Start Date
4-1969 8:00 AM
Description
Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen - In contemplating the theme of this session "Spinoffs From Space, " I was reminded of the shoe company who sent two marketing teams to deepest Africa to determine the market potential for shoes. One team reported back, n Forget this market, nobody wears shoes." The other team sent a rush telegram saying, "Get ready to build a factory here, everybody needs shoes'.' The attitude of the public toward the benefits flowing from the space program appears to be similarly divided.
Those who feel the taxpayerT s money is being wasted in the space program seem impatient that a new world has not been discovered; that the dollars spent have not resulted in two chickens in every pot; that these funds could be better spent on our social problems. In my opinion, we have failed to teach these people the science-technology-economic gain-social benefit cycle. The optimistic supporters of the space program, on the other hand, are aware of the bounty produced by this cycle, can point to the multitude of benefits that have already accrued, and visualize the vast potential yet to be realized from only 10 years of effort.
Those in the industrial complex of our country have no cause to complain of a lack of technology flowing from the space program into the private sector. The people in industry who might complain are those who expect automatic flow with neither search nor adaptation on their part. Those who are seeking out and adapting this technology to their use are the ones who are now, and who will continue to be, ahead of their un-informed competitors. Support for these statements is abundant in the experience of the company with which I am associated and I am sure our experience is not unique.
Space Technology Utilization In An Industrial Company -A Case Study
Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen - In contemplating the theme of this session "Spinoffs From Space, " I was reminded of the shoe company who sent two marketing teams to deepest Africa to determine the market potential for shoes. One team reported back, n Forget this market, nobody wears shoes." The other team sent a rush telegram saying, "Get ready to build a factory here, everybody needs shoes'.' The attitude of the public toward the benefits flowing from the space program appears to be similarly divided.
Those who feel the taxpayerT s money is being wasted in the space program seem impatient that a new world has not been discovered; that the dollars spent have not resulted in two chickens in every pot; that these funds could be better spent on our social problems. In my opinion, we have failed to teach these people the science-technology-economic gain-social benefit cycle. The optimistic supporters of the space program, on the other hand, are aware of the bounty produced by this cycle, can point to the multitude of benefits that have already accrued, and visualize the vast potential yet to be realized from only 10 years of effort.
Those in the industrial complex of our country have no cause to complain of a lack of technology flowing from the space program into the private sector. The people in industry who might complain are those who expect automatic flow with neither search nor adaptation on their part. Those who are seeking out and adapting this technology to their use are the ones who are now, and who will continue to be, ahead of their un-informed competitors. Support for these statements is abundant in the experience of the company with which I am associated and I am sure our experience is not unique.
Comments
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