•

°PR v"1 "7 "" Q SEEN

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE

WASOMNOTON

ommxormsumminemmmmm

March 24, 1965

MN.

Cy,

I saw a copy of the attached message from General Carter

last evening. I interpret it as saying that there will be no

change from the conditions prevailing on the last two missions.

It is these conditions that I consider unsatisfactory.

To verify this interpretation, I bacilli...Who

is General Greer's project director for CO' ORle

usually delegated to run the orbital operations, k

senior CIA man at the CIA facility. The following parap rases

the essentials of the conversation as reported to me.

1111111IP Do you interpret this message as introducing

any change over the last mission?

1111111111:

No.

.. _

Under these conditions, will you release to me

details on the health of the camera and camera

section?

4111111111111 No.

Feeling

to argue with

directed that

At this

telephone.

that as of that time I could get nowhere trying

Carter by telephone from the West Coast, I

the mission be postponed one day.

moment, 10130 a.m., Carter is not available by

I am unwilling to conduct a mission unless full information

on the condition of the payload and payload section is freely

available to those of General Greer's people who are running

the operation. I have two choices: issue a directive having

the force of the attached draft, or take charge myself and issue

a comparable directive naming me instea

Attachments HANDLE SYSTEM ONLY
. r •

•

FLS PUT ON TEST PLS PUT ON TESTER .

OETTING BAD COPY HERE

4111146 .

OK ON TESTER

GA TFC WITH YOUR 194 AGAIN PLS

NFLA647

232217Z ZEA ZPO

Br ER

FRIORITY

AS ON SIRED THAT AN

AUTHORITATIVE REPRESENTATIVE OF CIA BE PRESENT AT THE

SATELLITE TEST CENTER DURING ALL CRITICAL PHASES OF THE

ORBITAL OPERATION OF CORONA 1018. AS USUAL, THIS REPRESENTATIVE

WILL BE PR HISS WITH THE DIRECTOR, PROGRAM A.

OR DIRECTOR INFORMATION ON THE CONDITION AND

OPERATION OF AND THE PAYLOAD SECTION OF THE

VEHICLE WHICH COULD IN ANY WAY AFFECT THE HEALTH OF THE

VEHICLE OR BEAR ON THE DECISION OT DE-ORBIT. THIS DOES NOT

RELIEVE YOU OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ENSURING THE INTEGRITY.,

OF THE •CORONA PAYLOAD.

CFN 4855 CIA 1010 A 241 DE-ORBIT NOT RELIEVE

or

a:DAMP.° •

C,

1.40.8/0 y

/41 ea:IA*444'6'. 

70e X" e

MI

N

• 1.1

. •

.*.'

..• '

. • .. .

•

. •••'

••

• .•••.% • • Ir:t.•

' • •

tii,.4"g1;'""". • • •• .

• •

• W • .

•

' 7.:# • ;

. •

••••n•$:

""-•---•' • '"•VI•1 • • . • •

•
•

DRAFT

r To: Director, Program B Info: Director, Program A

r.t

During the conduct of missions 1016 and 1017, CIA representatives regularly refused requests by the designated representative

of Director, Program A, for detailed information on the condition,

operation, and status of the camera and payload section. On

mission 1017, there were potentially serious malfunctions of a

camera that were not reported to anyone at the Satellite Test

Center. It was not possible to use the implication of these malfunctions in determining the condition of other parts of the vehicle,

such as the command system and the power distribution system, and

no diagnostic tests or remedial - actions were possible. Also, on

mission 1017, there were indications of anomalous power consumption

which could not be explained by the known status of the vehicle aft

of the payload interface. No information was made available about

the payload section to permit a determination whether the difficulty

lay there on in the instrumentation.

This denial of information represents a sharp change from the

procedures followed on this program prior to August 1964. It

exposes CORONA missions to an unacceptable and inexcusable risk of

failure due to undetected or uncorrected malfunction. Accordingly,
•

I direct that on COMM mission 1018, and on all subsequent

missions, an authoritative representative of Program B be present

at the Satellite Test Center at such times during the orbital

operation as may be requested by the Director, Program A. It

is further directed that this representative be prepared, as

requested by the Director, Program A, to release to and to discuss

with the Director, Program A, or such other CORONA cleared persons

as he may designate, all information on the condition and operation

of the payload and the payload section of the vehicle. It is

further directed that at all times during the orbital operation,

all calibrations and other data necessary to interpret telemetry

and to validate commands be physically present at the Satellite

Test Center and available to such CORONA cleared individuals as

the Director, Program A, may designate.

On mission 1018, I intend to direct the Director, Program A,

to give me a full and continuing report on the extent or degree

to which your representatives comply with the unequivocal intent

and spirit of this directive. If you consider this reporting

arrangement unsatisfactory, it will be necessary for you personally

to be present at the Satellite Test Center during that mission, to

insure and observe compliance on the part of your people, and to

report to me thereon.

2