to prepare such a collection. This is the sixth volume in the documentary history series; two additional ones containing documents and introductory essays related to human space flight, including microgravity research in Earth orbit, will follow. The documents selected for inclusion in this volume are presented in four major sections, each covering a particular aspect of the origins, evolution, and execution of the U.S. space and Earth science program. Section I deals with the scientific study of the Sun. Section II discusses the study of the physical characteristics of space, including both interactions between the Sun and Earth, and other areas of investigation. Section III deals with NASA's fundamental research in life sciences-space biology. Section IV discusses the most recent area of science to which space observations contribute-that intend to advance understanding of the Earth as a planetary system.

Human spaceflight is the driver for most activities that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) undertakes. While NASA certainly has a rich aviation research heritage and has also done pathbreaking scientific and applications work using robotic spacecraft, human spaceflight is a difficult and expensive endeavor that engenders great popular enthusiasm and support for NASA. Much of this public interest stems from pushing boundaries of adventure, by exploring the unique and challenging physical environment of space. Humans can also perform tasks in space that machines cannot. We can think, analyze, and make judgment calls based on experience and intuition in real time. This NASA history document contains sixteen fascinating essays about the past and future of spaceflight, written by some of the most important and famous figures in the space community. A confluence of anniversaries made the spring of 2001 a propitious time for reflection on a forty-year record of achievement and on what may lie ahead in the years to come. The fortieth anniversary of Alan Shepard's first spaceflight, the first time an American flew in space, took place on 5 May 2001. The fortieth anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's spaceflight, the first time a human traveled into space and orbited Earth, took place on 12 April 2001. Coincidentally, this date was also the twentieth anniversary of the launch of STS-1, the first Space Shuttle flight. In addition, 25 May was the fortieth anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's famous "urgent needs" speech in which he proposed putting an American on the Moon "before this decade is out," initiating the Apollo Project. Last but not least, the Expedition One crew to the ISS had finished its historic first mission in the spring of 2001.

As the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2008, historians as well as scientists and engineers could look back on a record of accomplishment. Much has been written about the evolution of NASA's multifaceted programs and the people who carried them out. Yet much remains to be done, and we hope this publication will facilitate research in this important field. As an active internal function, NASA history also marks its 50th year in 2009. Aware of the historic mission on which it was embarking, NASA hired its first Chief Historian, Eugene M. Emme, in 1959. Emme remained on the job until 1978 and was the first of an unbroken line of NASA Chief Historians that included Monte D. Wright (1978-82), Sylvia Fries (1983-90), and Roger D. Launius (1990-2002). These individuals also served as Directors of the History Office at NASA Headquarters. As is evident from this publication, the various NASA Centers also carry out historical and archival functions. Research in NASA History describes the efforts of NASA to capture and record the events of its past and to make that past accessible to NASA personnel, the historical community, and researchers. It describes the research opportunities and accomplishments of NASA's Agency-wide history program. It also offers a concise guide to the historical documentary resources available at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC; at NASA facilities located around the country; and through the federal records systems.

One of the most important developments of the twentieth century has been the movement of humanity into space with machines and people. The underpinnings of that movement -why it took the shape it did; which individuals and organizations were involved; what factors drove a particular choice of scientific objectives and technologies to be used; and the political, economic, managerial, and international contexts in which the events of the space age unfolded- are all important ingredients of this epoch transition from an earthbound to spacefaring people. This desire to understand the development of spaceflight in the United States sparked this documentary history series. 'Exploring the Unknown' is a multi-volume series containing a selection of key documents in history of the U.S. civil space program. This current volume, Volume III, focusing on the use of space for practical applications, prints 112 key documents on the history of satellite communications, remote sensing of earth, and space as an investment in economic growth, edited for ease of use. Each is introduced by a headnote providing context, bibliographical information, and background information necessary to understanding the document. NASA History Series SP 4407.