Ken Atchison
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                      July 25, 1990
(Phone:  202/453-8400)


RELEASE:  90-104

STATEMENT BY NASA DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR ON LAUNCH OF CRRES/ATLAS-1



     Following today's successful launch of the joint USAF/NASA 
Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite (CRRES) aboard a 
General Dynamics commercial Atlas-1 (Atlas/Centaur-69) launch 
vehicle, NASA Deputy Administrator James R. Thompson issued the 
following statement:


     "Today's successful launch of the sophisticated scientific 
satellite known as 'CRRES' marks an important step forward in the 
'new way' in which NASA is doing business with the private sector 
for expendable launch vehicle services.


     Although NASA maintained both direct oversight and insight 
throughout the prelaunch and launch process for CRRES, my 
personal congratulations go out to General Dynamics, and, in fact 
to the entire industry/government team, for placing CRRES into 
its proper orbit where it can now begin a string of strenuous 
scientific tasks.


     Under terms of our contract with General Dynamics, the 
government exercised considerably less oversight over launch 
vehicle manufacturing and processing than it has during previous 
Atlas/Centaur missions.  As a result of the added responsibility 
accepted and, obviously, demonstrated by the company during this 
mission, we look forward to future launch services partnerships 
with General Dynamics and other launch services contractors as we 
jointly continue to pursue the nation's ambitious scientific 
goals in space using expendable launch vehicles."

                            - end -




TO:  MDS/PRA Group
     1615 L Street, N.W. - Suite 100
     Washington, D.C. 20036

DATE & TIME:  July 26, 1990

ORDERED BY:  Edward Campion
NASA Headquarters/LMD
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20546             PHONE:  202/453-8400

PROJECT TITLE:  Release No:  90-104

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