Influence of Space Technology on Hemispheric Defense

Text of a lecture given in January 1963 at IADC in five sections: (1) the most immediate contribution of space technology to hemisphere security is through application to the U.S. strategic deterrent force; (2) in relation to national or regional security in the near future, the most important applications of rocket vehicles — the fundamental element of space technology — will continue to be LRBMs and satellite launchings; (3) communications satellites appear capable of overcoming the limitations of conventional radio and cable systems for reliable communications over long distances; (4) observation satellites are of interest because they can cover very large areas rapidly and take photographs for defense and other purposes, such as mapping, geological surveys, petroleum exploration, and agricultural analysis; and (5) meteorological satellites can be used to gather data for both immediate practical uses and long-term meteorlogical research.