Message to the Congress Transmitting the Third Annual Report on U.S. Aeronautics and Space Activities.

To the Congress of the United States:

In accordance with Section 206 (b) of the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, I am transmitting herewith the third annual report on the Nation's activities in the fields of aeronautics and space.

As this report testifies, 1960 witnessed a vast expansion of man's knowledge of the earth's atmosphere and of the limitless regions of space beyond. The Vanguard, Explorer, and Pioneer spacecraft have added substantially to our knowledge of the earth's environment and of the sun-earth relationship. Experiments with Projects Echo and COURIER, TIROS I and II, and TRANSIT I and II have shown the promise of spacecraft application in the fields of communications, meteorology, and navigation. Among the outstanding accomplishments in technology were a series of successful recoveries from orbit of capsules from the DISCOVERER satellites and the increasing degree of reliability in stabilizing these satellites in the required orbit.

Significant advances were made in the manned space flight program and in the preparation of a small fleet of powerful launch vehicles to carry out a wide variety of space missions.

Underlying the Nation's aeronautics and space programs was a strong basic and applied research effort which resulted in constantly broadening scientific and technological horizons. Finally, the entire effort has been drawn together in a long-range program of space exploration which offers every promise that in the years to come benefits for all mankind will be extensive.

Summarized within this report are contributions of Federal agencies participating in the space effort.

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER