The Nation - News from Feb. 7, 1985

The head of America’s space program admitted that the United States may not be able to hold its considerable lead over the Europeans in launching commercial satellites for profit. Administrator James M. Beggs of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration told the House Science and Technology Committee, “All I can tell you is that our position in the market has deteriorated in the past year.” Beggs apppeared before the comiitttee to talk about his agency’s budget request for $7 billion next year. The space shuttle’s principal competition comes from a European consortium that launches satellites from the Ariane rocket.