Vera Hirschberg Headquarters, Washington, D.C. May 31, 1990 (Phone: 202/453-9183) 3:30 P.M. EDT RELEASE: 90-74 NASA ADMINISTRATOR ANNOUNCES EXPLORATION OUTREACH PROGRAM NASA Administrator Richard H. Truly today announced that NASA has launched an Outreach Program to seek new and innovative ideas, systems and technologies to carry out the nation's Space Exploration Initiative (SEI). The Outreach Program is in response to Vice President Quayle's request to "cast the nets widely" for new approaches. Truly today also announced the appointment of former astronaut Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Stafford, USAF (Retired), as Chairman of the Synthesis Group, which will play a key role in the Outreach Program. This group will study innovative ideas and recommend two or more significantly different alternative architectures, as well as technology priorities and early milestones. The group will report to Truly. The Outreach Program seeks approaches to mission and system concepts; and innovative, high leverage technologies that could significantly affect cost, schedule and performance for SEI, which sets the future course of the U.S. civil space program. President Bush announced the SEI on July 20, 1989, the 20th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing. At that time, he proposed a long-term continuing commitment to complete Space Station Freedom; return permanently to the Moon; and send a manned expedition to Mars. On May 11, 1990, in a speech at Texas A&I University, President Bush declared that before the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing (2019), "the American flag should be planted on Mars." Truly said the SEI outreach program is "solid and thorough" and "will leave no stone unturned to reach out to the very best and brightest in our nation." To gather information, concepts and data from the most creative minds in government, industry, academia and elsewhere, Truly said the program takes a three pronged approach. This consists of direct solicitation of ideas; a review of Federally sponsored research; and a study by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). - more - - 2 - The solicitation effort will include a letter from Truly to organizations that can provide the highest leverage, such as universities, professional societies, associations and others. It also will include an announcement in Commerce Business Daily, which reaches aerospace and non-aerospace industries and others. The Rand Corporation will conduct an initial screening and assessment of submissions and report to an external Synthesis Group to be composed of government and non-government individuals. The Synthesis Group will report directly to the NASA Administrator. This group also will receive inputs from the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy and other organizations. The results of this activity will also be made available to the National Research Council for review. The AIAA study is already underway. Its purpose is to solicit and assess innovative approaches to SEI from AIAA's 40,000-person membership and technical working groups. Reports will be coordinated at a conference and workshop to be sponsored by AIAA in September 1990. -end- NASA news releases and other information are available electronically on CompuServe and GEnie, the General Electric Network for Information Exchange. For information on CompuServe, call 1-800/848-8199 and ask for representative 176. For information on GEnie, call 1-800/638-9636. TO: MDS/PRA Group 1615 L Street, N.W. - Suite 100 Washington, D.C. 20036 DATE & TIME: MAY 31, 1990 ORDERED BY: Edward Campion NASA Headquarters/LMD 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20546 PHONE: 202/453-8400 PROJECT TITLE: Release No: 90-74 PRINT ORDER: 2261 PRINTING: Camera Ready, lst pg on NASA logo, other pages plain ENCLOSE & MAIL: Release of 2 pages MAIL DATE: JUNE 1, 1990 EXTRA COPIES: Deliver specified quanities to locations below: 50 copies 275 copies 75 copies -------------------- ------------------- ----------------- National Press Club NASA Mailroom NASA Newsroom 13th floor newsrack NASA Headquarters NASA Headquarters National Press Building 600 Independ. Ave, SW 400 Maryland Ave, SW 529 14th Street, NW Room A16 Room 6043 Washington, DC 20045 Washington, DC 20546 Washington, DC 20546 MEDIA SUMMARY OPTION: Name-by-name media summary - 1 copy CLIENT COMPUTER LISTS: Run the following: LS-BA, LS-CA, LS-FA, LS-GA*27E, LS-GA*27:O, LS-IA, LS-KA TYPE OF RELEASE & PIX: General news X 21:T-23:T PUT ADDRESSING ON: Self-mailer MEDIA SELECTION: END OF ORDER FORM END OF TRANSMISSION