    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [November 29, 1999]
    [Page 2180]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Letter to the Secretary of Defense on Space
    Launch Failures
    November 29, 1999

    Dear Mr. Secretary:
        Thank you for conducting and reporting on your thorough and in-depth
    review of the U.S. space launch failures that occurred in 1998 and 1999.
    I am pleased to know that you have identified the root causes behind
    each of the recent launch failures and that you have worked with NASA,
    the Intelligence Community, and industry to take corrective actions to
    prevent recurrences. I also appreciate your efforts, and the efforts of
    industry, in uncovering and addressing the broader systemic concerns
    that may have contributed to this series of failures.
        I have asked Dr. Neal Lane, my Assistant
    for Science and Technology, and Mr. Sandy Berger, my Assistant for National Security Affairs, to review your
    report. Now and in the next century, our national security, civil, and
    commercial space sectors will continue to depend on reliable access to
    space to achieve our broader national goals. Your report correctly
    points out the importance of successfully flying the remaining current
    fleet of expendable launch vehicles already on contract, with missions
    valued at more than $20 billion, while assuring mission success during
    the transition from these current systems to the modernized Evolved
    Expendable Launch Vehicles.
        Thank you again for the hard work and dedication of the government-
    industry team in uncovering the technical and management problems
    associated with these launch failures. Please implement appropriate
    actions to correct the causes of the failures and ensure our nation's
    ability to reliably access space in the future.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    Note: This letter was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    December 1. An original was not available for verification of the
    content of this letter.