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Dr. Steininger left a copy of Ite attached for you 4°6X

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and my informal comments. The paper is the proposed -484rott

transmittal letter to cover the report of the Project ARGO

which has'bein studyinithe pOtsible application of ICH-4 -4414;

photography to civilian uses. This project, you recall, Ame

was established through the initiative of Dr. Hornig.

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We do• not have a copy of the report and Dr. Steininger

explained the reason being that it is not yet in final 4ai5

form.

MEMORANDUM FOR .DR, FLAX

SUBJECT: Project ARGO

WASHINGTON. D.C.

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. General Berg and Paul Worthman have also looked at

this paper. We see no objection to it. I recommend that

you request me to so advise Don Steininger.

Don advises that essentially the report is an identification of seven or eight instances which, at least preliminarily, suggest useful applications of the informition

in ICI-4 photography which could be used for civilian purposes. He points out that, as the study proceeds and

assuming that additional uses are identified, there still

remains the problem of how within security such information

could be employed. He illustrated, however, that had

Secretary Freeman had better information on the world wheat

crop last year he probably would not have authorized the

increased acreage in the United States which has resulted

in a depressed market. In such a case, he indicated; all

Secretary Freeman would have needed was a number, the

source of which he personally knew.

It appears to us that if this project showed promise

it afght eventually serve as a constraining force on the

HASA Earth Resources Program.

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Later on, in addition to the problem of utilization

of the Anformation, there will have to be worked out many

questions such as, procedurally at what point is the NRO

consulted on extra "civilian" flights and who pays for

then. I think we will have to wait on these.

On March 6 there is a briefing at NPIC in which the

members of the ARGO Steering Committee will make oral

presentations. A representative of your staff is invited.

General Berg tells me that someone will attend this meeting.

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Attachmenl

Steininger draft on Project ARGO

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MEMORANDUM FOR

THE SECRETARY SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE

THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE

i THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR LAI THE SECRETAIIYAF TRANSPORTATION

ADMINISTRATOR, AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

ADMINISTRATOR, NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

. DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF EMERGENCY PLANNING

In November 1966 we jointly initiated a study, subsequently named

Project ARGO,.to evaluate classified satellite photography from the

standpoint of civilian agency needs. The work is now complete and

the final report of the project is attached. The resource experts

whom you • assiened to this task have studied the material from the

viewpoint of both. their discipline and their knowledge of the interests

of their parent agency. The attached document is their report to you

on their individual findings. I think your team members are to be congratulated on the enthusiasm and dedication with whiCh . they.havo carried.

this through.

This has been a very profitable effort--as you read the investigators'

reports I chink you will see that there is evidence that by-products of

the present intelligence systems might be of service to you in your

current operations. Indeed, the probability of its utility seems

sufficiently high to warrant our taking two more steps to fully exploit

the wick that has already been done by the ARGO team.

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First, we ought to establish a mechanism whereby your agencies

can routinely make your needs and interests known to the intelligence

community. As a specific proposal for your consideration, I suggest

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we continue the ARGO Steering Committee as a Standing Committee which

would (1) collect and consolidate the needs that each of you might

have for photography from the current systems, (2) see that these

needs were made known to the intelligence community and (3) discuss

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procedures-for handling classified photography for these purposes •

with the community. Your member on the steering committee could be

the point of contact within your agency for the generation of uses

to which the photography might be put. Kr. Reims has agreed. to cooperate

.wlth such a group and to appoint an agency representative. I would

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propose that my office chair the committee until the activity gets well

established but I would hope that we could eventually operate as an

art of a Mil committee. I would like to know your opinion on this,

and • f you agree, who your representative would be.

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Second, as we intended when we initiated the program, I propose

that each agency now evaluate the ARGO conclusions from the standpoint

of its own interests and write a report on its findings. I • think it

is important to keep in mind that the ARGO team, because of its limited

size and the short time available to it, may not have surfaced all the

possible uses of this material, nor have demonstrated to your mai.-

faction those uses that they did identify. Thus, it may be that you

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of your evaluation by I May. This report could then serve as your

initial input-to the activities of the Standing Committee.

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Enclosure •

Donald F. Hornig

. Special Assistant to the President

for Science and Technology

viii see ses additional applications or will want to initiate pilot studies

to demonstrate or further define some of the uses already proposed.

Therefore, I suggest that your report emphasize the following points:

(1) the identification of additional applications; (2) the elaboration

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. of your requirements from the standpoint of geographic coverage,

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.: frequency of coverage, etc.; and (3) the definition of "pilot" studies

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.4 that you plan to undertake. I mould appreciate having the results

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