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THE NRO STAFF August 30, 1968 

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MEMORANDUM FOR DR. FLAX 

SUBJECT: DOD Policy on NASA's On-Orbit Astronomi cal Experiments 

Problem: 

To develop an official DOD security attitude toward NASA IS onorbit astronomy program. 

Background: 

On April 4, 1966 Mr. Charles Schultze, then Director, Bureau of 

the Budget, and Dr. Donal d Hornig, Director, Office of Science and 

Technology, wrote to Secretary Dean Rusk, asking him to study the 

policy relationships between NASA I S proposed reconnaissance-type 

projects and the activities of the National Reconnaissance Program. 

Among the items suggested for study was the matter of orbital astronomical experiments. The NSAM 156 Ad Hoc Committee was called 

into session to respond to this request, issuing its final report on 

July 11, 1966. The report re sponded to a number, but not all, of the 

questions raised by the Schultze-Hornig memorandum. Among the 

omitted items was that pertaining to astronomy. The lack of attention 

to the problem of on-orbit astronomy is understandable, since the main 

thrust of the policy discussions centered on the impact of earth-sensing 

activities. 

On August 5, 1966, Dr. McMillan proposed regulatory procedures 

and definitions to Dr. Seamans in an effort to establish some measure 

of control over NASA f S reconnaissanc~ -like activities. The definitions, 

agreed to by Dr. Seamans on August 24, specified meaning for the terms 

"activity" and "reconnaissance-like sensor." In addition Dr. McMillan 

referred to "other possible activities that would be of technical interest ... " 

including the "development or test of pointing, tracking, and stabilizing 

techniques or syst ems to be used with satellites bearing high resolution 

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sensors, in which the pointing accuracy is better than 20 microradians 

or the unstabilized rate is less than 20 microradians per second. " 

Dr. McMillan r s definitions and expressions of interest appear 

practically verbatim in the charter of the Survey Applications Coordinating Committee, with the text reading as follows: 

Pointing, tracking, and stabilizing techniques or systems 

of interest to the NRO are defined as those in which the 

pointing accuracy is better than 20 microradians or the 

unstabilized rate is less than 20 microradians per second. 

On September 19, 1967, Mr. Helms approved and released the report of an NRO-sponsored committee which had been asked to examine 

Recommendation No.7 of the NSAM 156 Ad Hoc Committee's Final Report of July 11, 1966. Recommendation No.7 stated that "The Director 

of Central Intelligence, in consultation with the Director of the National 

Reconnaissance Office, should review and establish appropriate security 

restrictions on cameras and other sensing apparatus and equipment which 

can be made available for NASA I S program of non-military application of 

satellite earth sensing." The "Recommendation 7 Committee IS" deliberations extended far beyond this specific task, going on to such subjects as 

the vulnerability aspects of commonality in command and control systems, 

the problems surrounding a gradual easing of the O. 1 milliradian limita- [ 

tions, security problems raised by the use of radar sensors, and recommended security procedures to be used in developing finer-than-O. 1-

milliradian satellite-borne astronomical equipment. The report made 

these comments on satellite-borne astronomy; 

The matter of the use of earth orbiting spacecraft equipped 

with optical telesc opic devices for astronomical observation 

also poses unique problems. because such activities will require the use of extremely high precision optics, technology 

related thereto having been actually pioneered by astronomical scientists. It is the opinion of the panel "that optical and 

spacecraft technology and technical requirements for telescopes for stellar and solar observations, are of a degree of 

significant similarity with NRP high resolution optical systems, 

as to warrant the development of a security guide for such 

activities similar to that prescribed under project UPWARD. II 

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Shortly after this paper appeared the DOD members of the Survey 

Applications Coordinating Committee began to receive inquiries from 

the NASA members regarding NASA's on-orbit astronomy program. 

The inquiries showed a rather uniform apprehension over a possibl e 

DOD attack on the program. At the Manned Space Flight Policy Committee meeting of November 28, 1967, Dr. Seamans raised similar 

questions, such as "How does the present security policy relate to 

NASA f s planned astronomical telescope?" It was suggested that the 

NRO prepare a clarifying paper on this subject. 

Current Status: 

Following the November 28 meeting, the NRO Staff requested NASA, 

through the DOD SACC members, to furnish information on NASA's onorbit astronomy program. It soon became clear that the program was 

in a surprisingly tentative state with very limited funding. Up to this 

time, we have not been furnished a program; rather, we have reviewed 

a set of NASA Research and Technology Resumes, most of which indicate a hoped-for funding in later fiscal years. 

The thing we did learn from the resumes was that NASA r s astronomy 

program is pure, classical astronomy and is quite separate from projects 

devoted to the "reconnaissance" or mapping of other planets. We have no 

reason to be apprehensive over this program, politically or technologically. 

In fact, if NASA followed the Recommendation No. 7 Committee's finding 

(quoted above) and drove us into an UPWARD-like arrangement for producing "telescopes for stellar and solar observations, " we would be the 

first to recant and call for recission of the "policy." The unlikelihood of 

NASA's doing this is reassuring, but does not exempt us from the need to 

respond to Dr. Seaman's original question (still carried as an action item 

by the MSF PC secretariat). 

It seems reasonable, at this time, (1) to correct the impression 

created by the Recommendation No. 7 Committee's report, (2) to assure 

NASA that our interest in its on-orbit astronomy program is benign, and 

(3) to find some way to do (1) and (2) without activating ponderous negotiations with other governmental agencies. We believe this can be done 

by steering away from attempts to create "national" or "interagency" 

policy. Since the forcing factor is DOD attitude, it seems simple and 

logical to reassure NASA, within the MSFPC framework, with a statement of DOD policy on NASA I S on-orbit astronomical experiments. 

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A proposed DOD policy paper is attached. I have coordinated it 

with Colone l Lew Allen and Mr. John Kirk (the other DOD SACC members) 

and they agree with the approach and the content. If you also concur, we 

will ask John Kirk to coordinate the paper with Drs. Wilson and Foster. 

Recommendation: 

That you concur in the policy paper as suitable to DOD and NASA 

needs and purposes. 

PAUL E. WORTHMAN 

Colonel, USAF 

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DOD POLICY ON NASA'S ON-ORBIT ASTRONOMICAL EXPERIMENTS 

Background: 

There has been a question, from time to time, as to what Department of Defense security policy applies with regard to NASA's on-orbit 

astronomy experiments. The question is particularly pertinent to the 

DOD's coordinating actions in the Manned Space Flight Policy Committee 

and the Survey Applications Coordinating Committee. 

While the NASA on-orbit astronomical* program is largely in a 

formative stage at present, there are indications that this activity will 

increase, It would be in the common interest of both the DOD and NASA 

to have a clear statement of security guidelines as soon as possible. 

Until such a statement is developed at the national level, it is essential 

for the DOD to develop its own policy to guide its actions relative to the 

NASA program. 

Factors Bearing on the Policy: 

The following factors have been considered in arriving at a DOD 

security policy on NASA astronomical experiments: 

1. The NSAM 156 Ad Hoc Committee's concern, as reflected in 

its July 11, 1966 statement of policy on NASA earth-sensing activities, 

was aimed exclusively at the political problems of satellite reconnaissance of the earth. On-orbit astronomical experiments were not considered. 

2. The charter of the Survey Applications Coordinating Committee 

contains this statement: "Pointing, tracking, and stabilizing techniques 

*"Astronomical11 is used throughout this paper in the classical sense, 

pertaining to the science of stars and other celestial bodies, dealing 

with their size, relative position, motion, composition, etc. It does 

not refer to the "reconnaissance" or mapping of celestial bodies. 

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or systems of interest to the NRO are defined as those in which the 

pointing accuracy is better than 20 microradians or the unstabilized 

rate is l ess than 20 microradians per second. II Although it is generally 

agreed that the charter was drafted to assist in the regulation of imageforming earth-sensing activities, the literal application of this phrase 

would affect the bulk of NASA astronomical experimentation. 

3. On-orbit astronomical experiments should, in themselves, 

present no international political problems to the Department of Defense. 

4. The products of on-orbit astronomical experiments should 

present no international political problems to the Department of Defense. 

5. It is possible, in some cases, that the astronomical instrumentation used by NASA may be NRP-developed or derived from NRPsponsored technology. Such technology will usually require special 

security protection, particularly if it infers radical advances or breakthroughs in NRP equipment or techniques. 

6. It is also possibl e, in some cases, that astronomical i nstrumentation used by NASA may be a component of a sensitive non-NRP military 

system (for instance, guidance gyros practically identical to those used 

in U. S. ICBMs). Such technology will require special security protection. 

7. The presence of an astronomical experiment in earth orbit may 

evoke demurrers or protests from those overflown nations which do not 

understand, or perhaps wish to misinterpret the nature of, the experiment. 

Policy: 

In light of these factors, the following DOD policy will apply to NASA r s 

astronomical experiments. 

1. The DOD will recognize space-sensing astronomical experiments 

as intrinsically non-provocative to the international community and theref ore outside the security guidelines derived from exist ing NSAM 156 Ad 

Hoc Committee policy documents. 

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2. The DOD will continue to protect the NRP, its hardware, and 

its technology from unauthorized disclosure. Similarly, the DOD will 

protect sensitive non-NRP hardware and technology from unauthorized 

disclosure. In order to determine what protection is to be afforded in 

both cases, as regards NASA's astronomy experiments, the DOD will 

request that all these expe r iments be coordinated, in both the conceptual and developmental phasesJ with the Survey Applications Coordinating Committee. Specifically, the SACC members will: 

a. Review the NASA program for possible inferences regarding 

sensitive NRP/military hardware and techniques, 

b. Develop security protection recommendations for any sensitive NRP/milit ary deve loped or derived instrumentation which may be 

used for astronomical purposes, 

c. Anticipate possible international reaction, particularly regarding earth-orbital space-sensing flights and make suggestions for 

muting that reaction insofar as possible. 

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