• iOVSECIETDinINCON 11rAl i

fa-NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE 111014.11021.0

WASHINGTON. D.C. •

THE NMO STAFF November 13, 1973

MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD

SUBJECT: Aviation Week Article "Weather Coverage"

On page 11 of the November 12, 1973 issue of Aviation Week and

Space Technology an article titled " Weather Coverage" appeared in the

Washington Roundup column. Much of the information is erroneous or

misleading.

The OMB proposal is that the DOD operate the low altitude polarorbiting meteorological satellites, and NOAA /NASA operate the

synchronous metsats and the medium altitude Nimbus research vehicles.

Additionally the DOD and JCS position is that we control fully only the

early morning and near-noon polar orbiter. (This point is not negotiable

since these vehicle's primary mission is support to the NRP photo

reconnaissance satellites. Should NOAA desire additional low polar

orbiters, the OMB proposes that the DOD spacecraft bus be used with

orbital times and instrumentation as specified by NOAA/NASA. Such a

system wouldresult in a national cost savings of some $100-150 million

over a-knOr year period.

According to the Congressional Record, Senator Moss concluded his

remarks by mentioning that if DOD management of the low orbiter system

resulted in substantial cost savings the issue would require reconsideration.

As far•iis the military management "adversely effecting international

efforts." the U. S. Military Weather Services are already active participants in the WMO and in the operational planning for GARP experiments.

The weather pictures from Air Force Weather satellites have not

been "reclassified." Certain metsat data taken over the Mideast during

the recent crisis have not been deemed appropriate for public release by

Mr. Beecher, 'OSD/PA. The reason for this "hold" is due to widespread

news speculation on the use of satellite reconnaissance during the crisis,

with the U.S. supplying intelligence to Israel and USSR data going to the

Arab nations.

•

amoriatilllitesurnr nem eseasmat meow& co

ISONITNAI emu t EsININION CMS

SONYfY ssnNINPV ON NV MT.

CONTROL NO INTERNAL

COPY OF COMES

INNAE 1 OF 2 FACES

• • ••• ••••••• ••• ••••• •• •• • • •• •••••• • ' • ----
•

-18P-SECIEF

Except for these few photos, all Air Force rnetsat data continues

to be provided to the civil and scientific community through the NOAA

archive at the University of Wisconsin.

.

•

••

7

LI •

14Wpt

Lt Colonel, USAF

••1

V I CIPEOPOIRelltISEDIPT IMMO •

aussow. ant saneuu or Top-suiE MISCUTOVS omen INN EXEMPTION CAM PIV OSP IISCLMENT ON INV 011T.

coorrool. No_INTLEML

copy o. _COPIES

PAGE Op 2 PAGES
.e.tti

Weather Coverage

Fuel Cuts

•

Shuttle, Fly Me

•

1

i

•

tau lac Chu Us .••••••143:1-

replace Arab losses are

traffic ifie past two decades ismoving the supplies to anonn Black Sea ports for

. ~MO warsaw Pact nattolkock piles. The heaviest rail

sealilt to Syria and Egypt and to airfields in Hungary for air transport Two more

brigades of Soviet-manned Scud missiles have been airlifted to Cairo West airport in

Adonis An-I2 transports since the Oct. 22 cease•lire. Soviets are urging Egypt and

Syria to make good their losses in trained personnel-such as tank commanders and

aircraft pilots—with "volunteers" from other countries.

House Appropriations defense subcommittee bill, now scheduled for presentation to

the full committee Nov. 13. contains sizabk cuts in major weapons programs for

Fiscal 1974. The USAF/McDonnell Douglas F-13 lighter has been reduced from 77

aircraft to 68 and funding for the LTV Aerospace A-7D has been significantly reduced. The A-7 finding may be reinstituted in a trade for the F-15s cut during conference with the Senate. USAF's Rockwell International B-1 bomber appears to

have escaped major cuts other than the S25 million slashed in authorizations. But

Navy has not fared well on major programs. The Trident submarine his been ad by

5250 million which would slew down construction. Navy's sea control ship project

has been reduced to finding to continue the study for another year.

Office of Management and Budgetproposal that Defense Dept operate all U. S.

weather satellites was strongly criticized last week by Sen. Frank E. Moss (a-Utah),

chairman of the Senate Aeronautical and Space Sciences Committee. Sen. Moss

said such a move would violate the provision of the National Aeronautics and Space

Act of 1958 that civilian agencies conduct peaceful activities in space. It also would I

adversely affect such intenutiond esoperalive efforts as the Global Atmospheric Re- I

search Program and World Meteorological Organized= projects.

Noting that "budget season"—the annual ocxasion when agencies thrash out their

budget requests with OMB—is at hand, Sen. Moss said he hopes that such "precipitous decisions" as moving civilian satellites to the Defense Dept. will not be made.

Defense and Commerce departments already are working toward a single mete- .

orological satellite system (Awasr Sept 24, p. 9). To further compound the issue,

Dept. officials last week reelessified weather pictures taken by Air Force satellites, even though USAF had previously removed their secrecy classification. Air

Force had been providing the pictures to such civil agencies as the National

Weather Service and the National Science Foundation.

U. S. labor unions already are expressing doubts over the airline industry's quick reaction to the fuel shortage. which took the form of cutting flight schedules on U. S.

domestic routes. Airline unions have drawn the full support of George Meany. had

of the AFL-CIO, in their criticism of carriers' recent action in the reduction of capacity. Labor's attitude was summarized last week in a letter written to leading congrantees by John .1. O'Donnell, president of the Air Line Pilots Assn. He wrote that

pilots were taking steps that would contribute to the conservation of fuel and then

added: "We are deeply concerned that a further cancellation of flights . . . may do

irreparable harm to the nation's overall economy in the long run. Frankly, we are

ffr concerned that the airline Wintry may see this problem as a windfall chance

to correct its overcapadty errors, and attempt to use the lbel shortage as an opportunity to cut service on routes now providing the lowest profits."

All the innovations in the space shuttle will not be technical. Women will be among

the crewmembers. NASA Administrator Dr. James C. Fletcher promised the Senate

Aeronautical and Space Sciences Committee when he reported recently on Ames

Research Center tests on USAF nurses (xwnsT Oct. 29, p. 18). "I'd like to see you

give It a try. It might break up the mousteay," Sen. Barry Goldwater (R.-Ariz.) responded. Mixed crews also must be seriously considered for long-duration missions

of a year or more, according to Dr. Charles A. Reny, NASA director for life sciences. Writing in an aerospace medical journal, Dr. Beaty argued that "lack of normal heterosexual relationships could cause a significant buildup of emotional tension." The gouda, of mixed crews may not be as delicate as NASA officials one

thought because mores have cheesed signilicantly, Dr. Bony added.

. Washington Staff

•

r