NASA's 1969 Space Task Group Report

The Report

While most of the report is the structure and parameters of the project, the relevant part of the space program is in Section III. - Goals and Objectives. 

One of the first points that the report highlights states, 

“The Space Task Group has concluded that a balanced space program that exploits the great potential for automated and remotely-controlled spacecraft and at the same time maintains a vigorous manned flight program, can provide such a vision.”

This stresses the importance of both manned and unmanned space exploration, which will play a major role in this report. 

All this being said, the Task Group had one major goal: Mars. After the Apollo lunar landings, the next logical step would be sending humans to Mars. The report states,

“The Space Task Group believes that manned exploration of the planets is the most challenging and most comprehensive of the many long-range goals available to the Nation at this time, with manned exploration of Mars as the next step toward this goal.”

Mars was chosen as it is the most earth-like out of all the planets, it’s fairly close, and there was a possibility of it harboring alien life. However, a mission to Mars would entail that a lot must be conducted in the coming years, including,

“Unmanned reconnaissance of the planets, creation of highly reliable life support systems, power supplies, and propulsion capability adequate for the rigors of such a voyage.”

All of this would need to be conducted by the year 1981, the goal set for reaching Mars. 

Goals and Objectives

The project also set its sights on:

• Improving life on Earth - developing systems that support air and ocean traffic control, worldwide navigation systems, environmental monitoring and prediction (weather, pollution), earth resource survey (crops, water resources, geological structures, oceanography), and communications.
• Operation of military space systems to enhance national defense - this point was mentioned as it was believed the United States must dominate space to ensure peace throughout the world.
• Exploration of the solar system and beyond - split into the manned and unmanned missions that were mentioned before.

Planetary Exploration - Unmanned planetary exploration missions continued throughout the decade, both for science returns and, in the case of Mars and Venus, as precursors to later manned missions. The program would include progressively more sophisticated missions to the near planets as well as multiple flyby missions to the outer planets, including the asteroid belt and comets. 

Astronomy, Physics, and the Earth and Life Sciences - This would be an extension of existing or planned unmanned programs that would involve a high science return, specifically space telescopes.

Lunar Exploration - “Apollo-type manned missions to continue exploration of the Moon should proceed,” which was the obvious fact that NASA and the United States should continue missions to the Moon. This involved the establishment of Lunar Bases and a Lunar Space Station. 

Development of new capabilities for operating in space - “Develop new systems for space operations with emphasis upon the critical factors of: commonality, (2) reusability, and (3) economy.”

• Commonality: Using a few major systems for a wide variety of missions
• Reusability: Being able to reuse a rocket multiple times, drastically reducing the cost
• Economy: Throw-away systems

Today’s Effects

To achieve all of this, like any other project, infrastructure must be in place to cater to the program’s needs. This would include several space stations in and around Earth’s orbit, as well as the moon.

These space stations would be “Occupied by 50-100 men [...] be a laboratory in space where a broad range of physical and biological experiments would be performed.

These stations, like airports, would make it easier to transport people and cargo in space. To build space stations and transport cargo between them, the program outlined a “Space Transportation System,” more commonly known as the Space Shuttle. 

The Space Shuttle would be one of many spacecraft to “Carry passengers, supplies, rocket fuel, other spacecraft, equipment, or additional rocket stages to and from orbit on a routine aircraft-like basis.”

Much of the spacecraft used in this program would be nuclear-powered, as nuclear engines—specifically the NERVA engine—are more capable and fuel-efficient compared to liquid-fueled engines.

These were very ambitious goals, which required funding ($46 billion in today’s USD, more than Apollo). However, nearing the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Vietnam War and a financial crisis looming cut NASA’s budget and the Space Task Group along with it. 

While many of the program’s goals were never accomplished, things like the Space Shuttle, Voyager missions, asteroid flybys, and space telescopes were built and used in the coming years. The Space Station idea continued and eventually became the International Space Station in 1998. 

The core ideas of the program, such as reusability and economic output, are still major players in our space program today; it’s just taken longer to accomplish.