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~ATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

THE NRO STAFF 

MEMORANDUM FOR DR. McLUCAS 

SUBJECT: Dr. DuBridge's Comments on the NRO Annex to the Space 

Task Group Report 

PROBLEM: 

To assimilate Dr. DuBridge's comments on the draft NRO Annex 

to the Space To--sk Group Report into a final version. 

BACKGROUND: 

On June 4, Mr. Reber asked the ExCom members to give us 

comments on our proposed (draft) NRO Annex to the STG Report. 

PRESENT STATUS: 

We have Dr. DuBridge's comments at hand (see Tab A). Except 

for some minor editorial suggestions, Dr. DuBridge's basic comments 

deal with our statements regarding NASA Is earth-sensing program and 

the possible usefulness of an arms control satellite to ACDA. The 

"NASA comments" are spelled out in detail and are changes which 

generally clarify our own statements. We will have no trouble 

incorporating them into our report. 

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The ACDA comment is generalized in the suggestion that we delete 

references to an arms control satellite, since Ambassador U. Alexis 

Johnson's NSAM 156 Ad Hoc Committee has this suggestion under consideration at the present time. Colonel Allen and I discussed this reaction 

to the arms control satellite at some length with Don Steininger last week, 

pointing out (1) that our write-up treats it only as a suggestion, that (2) 

its appearance in our report does not constitute a DOD or ExCom position, 

that (3) we look on this suggestion as probably the most important 

element in the report, and (4) we would be pleased to add a sentence or 

two pointing out that Ambassador Johnson's committee is to discuss this 

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suggestion. Steininger' s counterproposal was that we drop all reference to the satellite from our report and that we ask the ExCom to 

press Ambassador Johnson to review the idea at an early date. We were 

not able to identify a deeper basis for Don's concern. 

ALTERNATIVE COURSES OF ACTION: 

1. Delete the arms control satellite portion of the report. This 

has the advantage of placating Dr. DuBridge (actually Don Steininger). 

It has the disadvantage of (a) keeping us silent on a very serious threat 

to NRP security, (b) keeping us silent on what we consider to be the 

best solution to the problem of that threat, and (c) letting down NASA, 

which is anticipating the inclusion of this subject in our report. 

2. Retain, as written, the arms control satellite portion of the 

report. Now the advantages and disadvantages expressed in the first 

alternative simply reverse. 

3. Modify the arms control satellite portion of the report. Under 

this alternative, we would keep the present write-up on the arms control 

satellite, but add a sentence to confirm that the concept is under review 

by the NSAM 156 Ad Hoc Committee. One could, furthermore, touch 

base with Ambassador Johnson to make sure that this is satisfactory 

with him (the answer would undoubtedly be "yes"). This has the advantage of (a) permitting us to express ourselves on a very important 

topic, (b) allaying any fears that we are pre-empting Ambassador Johnson, (c) increasing our rapport with NASA, and (d) saving us from 

explaining the deletion to Mr. Packard, Dr. Foster, and Mr. Helms. 

The disadvantage is that one would still be required to advise 

Dr. DuBridge of a compromise action which does not comply fully with 

his desire. 

4. Following Dr. DuBridge's lead, call for an immediate meeting 

of the ExCom. Dr. DuBridge says, "I suggest that, as a separate 

action, the ExCom consider the proposal and decide whether to encourage 

a 156 Committee review. 11 This alternative has the advantage of getting 

the arms control story before the ExCom without confronting or irritating Dr. DuBridge. If the meeting were called immediately, it could 

give us guidance as to how we should handle this item in our report prior 

to our going into a final, hard version. 

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RECOMMENDATION: 

Alternatives 3 and 4 look equally attractive to me. We will await 

your decision. 

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PAUL~ .. ORTHMAN 

~~ 

Colonel, USAF 

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THE WHITE HOUSE 

WASHINGTON 

June 26, 1969 

MEMORANDUM FOR 

Director, National Reconnaissance Program 

This memorandum responds to your request for comments on the 

draft, "National Reconnaissance Program Annex to the Space Task 

Group Report, 11 dated 4 June 1969. 

I think the technological trends and the Program projections that 

are summarized in this report are reasonable estimates of what 

we can anticipate for the NRP in the next decade and I concur in 

these sections of the report. 

I would, however, suggest the changes indicated in the attached 

pages for the paragraph titled "NRP Relationships with NASA: 

Post-Apollo Goals. u I would also change DOD to NRO in the last 

two lines of page 18. 

In addition, I think we should delete the references to an Arms 

Control Satellite. It seems to me that the policy review of such 

a proposal falls within the purview of the NSAM 156 Ad Hoc Committee and should be taken up there rather than being suggested 

at this time to the Space Task Group. This is an important 

question, however, and I suggest that, as a separate action, 

the EXCOM consider the proposal and decide whether to encourage 

a 156 Committee review. 

cc:Mr. Packard 

Mr. Helms 

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NRP Relationships with NASA: Post-APOLLO Goals 

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For some time, NASA has been exploring the use of satellite -borne 

sensors to locate and study earth resources. Experiments involving 

hand-held cameras operated by GEMINI and APOLLO astronauts have 

not been politically offensive to other nations, largely because the 

photographs are at a fairly gross resolution, the "targets" are carefully selected, the film is reviewed by an inter-agency security panel 

before it is released to the public, and hostile states such as the USSR 

and Iled China are either not overflown or not now photographed. Future 

possible NASA applications, involving oceanography, forestry, geology, 

geography, and agriculture, must be planned and controlled very care -

fully, for the line between economic research photography and economic 

intelligence photography is very thin and casual experimentation could 

trigger challenges to the legitimacy of not only the NASA earth-sensing 

program but of the National Reconnaissance Program. In 1966, U. 

Alexis Johnson's satellite reconnaissance policy cornrnittee met again 

and developed policy to cover this potential danger area. A-s-a-:r-e-B'IJ:-1-t, 

Within the guidelines established by that committee, NASA and the 

BOB-a:r-e-1.'lenv· NRO have been proceeding on a cooperative basis in 

planning a NASA earth-sensing program which will meet our nation Is 

I 

scientific needs without jeopardizing its ability to gather intelligence 

from space. 

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In addition, the Pre sident 1 s Science Advisor has -s-pon:-s-o-1'-ed- p-0li-c-ystud-i-e-s-a:ad-r-equ-i:r-e-rnen't- -ee:fl{e:t' eflees -in-an-e-ffe:t'°t- -te -dete-:r--rnine- howa:v a H-a. b:!: e -s-p-a-c-e- in i-e-H i:-g-enc-e- ph et e g l' a p h y --c-a:'n- b-e- a ppl-i-e<l-t-o- -the --n-e-ed-s-- '€>.f 

t-he- -eivi-1-geve:t"nB:1:efrt-wHhou-t-haza:t'di-ng- -the -s-e-c-u-:r-Hy-o-f-}he- Na-tieflal:-

, with the endorsement and support o(the Director of Central Intelligence 

and the Deputy Secretary of Defense, sponsors a committee with membership from the non-defense agencies which identifies ways in which the 

~ce intelligence photography can be used by these agencies within the 

present security and policy regul.ations and provides a channel for :eassing 

these needs to COMIREX. This committee has had a strong positive 

influence in coordinating the needs of the civil community and as sis ting 

to plan a reasonable earth-sensing program. In order to encourage 

.. further progress, consideration should be given to allotting a small but 

regular percentage of film from each search satellite to these purposes. 

There are two Bew areas in which NASA could benefit from closer 

technical ties with the B-e-pa.-:r--t:m-ent-ef-De-fen-se NRO. First, the DOD maintains a reconnaissance wing of SR-71 aircraft whose main purpose, in 

the event of war, is nuclear strike assessment. Both DOD and CIA 

maintain U-2 aircraft units. At pre sent, some of these aircraft fly 

training rnissions and some are stored in flyable condition. Some SR-7 l1s 

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and pessib-ly U-2 1 s eet11:d--be have already been made available for 

WAS-A civilian earth-s~nsing surveys. Photography from SR-.'.7-lJs -s-ho-uld-be J 

these aircraft has been and can continue to be very useful to NASA and 

its user community in developing baseline mosaics and in evaluating 

the possible return to be expected eventually from satellite photography. 

In· -a-d-d-iHt:in, -ai-r-c-r-a-ft-1-ike -SR- "7 :l ls- t:iffe-r- -:r:e.a:ay-a<l-v-ant-a-g-e-s-eve?' -s-a-teUH:e s 

as -s-en-s-o-:r- -c-a.TT-ie ?' s :- -the:i:-:r- tlp-eT-ati-ng- -c-os-t-i-s-muc-h- :less -th-an-1:hat-ef -s-a-telHres-, 

a-wide- eheiee -o-f-se:asers-i-s-pess:i:-b1e, -th-e--stiTV-ey-ef-a-:aat-itin-ea:a-b-e- ·eaTTteel 

ettt- .,_·a;~re:r- b-y-ai-r-c-r-a-f-t -th-an-by-s-a:t-eU-i-te s, -a-iT-cT-a.f t- -ea.n-1e -s-e-1-e-e-ti-ve-l-yenrp-lt:iy-ed, -a:ad-they-:aeecl--o-ffer -no- polHieal- -:risks. --An- i:at-en-s-ive-pregrarnef -e·a::r-th-se:asin:g· fJ:"eHr -a.ire raft-ever -s-e-1-e-e-ted -<:00pe-r-a:ti:ag -countTie s -c-ou,l<l 

previ-d-e- ti.-asefu-1-as se s sB.rent-ef -the -u:t-il-i-ty-0f-eal"th- T€-SEH:l-i'£-e-s-s1::1.Pveys 

pl?i-0-1'- -te -ern.-b-a-iki:ag -on- a-vel'y-e-~:v-e-sate-U:i:-t-e-i=n=e g:raFn-. This support 

should be continued and strengthened. 

Second, NASA has concluded that its initial earth resources satellite 

will be more cost-effective if it uses an electronic imaging system, 

rather than film-recovery cameras. It is also quite possible that highly 

re fined electronic imaging sensors will permit economy and improvement 

in NRP operations in the future. It may be appropriate and mutually 

advantageous for NASA to make a significant commitment to advancing 

the technology of high resolution electronic sensors to replace filmcamera systems. 

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