. AIR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COMMAND

memo STATES AO POKE

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•

REM TO

ATM Of RDGN 28 March 1960

suancr Samos, Midas, Discoverer Meeting (Sensitive)

to RDG (Lt Gen Schriever)

Over a period of several weeks since the Air Force had submitted the

subject development plans and operational plans for approval to OSD it is

becoming increasingly clear that certain advisors and senior people in

OSD do not want to approve the program as presented. Although OSD

appeared satisfied with the Midas plan, specific suggestions to extend

Discoverer were being considered and at the expense of the Samos, B-1,

11-2. Furthermore, general redirection of the Samos program was considered advisable. As a result of this advance information the Intelligence

people became increasingly unhappy, and in a succession of meetings

between DCS/D, AFCIN and Dr. ataryk, approval was obtained from Dr.

York to withhold submission of the OSD position for a couple of weeks.

Accordingly, Dr. Charyk requested AFDAT to set up a meeting calling

together all members of the Air Force Ballistic Missile Committee but

without observers because of the sensitive nature of the subjects to be

discussed. No general release in the staff of the Pentagon has been made

to the effect that this is in fact a BMC meeting. The original date of 25

March was slipped to 31 Mardi because of conflicts involving BMC members.

3. The agenda for the meeting is =published at the specific request of

Dr. Cbaryk. I have obtained information from AFDAT that the subjects,

however, will be as follows:

Midas program analysis.

Interrelation of the Samos and Midas programs.

c. (And this is the sensitive portion). An analysis of the probable

success of getting appropriate intelligence information via the several

methods (8-1, 8-2, B-5, Samos system, and Discoverer) within a

specified critical time period.
11117---

I am Amber informed that General Bousbey will act as lead off man

describing the problem and the purpose of the meeting and then will ask

General Walsh to make a formal presentation on his Intelligence requirements. Following this, MD (Colonel King, Colonel Oder and Colonel

Worthman) will make a presentation analyzing the above referenced systems and how they might meet the requirements stressed by General Walsh.

It is planned that the deliberations of the INC are intended to aid Secretary

Sharp in his deliberations and negotiations with OSD on this over-all program.

As a result of preliminary hearings on this subject to date, AFDAT's

present conclusions are that:

Discoverer offers the best chance of getting large amounts of useful

data in the critical time period.

Additional launch capacity is required if the Discoverer program is

extended.

c. Samos readout offers a substantial contribution at an acceptable

probability of success in the critical time period and therefore should be

pursued.

The meeting will probably conclude with a summarization of the differences

between the conclusions reached at this meeting and the present attitude

expressed by OSD.

Attached is the financial picture for which approval is being sought.

NORMAN C. APPOLD 1 Atch

Colonel, USAF Funding Status as of

Special Asst. for ARPA/NASA Affairs 23 March 1960

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Program 

Discoverer

FUNDING STATUS (As of 23 Mardi 1960)

FY 60

OSDOrgency)

NNE 1047

160.1

FY 61

Midas 31.3

20.6

41. 1

60. 0•*•

S. 8**

OSD directed increase.

New O. (N. 0. A. )

41.41

41440 t to be made up out of Samos Ferrit.
10 : 14 Sep 59

13 Oct 59

12 26 Oct 59

13 Oct 59

No. Date

1 3 Mar 59

i

31 Jul 59

3 I 11 Aug 59

.4 19 Aug 59

..

-5 26 Aug 59

27 Aug 59

31 Aug 59

Sep 59

9 8 Sep 59

14 3 Nov 59.

15 10 Nov 59

Subject

Technical Evaluation of Mapping Satellite by ARPA/IDA Ad Hoc Panel on Satellite

Mapping. Top Secret - Eyes Only.

Copy of ARPA Order 48-60, Amendment No. 6, ARGON Instruction No. 1. Top Secret -

NOFORN.

Copy of letter to Commander, ARDC, from Chief, Aerial Reconnaissance Laboratory,

WADC, Cartographic Sybsystem for SENTRY Mapping Program. Secret.

Personal memo for Gen. Schriever from Col. Appold re requirement for 5' ground

resolution for photographic sensors in satellite systems. Unclassified.

Draft memorandum for Colonel Appold; background information for 13 August conferenc

with General Schriever. Unclassified.

WDZ memo for Gen. Sdtriever, subject, Action Requested of AFINAD (check list of

certain priority items of work and their status. ) Top Secret - Eyes Only.

Memo for Gen. Sdrriever from CoL Appold attaching re-write of ARGON letter to Mr.

Roy Johnson. Unclassified.

Copy of Gen. Sdtriever's letter to Mr. Roy Johnson re ARGON Project Top Secret -

Eyes Only.

CoL Appold's penciled notes with Gen. Schriever's 28 August letter to Mr. Johnson re

reinstating SAMOS (ltr not sent - re-vampled and dispatched 3 Sep 59; Top Secret -

Eyes Only; and memo for Geo. Schriever from Col. Appold dated 14 Sep 59, subject,

Proposed Discussion Items for 14 Sep Meeting with Mr. Johnson - Unclassified.

Copy of AFC= memo to DCS/D, subject, Reinstatement of the 8-4 SAMOS Requirement

w/enclosure& Secret.

CoL Appold's pencilled notes of 7 Oct. Copy of Hq USAF message to AMC re P&W J-58

Engine Development Program (Confidential). Gen. Demler's Memo for Record, Buhl,

J-58 Engine Development Support, dated 7 Oct 59 (Secret). Copy ARPA undated Memo

for Secretary of the AF, subj, Technical Support for Project ARGON (Top Secret -

NOFORNI

Pencilled notes.

Draft Memo for Assistant Secretary of the AF (R&D), subj, SAMOS Program Review;

(for signature of Dr. York (7)).

Memo for Gee. Schriever from Col. Appold re 3 Nov meeting in connection w/SAMOS.

Copy of report "Review of Visual Satellite Reconnaissance Payloads - Readout and

Recovery Types" dated 19 Sep 59 by C. W. Chillson of ARPA/IDA. Secret.

I.

Aug 59 AFBIAD definition of WS 117L subsystems w/SAMOS chronology - 1956-1959 and Gee .

Schriever's notes.

18 11 Aug 59 WADC letter, Cartographic Subsystem for Sentry Mapping Program.

19 12 Aug 59 i TWX from AFBMD re SENTRY program at Pt. Arguello; resolution of AF-Navy interfac

• problem

20 • 14 Aug 59 TWX from 1st Missile Division, subject, Vandanberg/PMR/Pt. Arguello relationship.

21 2 Sep 59 ; TWX from AFDAT downgrading all SAMOS material to comply w/dassification guidanc

I contained in Hq USAP kr. subj, Assignment of Operational Planning Responsibility.

22 14 Sep 59 Letter from Gen Schriever to Gen White re problem areas in SAMOS program.

*16 withdrawn for sifekeeping in Col Appold's personal safe. )

C23, 28 Mar 60 Memo for Gen Schriever, subject, Samos, Midas, Discoverer Meeting (Sensitive).

24 12 Mar 60 : Copy of Dr. Charyk's memo for Gen Wilson =lathe to selection of a third contractor or

the Minuteman program.