NRO APPROVED FOR RELEASE 

DECLASSIFIED RY= C/IART 

DECLASSIFIED ON: 9 .JULY 2012 

tsEBREl 

22 October 1964 

MEMORANDUM FOR: Chief, Special Security Center 

SUBJECT : Status of QUILL Project 

1. As the Special Security Center had been requested to 

furnish an opinion concerning the protection of the QUILL product, 

Lt. Col. John Pietz of General Greer's Staff was questioned about 

the QUILL status on 20 October 1964 during his visit to the Headquarters 

Building. 

2. According to Colonel Pietz the QUILL Program was generated 

by a DNRO request of General Greer to orbit a radar satellite quickly 

in order to test the validity of certain claiIns. The plan was not for 

an operational intelligence system, and the end product was not to 

associate itself with any intelligence function. The orbiting satellite was 

to look only at a narrow 10 mile. beam over the U. S. Although not 

clandestine in nature Pietz believed that its operation would not be 

obvious to those on the ground. 

3. If the first flight is not successful then a second QUILL shot 

will be made. However if the first flight is deemed to accomplish the 

task set out then a DNRO decision must be made on the future of the 

program. 

4. Pietz also advised that approximately three weeks ago General 

Stewart of the NRO TWX'd General Greer and suggested that an intelligence evaluation team examine the QUILL product. However, General 

Greer did not look favorably upon the idea and so advised General Stewart 

that it was too early to bring the intelligence personnel into the picture. 

The first group of QUILL end-products will not contain intelligence, 

and he reasoned that if a decision was later reached to conduct an 

intelligence mission there would be time enough to form an evaluation team. 

S[BRE~ 
NRO APPROVED FOR RELEASE 

.,ECLASSIFIED BY: C/IART 

DECLASSIFIED ON: 9 JULY 2012 

'SE8ftET -

5. Pietz stated that QUILL is a side looking radar satellite 

that will take radar pictures of the U. S. The film in the satellite 

will result in the synthetic putting together of signal intensities. In 

the meantime these signals will also be relayed to tracking stations 

at VAFB or New Boston. The film will be recovered similarly to 

the CORONA Systezn. Hopefully both films, the one returned to earth 

and the one received at the tracking station, will be duplicates. After 

the film is ssed (probably at EK) it will be sent to the 

where it will be put through an optical correlator. The product 

of this operation will then be used to make a radar map. The radar map 

will then be sent to SAFSP and then to the DNRO where the decision will 

be made as to the future of the QUILL Prograzn. 

6. If the DNRO's decision is to continue the QUILL Prograzn as 

a post attac1t radar system, he probably will turn over the operation of 

the program to SAC. The question then arises as to whether the prograzn 

will be ltblacklt or DOD Secret. If intelligence is involved the "black" 

operation will probably prevail. However, if bomb damage assessment 

is the priznary mission, the R&D may be black, but ~ since it will 

be SAC's decision as to when the operation will be launched, it will then 

be turned over to the white coznmunity. According to Pietz they (Program 

A) hatlnot given these possibilities much thought. If it is decided that 

the QUILL has any potentiality as to either intelligence or post 

attack surveillance then a new set of circwnstances will be present at 

that time and a decision rendered as to the control of the product. 

7. Pietz also stated that_ has a contract with the 

Prograzn A is funding the QUILL product 

agreed that this prote 

product begins to 

UlLL cleared personnel at 

2 or 3 cleared at_. Pietz wishes to 

YEMAN System at this time. The Chief, sse 

should be utilized until the time comes that the 

the community with an intelligence take. 

~C-e...-~ d-(P~. c:p 

tsE6ftET