56. Letter From Vice President Humphrey to Secretary of State Rusk1
Dear Mr. Secretary:
I have read with considerable interest the study of space goals as prepared by the State Department.2
It is a thoughtful, informative, and, I might add, provocative paper. It is also very timely in light of the budgetary situation.
If it is agreeable with you, I would like to have this study be the subject of one or more Space Council meetings starting in late December or early January. We are at the point in our space program where we must give immediate attention to developments beyond the Apollo phase. I am sure you recognize that your study will provoke a good deal of comment and undoubtedly run into considerable resistance from NASA.
I regret the delay in a formal response to your communication of October 19. I have read the study very carefully.
Sincerely,
Will want to talk to you about this.3
- Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Records of the Department of State, Central Files, 1964–66, SP 1 US. No classification marking. A handwritten note on the attached Action Slip reads: “Note: Secretary informed and requested to authorize distribution of Space Goals paper to members of the Space Council. 12/2 by memo from S/P (Owen) and SCI (Pollack).”↩
- Reference is to Document 55.↩
- The postscript was handwritten by Humphrey.↩