Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XXV, Organization of Foreign Policy; Information Policy; United Nations; Scientific Matters

370. Memorandum From the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Webb) to the Chairman of the National Aeronautics and Space Council (Johnson)¹

Washington, March 13, 1962.

SUBJECT

• Request for Highest National Priority for the Apollo Program

1. The programs that now enjoy the highest (DX) national priority are: Atlas, Titan, Minuteman, Polaris, BMEWS, Samos, Nike-Zeus, Discoverer, Mercury, and Saturn. Of these, the first eight are managed by the Department of Defense, and the last two by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The prescribed criteria under which the President has made these determinations is that these programs have objectives of key political, scientific, psychological or military import.

2. The NASA is requesting that the Apollo program be added to this list. Recognizing the need to restrict the number of projects on the list to the absolute minimum, NASA is prepared to drop Project Mercury from the list by the end of Calendar Year 1962, at which time its mission should be essentially complete. NASA will also expect to drop the Saturn vehicle project from the list except insofar as it pertains to the Apollo mission. In adding Apollo, the NASA would be requesting a DX priority for all of these elements of the Apollo program that are essential to its ultimate mission: to effect a manned lunar landing and return in this decade. The essential elements of the Apollo program would include development of the spacecraft and launch vehicles as well as the facilities which are required for their development, testing and use. Elements of certain other name projects would thus be included, such as Saturn and Gemini, but only insofar as they are directly applicable to the manned lunar landing.

3. Decisions on the assignment of highest national priority are made by the President and in the case of space program projects, he takes into consideration the advice of the National Aeronautics and Space Council. Therefore, I ask that this matter be placed before the Council at an early date.

4. I shall be pleased to supply any further information you think is essential to the Council’s consideration.

James E. Webb²

1. Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Meetings and Memoranda Series, NSAM 144, Box 335. No classification marking.
2. Printed from a copy that indicates Webb signed the original.