TOP SECRET

CORONA COM 8 DEC 1958

SITUATICU:

Until September 1958, the CJROI& Project was to be concealed in

the 1st Phase of the IISn1171. rilitary Recormissance Program. It was

then decided that ouch a situation was urdesirable because of the

following reasons:

The W-117i procImukhas boon openly idomtifiel as a Idlitary

Reconnaissance Satellite and all phases of the proem:have

therefore been taiNted with a reconnaissance effort.

The international political climate is now hostile to any

form of overflight and roccnnaissanee and this hostility

has manifested itself to the point where high :moment

officials might cancel the CORONA program should it continue

to be identified with such efforts.

OILYCTIVFO:

In light of the ahove this plan has been guided by the followinc requirements:

PAPA (Advanced Research Projects Agency) participation

oust be locically am: fined.

Any intelligence cocrunity interest or association in the

co:I effort scat be concealed.

Any schdduled or contemplated military reconnaissance effort,

photographic or otherwise, must be concealed.

4. Any direct connection with a subsequent US-1171. Atlas phase

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utilising identical equipment, most be concealed except where

Obvious engineering advancements would profit Atlas and other

satellite programs.

A logical explanation must be given for the required polar

orbit, stabilised flight and recovery.

Cover missions must satisfy professional curiosity by a logical

sequence of technical effort and the production of a product

having military application.

T. A relationship with the press must be maintained to prevent

continued speculation.

SEPARATION:

1. The true nature and purpose of NS-117h have already been the

subject of such extensive public discussion and the number of persona in

various contractor companies and in the military services knowledgeable of

the program is so large that it is believed to be %holly infeasible to deny

that a satellite reconnaissance optima is being developed. Accordingly,

to secure acceptance of an explanation of the CORONA firings which denies

any connection with reconnaissance or with other similar sensitive military

activities, it is necessary to describe the entire Ther400sted series of

flights as an activity entirely separate from the NS-1171. program. To

accomplish this, ARPA has issued a directive separating the I3-11TL program

into two (2) distinct series, one identified as DISCOVERY (GIRONA Thor

Boost) and the other as SENTRY (11Th Atlas Roost). DISCCVERI will be

identified as a practical space platform for the conduct of experiments

aimed toward the development of improved military systems.

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2. The actual break beteeenINS.-1171, and the CCRCNA series cccurred

on 28 February 199 rhen tae Directnr; Advanced Research Pro!ects Apencyr

in a. memorandum to the Secretary of the Air Force; directed that the

development of a proposed interim reconnaissance systole utilising the Thor

boost be dropped.. That memorandum ostensibly authorised the use of the

Thor boosters for test flicht cf the Lockheed dereepod saLellite vehicles

:And inclixIer. provisione for the recovery of biologieal cpecimens in furthernnce of manned satellite fl i rhts. To the allotted number of vehicles; AP.PA

adned an attditional ten U0) tc percit the /A cceleration of eLNer programs

contemplated for later launchings. A.total of nineteen - (19) Thor boosters

rhos became availaole fer the CCRONA series, though the specific number of

vehicles need never become an intended matter of publicity,

InTLAKAT:V1:

1- To ffive public circulation to the desired explanation it is vital

that at least a ednirm amount cf iseenaation be released and that normal

r.nnouncenents be made. To attempt to der the press any information repardinr tht la u- wou!d net only invite a penetration effort on the

pert of the cppositicn but create an sir of mystery and encourage damaging

epeculation_ At the same time it will be necessary to rive consistent but

such mere complete tecnnical explanations (atich will be at least in part

classified, to the considerable nue:vr of persons wao do not need to knew

the true purpose of CCRCNA but are in a pesition to guess what it involves

unless they are previded with a convincing alternate explanation, These are

mainly .military and ccmpaey personnel workinr at the launch site, in the re

v:very force am! in companies nne mili-Ary organizations concerned with

toe aeries

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Though it is contemplated that Vandenberg Air Form Bass be

designated a *maxima securi4riuwaR, it is virtually impossible to cow

oval the activities preparatory to or at the time of lame*. the physical

=editions of the facility are smash that unauthorised Observations °gabs

acoamlished with relative ease. Publicity efforts must therefore allow

for some •opes" firings veep public viewing will be permitted through the

media of the press, television and radio. the spacing of nowt:CRCS*

launchings is such that an occasianalogen ghat is possible and to inhro

duos these shots to the press would (1) promote a cooperative spirit among

the media so they be more likely to respect the closed shots and (2)

exhaust the Vandenberg area as a major news stow so that, in time, it

should be possible to °cadent launchings without the glare of pdblicity

elvish certainly will accompamy the initial. firings. Since COM and

mon.COROM vehicles are identioal in outward appsarenos, there is little

sowers with the unauthorised observations that/woo:cur.

It is not intended that publicity aroagwery only the gavelled

'open shots*. Closing the CORM launchings to the public and press con

be justified under the policy established for the launch area, i.e., that

results obtained from ovrtain_activitims could be of potential signiflosase

to the secinligr of the Baited States in its development of classified

allitax ► systems, however, a brief statement should be made to the press

announcing the intention to launch. Releases for public consumption cam

refer to the launchings as being shoat they are in fact, trysrlainte in the

development of guidance and recovery techniques in spun vehicles designed

emolasively to advance the state of the art In pilotless moos flight for

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whatever application may be deemed desirable. To this extent, CCRON&

flights can be characterised as hardware development and an evidence of a

continuing improvement of U.S. payload capability. Some of the earlier

flights can also lay claim to being the means of proving out the instrui.

mantation to facilities of the new Pacific Missile Range and its complex

of around environment stations located in Alaska and Hawaii. In each

instance the release prepared to cover the actual CORM launching should

emphasise the development of hardwaes rather than the collect:An of seism.

tific data in order to avoid the interference of the vast number of scientists who claim a right to such data,

UNCLAnsIFIED conk:

1. Within the DISCOVER? series, a total of five (5) biosmodical 

vehicles . have been plotted against the launch schedule. Throe of the

five have actually been committed to the schedule under launchings three,

four and seven. •The first two will carry mice and the latter will carry a

primate. The remaining two vehicles are reserve back-up for use in the

event of a failure in the heavier primate vehicle( To further support

the cover plan, ARPA will develop two payload packages designed specifically to (1) study navigation of space . vehicles, and (2) obtain data useful in the development of an early wernisffatem. 

A. BiornUedical

The true biomedical payloads will be publicised as tests to

determine etw environmntal conditions of outer space and the

effects rich conditions :"aver soon livirt7 epee/wens. These will be

unclassified laqnchinrs to and rhich core detailed publicity can

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be directed. An initial release issued to the press in support

of CORONA will have established these flights as 00s of the

primary objectives of the DVCOVERT series. The data obtained

from such flights will be reported as contributing to the joint

NASA/ARPA Nempin-macs program. Though NASA does not have the

responsibility for the conduct of those bio-medical flights,

they have agreed to support them as being 'useful to the further•

ante of manned satellite Melts.

B. Navigation and Early Darning

During the earlier stages of the CDROM program, say reference to the special payloads being developed byARPA can only

be utilised as 'internal classified information' needed to

satisfy the nrofessional curiosity of personnel in ARPA, IND and

MD. Because those programs are in themselves classified, there

should not be any public discussion of their existence in the

program until such time as they are actually committed to the

launch schedule. At that time, the objective involved is the

launching can be disclosed but without the usual details that

will accompeny the bio•medical firings. In the meantime, the

development of these special payloads will become known within

the various facilities, thus satisfying the curiosity of person.

nal as to what is forthcomPig in the series.

CLA331EnD COVER:.

1. For a considerable period of time, the Special Projects Depart..

Dent of the Lockheed Missile Systems Division has maintained a facility

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removed from the main company area for the purpose of concealing the

coma modifications performed on the after-cone of the primary vehicle.

Until recently pormmud. assigned to this facility were not remitted to

reveal am ► associfticetwith LKSD and were actually under cover of the

Hiller Holioopter Co. This cover arrangement, however, proved to have an

advorso affect upon the security of the program for it did not leave roes

for needed flexibility of personnel. Tho cod:term of this facility was

thus surfaced to key personnel of IM and the Ballistic Mesi ta Division

USAF with the following asplanation. "Hy Covernmont diroctio% LESD was

instructed to conduct certain classified studies dealing with the potential

of the M-1171. system. These studios were so successful that additional

vehicles were programed to investigate the advanced vehicle development,

conduct measurements of certain suspected space phenomena and perform in.

strumentation studies. Seems, the information to be obtained durinr. such

proposed flights may affect the malliounont of axIstice programs or other

project: now in existence or contemplated, the work to be performed seep

be accomplished under the most favorable security condition".

2. It was thus made known that certain classified payloads were

being developed by the Lockheed Means Bretons Division under rather

strict security conditions. Therefore, when a military classification is

given to the launching of a particular vehicle and the press is denied

access to the launch area, it would appear logical to the unwitting personnel associated with the program that the data from such flights would

be of concern only to those personnel ass/smolt° the Pmelal facility

that developed the instrumentation. The press, on the other hand, would be

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required to accept the classifiscation on the basis of the =dm= security

policy established for the launch area.

In order to give the special facility the appearance of actellly

developing special payloads, it will be necessary to have leaks occur

in the plant end elsewhere that would tend to give unwitting personnel an

insight into the type of work being perfumed. These leaks can be created

by having the Special Projects Deportment (Willer facility) USD prepare

written requests to other camoonents for all available data on certain prom,

grams, some of which can be fictitious and others real. For =ample: they

can request data and reports on (1) Electronic Countermeasures, (2) Electronic Reflectivity, (3) Maneuverable Vehicles, (14) Reentry Control and

°sidings, (5) Magnetic Lonsolles, (6) Magnetic Field Affects, (7) Satellite

Borne rcm Systems, (S) Ablation, (9) Navigation and (10) infrared Sensors

as if these were of interest to the classified wait being perform& The

latter two programs mill eventually appear on the schedale if all goes well

with the primate biomedical launchings. in time, unwitting personnel will

begin associating these programs with what is being accomplished vithin.the,

special, facilities at Willer,

The current launch schedule for the Thorsboosted series lists the

CORM lame-hinge objectives as •Advanced Engineering*. These would not

necessarily have to be changed since the schedule has bean in being for a

considerable period and appears to have been accepted as a working paper

tgy those who are familiar with the fact that the payloads for these launch.

ings are classified. Further, enyannomcement made to the press during a

CORONA laissehing will, of necessitie speak in rather vague terms due to

the restrictions governing closed shots.

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5. The series viii obviously experienee a percentage of failures

and since such failures cannot be predicted in advance, it is necessary'

to maintainaoovor plan that is flexible enough to adjust to slippages

in the program. Therefore, no explanation should be °omitted to a

given vehicle that would prevent its subsequent use in the event of a

failure.

IpOVERADLE aPSUVie

Imam/ instances there will bo a need to eaplainthe use of a

recoverable capsule. -The large somber of personnel involved lathe re n

oovery effort ashes it virtually impossible to conceal this phase of the

operation. In preparing the recovery crews for their mission, both Air

Force and bevy Personnel should berominded that the object to be recover.

ed mast remain Amite original condition and must in noway be tampered

with, for to do so would destroy the valuable data and equipment contain.

al therein. They must be impressed with the fact that only professional

personnel, specifically trained, can beadle the sensitive equipment and

instrumentation being recovered.

Use of a recoverable capsule can best be explained as being the

one name the United States has for preventirc out tide interrogation of

the satellite, properving %Pe ultimate arplication of the data to the

specific canary swam under development. It further enables a visual

eonanination of any physical changes in the condition of equipment, furashes the most accurate data return when combined with same telemetering

and also enables the re.use of valuable instrumentation when such is

economically feasible.

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TCP SECI;ET

ALTITUDII ORBITs

The requirement of low altitude and polar orbit will obvious];

have to be explained and defended. Each of these requiremerta11 have

to be explained separately so that one or the other does not suffer through

guilt by association. For exempla: First, a polar orbit can be dictated by

Range Safety; Second, it is necessary in order to properly exercise the

early warning net to detect attack which will logically come from • polar

direction. The dictation. of Range Safety are well founded. The fact

that we are not firing frost Patrick AM, Florida eliminates our use of

off shore free water space. Vandenberg An Range Safety does not permit

launchirep to the East for Uwe would endanger the vast land mass and

populace of Southern California, toxic° and Central America. To launch in

a Wester/y direction would cause us to lose the advantace of the earths.

rotation. Therefore, the restrictive conditions limit the launch arca

to 1650 to iao° and the fact that the satellite passes over the Soviet

Union became coincidental rather than intentional.

The low altitude obtained by this Dateline can best be enplaned as the limit of our ability. This being the heaviest satellite

launched by the United States would not necessarily subject the orbit

altitude to question, particularly . in light of the various failures the

U.S. has experienced in orbiting lesser weights. Again the launch angle

can be introduced as a governing factor. Sines we cannel launch in an

easterly direction, we lose the advantage of the earth l s rotation. )

planting such natters to the press will require a careful play of words,

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and releases dealinG with such matters might well have to take on the

appearance of en %accuse for this Limited ability. It is believed, however, that a successful launch of the DISCOVR121, placing nearly 2,000

pounds in orbit, will be accepted by the press as a major acoomplishment

and will need little if amp explaination.

COV:.it MAR:

It is recognised that in Muslim with certain personalities

in the military structure and in various fields of industry, there will

be a need to reveal that a camera aystem has been developed and is being

utilised. in order to keep from revealing the true prpose of this

equipment, it is believed adrierOle that these irdividuas, and others

to wham equipment may booms eirxeed, be told that amens contained in

the vehicle are pert of an effort to conduct celestial obLervations from

a laboratory in space. Such an effort could be in connectiin with studies

of navigation such as that proposed by ARPA for firing later ;:n the series.

The rearm for withholding such info:maim from the general pualic is

that it might be misinterpreted, particularly in light of the remit

claims in the prose that a "Spy in the Mcr•s reconnaissance sate= to is

in the naldant. Am misinterpretation of the application of the optical

iwotea could have a disaster:ma affect upon our diplomatic relations,

In Vial of this, our claim will be that national security prevents us

from disclosing the use of such equipment in any scientific study.

In the crest test personnel mt. the site arc exposed to the

equipment, they can be told that camerae sire part of the statiliast.ion

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tests being conducted, where it is nacessary to have a continuous

record of tho horizons.

3. It is not intended that any of the above slain be published

in advance of a particular launch. Rather it is intended for use as

nitigtily Classified Information* to be used in the event we must retreat

from other uxplanations due to a vehicle rJelfunction evasive vital

optical equiplamt, or some other yeomen situation.

ATV.C1Crir (2)

Classified Cover Examples

Initial Press Release
TOP SEC5CT "TACIA:LT "A"

CLASSIFILD COV.it 77.A:PLIS

ELLCTROCIC ::Fr. =um: (=ors)

It is certainly technologically simple and fusible to utilise a `

Thor payload to deliver, at orbiting altitudes, a substantial number of

balloon decoys indistinguishable free satellites of approadsaately 1171.

size. The mental picture conveyed would be of a known single satellite

re-appearing over the USSR on the next following orbit as a covey. The

sensitivity of such a program would be lamely (*rational rather than

technolocleal and could, therefore, be plausible.

nAPLIN: &Mr. 1/: 

The rationale underlying naneuverable satellites is fundamentally

the salve as that underlying Uectrenie Reflectivity or Decoys. Conceiv.

ably a oatollite could be caused to "move over" so as to appear in

predictable places. This also has an operational security advantage.

This notion is nore specialised than that of maneuverable satellites

in that the maneuvering involved is in either the reentry or possible

"bombing" phase. tither the development of a "bombing" satellite or a

requirenent for increasing the accuracy of a recoverable capsule can be

used as OXPLIMSUGNIII. Operational security would need to be maintained.

1,:aCKAIC ADOEALVS:

Local magnetic variations are not well known and could be of de.

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(tided interest for :setting in the navigation of SAC penetration bathers.

It is prObably feasible to extrapolate magnetic field measurements from

Thor 117L orbital altitudes to the surface of the earth.

1:610WiTIC FDLD LPFNCTS:

This involves the interaction of atomic particles (made available

by nuclear explosions at extreme altitudes) with the earth l e magnetic

field. In general, physicists predictions are that there will be insignifiemnt resat. at Thor 117L altitudes. However, our elliptic orbits

are quite high in apogee and in one or two programs could be higher, The

possible implication of these effects are still sufficiently oensitive

so as to provide an excuse for ems degree of special security.

SATLLLIT:: MY= ECM:

SAC is continuously on the alert for additional penetration aids.

Etasives peacefUl looking satellites could possibly contain ECK equipment

calculated to disrupt soviet defenses. This would be a rather thin

excuse for persons tmeLliar with MI; but adglit serve to deceive the non

profesaional.

LLDATICI4 EATULIA:

The story could be that lockheed has developed an ablation material

sufficiently radical so as to allow very substantial weight reduction in

the payload and that this material is a proprietary item which they do

not wish Cenral Electric or similer competitors to become aware of,

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PRWAGATION TESTS:

There is a need for confirmation data on our predictions relative'

to the characteristics of signal carrying inform► ion back !maths

Atlas-boosted reoonnaissance satellites to the read-out stations. It

is not necessary to do actual reconnaissance to produce such data.

Simulated data could be placed aboard the Thor 1171 payload and transndtted back over the United States so that the propegation characteris.

tics at the time of transmittal would be well, known. The necessity for

special security provisions for such a test is quite tenuous and the

desiresbility of oorductir tests connected so closely with reconnaissance

is a risk.

rum= OF IMANIN.SPACE:

While predictions have been made about space environments at the 150

ails level, there is no dont/ming data since space probes to date bays

commenced their acaeurecente at =Oh higher altitudes. It will net be

long before the 1.15 and Dyne-Sear programs place humane at such altitudes. It data measured by Thor 1171 payloads was unfavorable there

would be great consternation and wholesale reorientation of existing

expensive man-So-space programs. This is adequate reason for special

security provisions.

FO ING OF Flip 

This connects to some =tent to the magnetic field effects pro•

vioualy neotioned and is primarily a bogus implication that film is

affected by the radiation phenomena =cambered at high altitudes.

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MX= SIONALS:

A cover device not particularly co:mooted with any of the above is

the possibility of placing a beacon of Vanguard sin in the MU body of

the 13.71. vehicle. This portion will continue to orbit for up to several

days after the recovery capsule has been re...enters& The tranacdssion of

undecipherable code-Cronps flee these remains would probably prove very

contently to mseittice observers.
ATTIZIO:621T "B"

"FROJI:CT DISCOVTAlt" SAISI LITE

FROM I4 AN9DUNCM) BY DOD

The first attempt to launch a satellite over the Pacific

Missile Range will be made late this year or early next, year frau

Vandenberg Air Force Dase, California, the Department of Defense

announced today. This launching will be part of a series designated

DROX.CT'DISCOVSRER to be carried oat .by the Department of the Air

Force under the direction of the Defense Department's Advanced Research

Projects Agency.

The purpose of ARPA's PROJ.CT DIMOVI.,Rra is to continue development of a number of systems and techniques which will be employed in

the operation of space vehicles. Although no precise number of launchings has been scheduled for the project, it is expected a considerable

number will be attempted because of the nature and variety of the em.

Nrimonts involved and the fact that the satellittwawill orbit for short

periods of time.

The initial launchings pri=rity will be to test the vehicle

itself, especially its propulsion and guidance. Later, the satellites

will contain biomedical specimens to seek data on *wire:mental conditions which will be useful to the manin •space promo being carried out

jointly by ;.RP!, and the Rational Aeronautics and Space Adednistration.

As part of this program, live animals also mill be carried aloft and their

recovery attempted in order to develop the techniques involved.

The first mamma vehicle is a 2 stage rocket. The main stage

is a modified THOR LAC' produced by the Douglas Aircraft Company. The

second stage is a new vehicle produced by the Lockheed Aircraft Corpora.

Lion and powered by a Bell-Hustler engine.

The first DIrONJUI launched satellites are expected to weigh

approximately 1300 pounds. This includes the weight of the second

stage vehicle which will orbit as an integral part of the satellite

after burn-out,. Initial versions of the DISCOV'M satellite arc designed to orbit for short periods of time at relatively low altitudes.

High altitudes are not possible with the weight thrust ratio established for the 0/.401/71M,

Mach of . the data expected to be obtained from Project DIVVY: Mt

such as results of the bimedical flilats, will be of general scientific

interest and will be unclassified. Other results which will be highly

significant for the development, of later systems and techniques for space

navigation involve national security and will be classified.

LIM

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