Scrubbed on the Pad

Since the start of the U.S. space programs, astronauts have been allowed to sell the personal stories of their flights into space to the high bidder of their choice. The first seven of them went under contract to LIFE, picking up $500,000 for exclusive details of their experience. Last fall President Kennedy endorsed continuation of the policy for the 16 men picked for the moon-bound Gemini and Apollo projects, and Field Enterprises Educational Corp. dropped in a whopping $3,200,000 offer. As part of the arrangement, LIFE agreed to buy exclusive magazine rights from Field. After six months of laborious work on contract details, an agreement was all but signed. But last week the Chicago publisher suddenly pulled out, and the deal was off.

Field's problem was not with the astronauts themselves but with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Government agency that employs the spacemen and has final say on any of their commercial activities. In the dickering, NASA lawyers insisted that the Government approve astronauts' stories before publication. Field agreed, but stood firm on a contract provision requiring NASA to avoid un reasonable delay. When NASA balked, Field called it quits. "At the rate we were going, it looked as if we were going to get a man on the moon before we got a contract," said Field President Bailey Howard.

Space agency officials expressed surprise at Field's walkout over what NASA considered a relatively minor point. In any case, other bidders were sure to renew their interest. One interested shopper: LIFE.

Throughout the final stages of Field negotiations, the rest of the press was debating whether such private profit arrangements for the astronauts added up to good public policy. The New York Times was emphatically against the whole idea because, according to the Times, it damages U.S. prestige abroad. "Unfortunately, we now present an image to many non-Americans that is none too attractive: the picture of a nation obsessed with money and materialism." Just as firmly on the other side was the New York Daily News: "Well, for Pete's sake, why not? These dauntless men take their lives in their hands, and those of them which come back alive from outer space should be allowed to cash in legitimately on their adventures."

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.