[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.