Engineering topics

Frosch, R. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Frosch, R. A..

7 records

NASA NTRS1985

Testimony of Robert A. Frosch before the Subcommittee on HUD and Independent Agencies of the Senate Committee on Appropriations

An agreement between NASA and the Congress was arranged as part of the activities supporting the establishment of NASA Policy on Automation and Robotics for the space station. This agreement is dicussed. A panel brought together experts from industry, universities, national laboratories, other government agencies, and NASA to perform an independent study of how NASA could use automation and robotics in the space station in ways that would be most useful to carrying out the mission of the station, and that would lead to useful benefits to the U.S. economy and industry on the ground.

Frosch, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1979

NASA takes stock

The history of NASA activities and achievements in the past decade is reviewed with consideration given to the Apollo expeditions and the post-Apollo planetary exploration. Progress in spaceborne astronomy and in satellite communications is characterized as revolutionary. It is also noted that Landsat alone may eventually repay the United States for the cost of the entire space program. Special attention is given to the Shuttle program which will be the key to all operations in space for the next decade including the Galileo mission to Jupiter (1982) and the Space Telescope (1983). Future missions could include a Venus orbiter with imaging radar to finally penetrate the cloud cover of the planet and to map its surface; a rover or sample return expedition to Mars; a Saturn orbiter combined with a probe of its Titan satellite, and an examination of Halley's Comet. Finally the next decade should bring the data needed to make a 'go' or 'no go' decision on the concept of SPS that would beam solar energy into earth stations.

Frosch, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1979

NASA policy issues

U.S. remote sensing policy is discussed, with emphasis on problems associated with the development of operational systems. Certain economic and legislative aspects are examined.

Frosch, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Space agency notes 20th anniversary

The twentieth anniversary of NASA is announced. A chronology of major milestones of the NASA program is given along with a brief outline of the programs and responsibilities of NASA Headquarters and the NASA centers and facilities. The NASA launch record is included.

Frosch, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1978

United State space programs - Present and planned

The U.S. space program is considered with reference to the benefits derived by the public. Missions are divided into three categories: the use of near-earth space for remote sensing, communications, and other purposes directly beneficial to human welfare; the scientific exploration of the solar system and observation of the universe as part of the continuing effort to understand the place of earth and man in the cosmos; and the investigation of the sun-earth relationships which are basic to the terrestrial biosphere. Individual projects are described, and it is suggested that the future of space technology in 1978 is comparable to the future of aviation in 1924.

Frosch, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Technology transfer policy considerations

Two approaches to the problem of using advanced technology for specific applications are presented. The first and more usual approach is to identify a problem and look for the appropriate technology to solve it. The second, favored by the author, is to pursue the momentum of technological development and find applications for it. It is pointed out that a problem may be identified only after a new technology comes into being. The development of the automobile during a period when there was no ready market for it is mentioned by way of illustration, i.e., the automobile created its own market and thereby helped solve the problem of transporting people and goods.

Frosch, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Statement of Doctor Robert A. Frosch, Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Short term views must be taken in order to concentrate on the foundations and steps to be followed in the next 10 years so that the need for, economics, and tangible values of long range dreams can be fully understood. Although the technological basis for many projected applications already exist, there is difficulty in obtaining funding for the initial steps toward the realization of any venture unless a quantitative basis can be demonstrated for the costs and benefits to be achieved. Computations are exaggerated for space systems because of their extreme front-end capitalization problems. The investment for satellite solar-powered satellite systems is comparable in magnitude to that contemplated for other energy systems, although there is a difference in the economics of the problem and in the technologies of the problem.

Frosch, R. A.↗