'' ' 

C Approved for Release: 2020/02/07 C05111924 • ,·· I VI Vlli,,VUhl , \._, 

. ...+S'f"NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE . OFFI.CE 111111i111111111111i11· 14 

BYEMAN 

CONTROL IVITOI 

LA'>.b.Lt L J 

111111111111111111 

WASHiNGTON; D,C, \' 

. ' 

OFFICE OF. THE DIRECTOR Ma:rch 15, 1969 · 

; 

i 

MEMORANDUM FOR DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS,. SAFSP ., 

. . DIRECTOR, CIA RECONNAISSANCE PROGRAMS. ' ,, 

... 

' SUBJECT: HEXAGON Software Programs .. ffDi:~~u'.rio_ i~r1

1

_· isKfas·~---li. f / 

i !"' · 1 ' "· l-ss-1 .. ,· · t . 

The subject of HEXAGON software has been under study by ! ss.2 · \- \ 

SAFSP, CIA-OSP and the NRO Staff since the inception of the pro-! ss-s. \ \ 

gram. I have reviewed in detail these comprehensive studies and ! . !j I ··. have arrived at the following conclusions: - I SS-$ · .. /--

1 

:. 

! ss--fi ·· ! 

: ...... \ 

.'., I 1. Under the HEXAGON Management Plan, the System I SS-/l . ' r·-:-1 ,· '' ' 

Project Director {SP~) :':1o is the Dire_ctor of S_AFSP has full I m~;---~-T~- ! :/: · and complete respons1b1hty for on-orbit operations (see my i ·· . · ;--:: 1 I 

memorandum of March 15, 1969, BYE 12671-69, for addi- 8~:t.:.:.,.. .. J-.! ' 

tional clarification to the Director of SAFSP and the Director, ss-t · · 1 \ 

CIA Reconnaissance Programs). He is therefore responsible SAFnb:t \ \ 

for all software used at the STC to conduct HEXAGON missions --~~-~ · ·1-;- \ 

including all command generation and targeting software. Thib SP.f~'.?:2-1-.....c .

1

, 

software will be designed including weighting parameters for .c2,11' . ..:.....; . _ 1

areas and targets, value functions, weather verification and . sJ1.r::i.t J · l :_: 

prediction factors. The application of these factors will be on · . .,, j _· ]· ·, :ft .t.\ I 

the basis of priorities and criteria established by the NRO · ·r · ! 

Satellite Operations Center (SOC) both prior to and (to the ~L~ I .. 

extent practicable) during missions. The details of the extEj)ntlfti1~ : .. J .. to which on-orbit control software can accept. preestablishe~ ! ' . . j 

or changed p:riorities and criteria will be,._ determined by i ' ,"'"' l<fi•,~r~ 

agreement between the SPD and the SOC with the SSSPO par- -,__..:~-•: 

ticipating for the purpose .of assuring compatibility with sensor 

· interfaces. · · · · ', I, 

', I 

:_HEXAGON/CORONA/GAMBIT. CONTROL NO BYE 12 6 7 5 - 6 9 HANDLE VlA 

BYEMAN 

CONTROL IYIT[M 

To, sEe~rr .. UCLUDEO fftOlol AUTOMATIC REG~ADING 

OOb DlhCtlYl 9200,fO DOU NOTAP,LV 

Approved for Release: 2020/02/07 C05111924 
,. C Approved for Release: 2020/02/07 C05111924 

nn \Jl\.;.\lliU;, r l 

· 2. The SSSPO responsibility for participation in development and operation of on-orbit command, control and analysis 

software will be in support of the SPD and under his direction, 

In accordance with the HEXAGON Management Plan, the SSSPO 

will participate in all software development to the full extent 

necessary to assure optimum utilization of sensor capabilities. · 

and compatibility with all sensor interfaces, and will have full · 

and complete access to all software development activities. 

3, The SOC, in order to make independent assessments 

of the validity of the crJteria and priorities established before 

and during HEXAGON missions and the effe~tiveness of these 

factors in optimizing intelligence collection in accordance with 

USIB requirements, will have a separate and distinct activity 

to analyze the effects of varying these parameters to be conducted on both a pre-mission and post-mission basis; further 

since HEXAGON missions will be extended over periods of 

30 to 45 days, there will be considerable opportunity for offCOMTftOl lYITtlil 

line adjustments and optimizations in the light of mission results.· 

It is essential that this activity be conducted in the Washington 

area to permit close interaction with the requirements authori• 

ties in the intelligence community. In conducting this activity, 

full use will be made of computer outputs and computer programs from the SPD activity at the STC and at Los Angeles to 

the extent feasible and economical. To the extent that additional 

technical and contractual support is required for this SOC activity, 

it is to be provided by CIA-OSP as a function separate and dis.. ··· 

tinct from the SSSPO. 

In the alternative proposals for developing and managing the 

HEXAGON software programs, there were numerous references to 

software programs which are in use in the CORONA and GA:l\1BIT 

programs. While it is desired that all possible advantage ·be taken 

of past experience in these programs, it must be recognized that the 

HEXAGON system has capabilities which are essentially different .:, '. 

'' from either of these systems and that softwa.re development should· 

HANOLt VIA 

be directed toward maximizing collection effectiveness in light of the ' 

unique c~pabilities of the HEXAGON system. 

Alexander H. Flax 

BYEMAN · tKtlUDED, FROM AUTOMATIC HGRADIHG 

bOD Olft[CTIV£ U00,10 OOU NOT APPLY 

\ '. \' 

corv_~_oF_-.,....._corin 

,.u. __ 2 _o, ____ 2_run CONTROL IVSTEIII I 

I 

\ 

Approved for Release: 2020/02/07 C05111924