March 28, 1961

NUMBER 5160. 34

GenCoun, DoD

Department of Defense Directive

III

SUBJECT Reconnaissance, Mapping And Geodetic Programs

Reference: (a) DOD Directive 5160. 32, "Development of Space

Systems"

L PURPOSE

This Directive assigns responsibilities for research,

development, and operational activities in the fields of

reconnaissance, mapping and geodetic programs.

II. RECONNAISSANCE SATELLITES 

The Department of the Air Force will be responsible for:

Research, development and operation, including

payload design, launch, guidance, control and recovery of all DOD reconnaissance satellite systems.

Research and development of all instrumentation

and equipment for processing reconnaissance data

from _satellite sources.

III. GEODETIC CONTROLS AND MAPPING PRODUCTION

A. The Department of the Army will be responsible for

the establishment and mans.gernent of a single geodetic

and mapping program to meet the total requirements

of the Services and the Department of Defense in consonance with priorities established by the Joint Chiefs

of Staff. This responsibility will Include, the establishment and maintenance of a world-wide master geodetic

control system and geodetic library and the production
and dissemination of geodetic data and topographic maps

as required by Department of Defense agencies. In addition, it will include the establishment of a mapping and

geodetic data collection program responsive to the needs

of the three military departments and under the broad

priorities established by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Departmept of the Army will be responsible for maintaining

a research and development program in basic geodetic

methods.

B. The Departments of the Navy and the Air Force will be

responsible for exploitation of the basic information provided by the Department of the Army to meet their unique

Service requirements.

IV. MAPPING AND GEODETIC SATELLITES

A. The Department of the Army will be responsible fOre

Establishment of detailed specifications for the development of mapping and geodetic satellite payloads and the

operational coverage required of such payloads to satisfy

its over-all data collection program.

Research, development and operation of all systems for

processing and reduction of raw data accruing from

geodetic and mapping satellites.

B. The Department of the Air Force will be responsible for:

Research and development of all geodetic satellite

systemi exclusive of dais processing and data reduction,

to meet the detailed requirements established by the

Department of the Army.

Operation of geodetic satellite systems (excluding data

processing and data reduction) as required to meet the

schedule and coverage prescribed by the Department of

the Army. The Air Force will provide operational

boosters and payloads and the launch, control, guidance

and recovery operations, and will deliver the collected

raw data to the Department of the Army for processing.
Mar 20, 61

5360-34

3. Any exceptions to the foregoing will be determined in

accordance with DOD Directive 5160.32 (reference (a)).

V. MAPPING AND GEODETIC SYSTEMS OTHER THAN SATELLITE 

The Department of the Air Force will be responsible for

research, development andoperation of all cartographic

photograph and geodetic systems (excluding data processing,

other than' field computations) requiring the service of

manned high performance aircraft, in accordance with the

requirements and schedule provided by the•Departutent of

the Army.

The Department of the Army will be responsible for research,

development and operation of ground 'based mapping and geodetic systems (including components carried aboard instrumented probes and non-geodetic satellite systems), and the

data processing and data reduction instrumentation and

equipment associated therewith.

C. The Department of the Navy will be responsible for:

Research, development and operation of all oceanographic and geophysical equipment required for the

survey of the ocean areas.

Performing geodetic operations ashore, as necessary,

to position electronic aids for navigation at sea and for

temporary electronic aids required for oceanogiaphic

survey operations.

3. providing to the Department of the Army processed data

in accordance With requirerneiiis established by the Department of the Army geodetic program.

VI. OPERATIONAL PRIORITIES 

The operational acquisition of geodetic and reconnaissance data

and mapping information will be carried out under the broad

priorities established by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

V.11, EFFECTIVE DATE 

This directive is effective upon publication.

_ertaxettlota

Deputy Secretary of efense

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