Nasa Plans Report: Addendum - Section 1

The ultimate aim of the NASA Program is to provide means of making astronomical observation in all wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum and in addition to launch satellites designed for experiments in geodesy and relativity. However, in the near future, emphasis is being placed primarily on long wavelength radio astronomy and, particularly, on astronomical photometry and spectroscopy in the portion of the spectrum to the violet of 3000 Angstrom. It is these regions which are most completely cut off from observations from the earth's surface and, in addition, it is in the far ultraviolet wavelength region that many astrophysically important lines are found.