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f OP SECRET . TALENT-KEYHOLE 

~ATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

26 February 1969 

MEMORANDUM FOR TCO/DOD 

SUBJECT: Satellite Camera Manuals 

Referencing item 6 of your January 15, 1969 Information Letter 

No. 10 to all DOD/TCOs, a serious m'i.sconception may develop regarding security (access) policies on satellite· camera-manuals. 

With the support of DIA and NPIC, access to satellite camera 

manuals has been limited expressly to individuals having a ve·ry 

direct and specific "must know." Essentially, these manuals are 

for on-the-job PI's and analysts. Your information letter could 

give the impression that the documents are available to a larger 

audience than we intend. 

We will not, of course, restrict access if a specific need exists, 

particularly within those organizations directly involved in satellite 

photographic interpretation and analysis. At the same time, it is 

essential that the manuals not be available as advertised within the 

overall TALENT-KEYHOLE system to personnel involved in the 

general field of strategic uses of earth sensors or interpretation. 

We need your help in enforcing specific "must know" for these 

documents. Specifically, please ask your staff to take these actions: 

1. Make sure that all access to KH Manuals_ continues to be 

handled on a registry basis, providing a permanent record of all 

persons granted access. 

2. Make sure that any Manuals provided to the "community" on 

other than a very strict "must know" basis are recalled at once. 

CONTROL SYSTEM 

coNTROLNoTCS 37570-69 

rALENT-KEYHOLE TOP SECRET COPY c::2,. OF~ COPIES 

CONTROL SYSTEM EXCLUDED FROM AUTOMATIC REGRADING 

DOD DIRECTIVE 52 D0.10 DOES NOT A.PPLY 

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TOP SECRET HANDLE VIA 

TALENT-KEYHOLE CONTROL SYST[M 

3. Publish a notice in your next information letter clarifying 

access policy for KH Manuals. It might be worded as follows: 

HANDLE VIA 

TALENT-KEYHOLE CONTROL SYSTEM 

"Satellite camera manuals are available only to 

personnel authorized access after a specific "must 

know" has been validated. Must-know is restricted 

to those people who cannot work effectively in satellite analysis or interpretation without knowing camera 

system specifications. Essentially this means a 

limited group within the analyst/interpreter community. A,, permament record must be maintained 

of all personnel granted access to these manuals." 

.. 

:J. J ~ ~E-- WORTHMAN 

Colonel, USAF 

Deputy Director 

NRO Staff 

CONTROL NO TCS 37570-69 

TOP SEGRET EXCLUDED FROM AUTOMATIC REGRADING 

000 DIRECTIVE 5200.10 DOES NOT APPLY 

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~t(j'~\t:' 

DEFENSE IN"i"ELUGENCE AGENCY 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20301 

MEMORANDUM FOR THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR, NRO STAFF (COLONEL WORTHMAN) 

SUBJECT: Satellite Camera Manuals 

1. Reference is made to your memorandum, TCS 37570-69, dated 26 

February 1969, subject as above. 

2. The Newsletter item was prompted by suggestions from your office 

to take positive action to have lower units realize that they have on 

hand sufficient information in the TALENT/KEYHOLE control system to 

accomplish their functions, and to reduce the proliferation of requests 

for BYE:MAN clearances. 

3. Please be assured that this office is taking every precaution to 

insure that Satellite Camera Manuals are not being indiscriminately 

distributed to organizations under Department of Defense. Due to the 

classification of and control procedures for the manuals, it goes 

without saying that all persons having access are recorded. We have 

no intention of providing the manuals to the community unless a specific 

need exists and has been fully substantia~ed. 

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NEW PG. 1 ATTACHMENT 

PART I: SYSTEM DESCRIPTION 

INTRODUCTION 

The KH-8 Dual Mode camera system, like its predecessors, is a 

satellite-borne photographic reconnaissance system designed to gather high 

resolution photography. The KH-8 was designed essentially for point target 

surveillance. The addition of Extend.ed Altitude Capability (EAC) of the Dual Mode 

configuration allows operation at higher altitudes which results in wider 

swath coverage and scale commensurate with Search-Mode requirements. The 

versatility of the Dual Mode system allows the highest quality images of 

technical intelligence targets to be derived from a mission which also 

satisfies a large portion of the standing search task. The resultant 

~ I[) 

imagery from a Dual Mode mission is returned to earth, in two sequentially ~~ 

, released recovery vehicles. Various system improvements and modifications 

have been incorporated, effective with Flight Model 52, to achieve this 

increase in flexibility and utility for the KH-8 camera system. 

TABLE I 

DUAL MODE IMPROVEMENTS 

SYSTEM: PERFORMANCE 

Extended altitude capabil~ty (68-470 nmi) 

Dual range film drive speed control 

90-120 day lifetime 

Sense focus over complete slant range 

Expose ancillary data at all film drive speeds 

Vehicle timing data tracks 

Added smear slits for high mode 

Higher thrust SRV rocket motors 

SRV variable recovery sequence timers 

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ACQUISITION CAPABILITY 

Increased area coverage at high altitude (17xlO6 m/ potential) 

Crisis reaction capability 

Benign orbital environment at high altitude enhances vehicle stability 

Use of very high resolution films 

Increased frame potential (to 25,000) 

Sophisticated target conflicting and selection software 

Flexible modes of operation (i.e. various mission scenarios) 

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