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1 or attiht 1 ( ... _~iliNT-KEYHObE/ .-BYEMAN -CONTROL SYSTEMS 

CHRONOLOGY OF 

DECOMPARTMENTATION OF SATELLITE PHOTOGRAPHY 

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1 Aug 26, 60 

2 Nov 9, 70 

3 Oct 14, 71 

4 May 23, 72 

5 Sep 1, 72 

6 Mar 29, 73 

7 Apr 12, 73 

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Memo for the Secretaries of State and Defense, 

The Attorney General, DCI, and Ct:nirman AEC, 

from President Eisenhower. Established the 

TALENT-KEYHOLE Control s'y~tem. 

_ Memo for BCO/TCO frm Maj Rose, BYEMAN/TALENTKEYHOLE Classification~ First document to 

establish commonality between BYEMAN and TAIENTKEYHOLE Systems. 

Letter to Amb Johnson, State, from Mr. Packard~ 

Relayed Ex.Com discussion on revealing "fact of" 

satellite reconnaissance, including· differentation between photographic and SIGINT systems 

sensitivity. Urged NSAM 156 Committee consid- J 

eration of "fact of" question in SALT context. 

Memo for Secretaries of Military Depts, et al, 

from DepSecDef Rush, Classification, Downgrading 

and Declassification of Official Information; 

Pursuant to Executive Order 11652. 

Memo for Directors Profram A. CIA Reconnaissance 

Programs, C and D from_ !Guidance 

on Implementation of EO 11652~ - · 

USIB-D-46.2/22, from Executive Secretary, USIB, 

Modification of the TK Controls for .Products of 

Photographic Satellites. Transmits ~------~ proposal to reduce restrictive handling of certain products of photographic satellite systems. 

Memo for Executive Secretary, ·usIB, frm Dr. McLucas, 

Modification of TALENT-KEYHOIE Controls, April 12, 

1973. The sole dissenting letter on decompartmentation, it asked analysis of implications 

before approaching the President. 

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Apr 25, 73 

May 17, 73 

May 21, 73 

Aug 17, 73 

Aug 29, 73 

Sep 10, 73 

Sep 10, 73 

Sep 14, 73 

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USIB-D-46.2/23, Potential Savings Involved in 

the Modification of the TK Controls for Products 

of Photographic Satellites. Asked USIB members 

for cost savings for decompartmentation. 

Ltr to Service Intelligence Chiefs frm Mr. Hughes, 

DIA, Guidelines and Procedures for the Sanitization of KH-9 and KH-4 Photography for Military 

Purposes, with attachments. 

USIB-D-46.2/24, from Executive Secretary, USIB, 

Modifications of the TK Controls Products 

of Photographic Satellites. 

BYEMAN, TALENT, TALENT-KEYHOLE Access Status 

as of August 17, 1973. 

Memoranda frm Staff in response to request for 

comments on USIB decompartmentation paper: 

Memo frml 1· April 6, 1973 

Memo frm~-------~April 10, 1973 

Memo frm Maj Geiger 

Memo frm Lt Col Millson 

Memo Lt Col Owens, August 29, 1973 

Memo the Record, Maj Coyle, USIB Decision 

to Decompartment TK Photography, Reports on 

USIB indorsement of decompartmentation at 

Sept 10 meeting (attended by Mr. Singel and 

Maj Coyle). ""i-''~- L c'?, 

USIB-D-46.2/25, Modification of the TK Controls 

for Products of Photographic Satellites, .Minutes 

on Decompartmentation discussion at USIB Sept 10 

meeting. 

Ltr to AF/CC from Maj Gen Keegan, Modification 

of TK Controls Photographic Satellite .Produc.ts, 

recommended that decontrol go beyond the USIB 

approval. Attached is a talking paper and note 

to Sec AF frm Chief. 

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Sep 20, 73 

Sep 21, 73 

Sep 28, 73 

Oct 11, 73 

Oct 12, 73 

Nov 23, 73 

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USIB-D-46.2/25, Modification of the TK Controls 

for Products of Photographic Satellites, further 

discussion frm the Sept 20 USIB meeting. 

Memo for the Assistant to the President for 

National Security Affairs frm Mr. Colby, 

Subj: Modification of the TALENT-KEYHOLE 

Controls for the Products of Photographic 

Reconnaissance Satellites. Asked for decompartmentation of satellite photography. 

Memo for Gen Kulpa frm Mr. Inlow, Modification 

of the TK Controls for the Products of Photographic Reconnaissance Satellites; Notice of 

intent to establish a Steering Group for guiding 

decompartmentation. Attached a draft paper 

establishing a full time COMIREX T-KH Modification 

Working Group. 

Memo for Mr. Inlow frm Gen Kulpa, Subj: Modification of TK Controls for the Products of 

Photographic Reconnaissance Satellites; accepting 

nomination as NRO Steering Group member. 

Memo for Dr. McLucas frm Lt Col Coyle, General 

Keegan's Talking Paper for the Chief of Staff; 

Analyzed Gen Keegan's proposal. 

Memo for The Secretaries of State, Defense, 

Treasury, the Attorney General, DCI and Chairman, 

AEC frm Dr. Kissinger, Subj: Modification of the 

Security Controls for the Products of Photographic 

Reconnaissance Satellites. Stated .the. President's 

approval to modify special security controls on 

photo reconnaissance program. Directed DCI to 

establish policy guidelines for continued protection of the satellite collection program. 

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Nov 29, 73 

Nov 29, 73 

Nov 30, 73 

Dec 13, 73 

Dec 14, 73 

Dec 19, 73 

Dec 22, 73 

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Note for Gen Kulpa frm Lt Col Coyle, with memo 

to SecDef Dr. McLucas' signature and note 

frm Gen Kulpa to Dr. McLucas. Requested SecDef 

sign ltr reiterating security rules for BYE:MAN 

and TALENT-KEYHOLE Systems. ·nr. McLucas did sign 

memo on Nov 30; SecDef did not. 

Memorandum for The Under Secretary of State for 

Political Affairs frm Dr. McLucas, Subj: Impact 

of Photoreconnaissance Satellite Decompartmentation. 

Asked for NSAM 156 Committee review of NSCA 2454. 

Memo for the Record by Lt Col Hofmann, Subj: 

Modification of TALENT-KEYHOLE Controls for the 

Products of Photographic Reconnaissance Satellites. 

Record of first meeting of COMIREX 1Decompartmentation Steering Group. 

TWX WHIG 1534, to CHARGE and PILOT, Subj: Guidelines for Imagery Decompartmentation. Asked for 

assi-Stance in determining sensitive technical 

parameters to be protected. 

USIB-D-46.7/21 frm Exec Secretary, USIB, Subj: 

Policy Guidelines and Procedures for the Use· 

Reconnaissance Satellite Photography in Briefing 

Senior Foreign Officials. 

TWX CHARGE 8546, to WHIG. Expressed concern about 

revealing state-of-art of KH-8 and KH-9 if photography is decompartmented. 

Ltr to :Mr. Colby frm VADM de Poix, asking for 

authority to release KH-4 photography for use 

in preparation of NATO targeting material. 

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29 Dec 22, 73 Memo for Secretaries of State, Defense, Treasury, 

The·Attorney 'General and Chairman, AEC from 

Mr. Colby, Subj: Modification of the Security 

Controls for the Products of Photographic 

Reconnaissance Satellites. Provided notice of 

decompartmentation decision. 

30 Dec 22, 73 USIB-D-46.2/29 frm Mr. Colby, Subj: Modification 

of the Security Controls f:or the Products of 

Photographic Reconnaissance Satellites. Notified 

community of Presidential approval to decompartment satellite photography and specified fo:urphase implementation plan. Attached is Annex A, 

Interim Guidelines, Dec 22, 73. 

31 Jan 4, 74 TWX to TCO State, SSO DIA, TCO NSA, TCO SAFSS 

32 Jan 9, 74 

33 Jan 16, 74 

34 Jan 18, 74 

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frm CIA OPCEN Cite 1164, 0415022 Jan 74. Explains 

effect of modification of TK controls on foreign 

nationals. 

Ltr to VADM de Poix frm Mr. Colby~ Authorized 

NATO aircrews access to sanitized KH-4 photography. 

Guidelines attached. 

Note for Gen .Kulpa 

Decompartmentation 

January 16, 1974. 

15. 

frm Lt Col Hofmann, Subj: 

Steering Group Meeting, 

Summary of meeting of January 

USIB-D-46.2/30 to USIB Members frm Chairman, 

COMIREX, Subj: Modification of the Security 

Controls for the Products of Photographic 

Reconnaissance Satellites. Forwarded secondphase implementing guideli:aes for review and 

noting. 

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Jan.18, 74 Memo for COMIREX T-KH Modification Steering Gp 

and Working Group, £rm Exec Secretary, COMIREX, 

Subj: Modification of the Security Controls for 

the Products of Photographic Reconnaissance 

Satellites--Phase II. Transmitted draft of 

second phase implementing guidelines. 

Jan 22, 74 Memo forL.---c----~~NPIC, frm Lt Col Coyle, 

Subj: Additional Study of Satellite Parame·ters. 

Asked for determination of kinds and quality of 

KH-8 and KH-9 imagery which could be released 

at SECRET level without revealing system parameters. 

Jan 23, 74 Memo for Mr. Inlow, COMIREX, frrn Gen Kulpa, Subj: 

Photographic Satellite Parameters. Asked pro-

. tection of photo satellite capabilities. 

Jan 29, 74 Memo for Mr. Plummer frm Lt Col Coyle, USIB Point 

Paper on Phase Two Decompartmentation, January 

29, 1974. Prepared for USIB meeting; Mr. Singel 

attended. Attached is USIB-D-46.2/30, Jan 18, 74, 

Modification of the Security Controls for the 

Products of Photographic Reconnaissance Satellite 

arid list of pertinent papers. 

Feb 15, 74 Memo for T-KH Modification Steering Group from 

Mr. Inlow, Subj: Phase III and Related Papers. 

Transmitted recommendations on NIIRS ratings, 

interim guidelines for use of KH-4, 5, 7 and 

Mapping Photograph from KH-8 and 9, and Modification of Codeword Markings. 

Feb 22, 74 Memo for T-KH Modification Steering Group frm 

Executive Secretary, COMIREX, Subj: Phase III 

and Related Papers. Revised version of NIIRS 

and decornpartmentation guidelines. 

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41 Mar 8, 74 LXD Memo for T-KH .Modification Steering Group 

frm Mr. Inlow, Subj: Revised Sections of Phase 

· III Guidelines~ 

42 Mar 12, 74 Memo for Chairman, USIB frm VADM de Poix, Subj: 

Supplemental Guidelines for Decompartmentation 

of KH-8 Photography. Requested discussion of ~ 

NIIRS rating 6 and above at USIB Meeting. 

43 Mar 14, 74 USIB-D-46.2/31, Subj: Modification of the 

Security Controls for the Products of Photographic 

Reconnaissance Satellites. Reported discussion of 

NIIRS at USIB meeting of March 14, and ~eferred 

questions on NIIRS 6 back to COMIREX. 

44 Mar 29, 74 Memo for Modification Steering Group frm Chairman, 

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COMIREX. Further discussion of NIIRs 6 release. 

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