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OUTGOING DISTRIBUTION
TISPNCTION BY SHALL SATILLITIS 

.Merton S. Davies

The RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California

'MMEN

Within the next five years, a nneber of nations will have

developed space booster capability. This will permit these countries,

if they choose, to lama and operate satellites to take pictures of

the earth from orbit. Observation satellite. of this type are capable

of inspecting the compliance of all nations to arms control agreements.

To be useful for this purpose, these pictures must be somewhat better

in quality than those which have been taken by meteorological satellites

and orbiting cosmonauts. The ground resolution of pictures taken thus

far is measured in miles or in hundreds of feet, whereas pictures used

to inspect man-made facilities should have a ground resolution measured

in tens of feet. In fact, such performance (i.e., a ground resolution

Of 10-50 ft) could be realised by relatively small (250 lb) payloads

employing available modern optical techniques.

*

Any views impressed in this paper are those of the author. They

should not be interpreted as reflecting the views of The RAND Corporation

or the official opinion or policy of any of its governmental or private

research sponsors. Papers are reproduced by The *AND Corporation as a

courtesy to members of its staff.
I

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iagainitingEgina

Space boosters have been developed by the United States, the

Soviet Union, and France and are under development by the European

Launcher Development Organisation, Japan, and Great Britain. The

United Arab Republic has also announced a satellite project, and

other countries, such as Chins, India, and Germany, may be expected

to proceed with independent space programs in the near future. Moreover, Italy, South Africa, Canada, Indonesia, and Israel have active

rocket projects which might eventually lead to the development of

their own space boosters. It appears that during the second decade

of space operations many nations will be eager to participate in the

development of space systems. 1-

The multi-nation European Launcher Development Organization is

developing the three-stage booster, Europa 1, sometimes called ELDO A.

Britain is responsible for development of the first stage, France for

the second stage, and West Germany for the third stage. Italy is

responsible for the teat satellites, Belgium for downrange guidance,

the Netherlands for telemetry, and Australia for the range facility

at Woomera. Although the cost of this program has been such higher

than estimated, test firings are proceeding and should result in

orbiting a satellite in 1968.(5,6)

Currently, French satellites are placed in orbit by the Diamant

booster launched from the missile test range at Eammaguir, Algeria,

in the Sahara Desert. This range must be abandoned by July 1, 1967,

according to the terms of the French-Algerian treaty, and a new French

space center and launch site is being built near Xourou in French
•

Guiana, about five degrees north of the equator. This range should

be operational by the beginning of 1969, and because of its favorable

location, it should be capable of supporting the launch of satellites

in both polar and equatorial orbits. (7,8)

The Japanese are expecting to orbit a satellite by early 1968

using their Mu 4 booster. It will be fired from the Mu pad at the

Kagoshima Space Center on the southeastern tip of Kyushu Island. All

four of the solid rocket stages have been test fired imdividually, and

the guidance and control system is currently being tested. Japan

should be the fourth nation to participate in satellite operations. (9)

The British have been slow to support a domestic satellite program.

However, in the fall of 1965 the Conservative government approved

development of the Black Arrow booster. This was conceived as a

further development of the highly successful Black knight high-altitude

rocket program, and it used much of the technology developed for that

vehicle. The Labor government has given only limited support to this

program, so a meaningful flight schedule is not available. (10,11)

 •

In 1963, the United Arab Republic announced plans to launch a

satellite called The Star. It was assumed that the booster would be

an extension of their Al Ared missile. Although launch of The Star

is overdue, there are reports that the program has not been abandoned. (12 '

13)

AN INSPECTION =sum DESIGN 

These new boosters will be able to orbit only small payloads, so

a design study of a particular inspection satellite has been used

in order to test the feasibility of developing a lightweight system.

Since minima weight is a requirement, a spin-pan type of camera
•

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was selected.

(14) T

his panoramic camera operates from a spin-stabilised

r.

vehicle, and the spinning performs the cross-track scan of the camera

as the film is moved across a slit located at the focal plane. This

takes place at a velocity which compensates for the spin during exposure.

Thus, a wide-angle picture is obtained by scanning with a simple narrowangle lens. The film velocity is determined by a sensor which measures

the satellite spin rate. This can be accomplished by a horizon sensor,

a sun sensor, a gyroscope, or ground measurement. The spin axis can

be changed by magnetic torquing, as is being planned for the French 11-2. (15)

All Tiros satellites change their spin axis in this summer. (16) Passive

dampers can simply and easily keep any notation angle small.

This camera could be designed to take several pictures on film each

day for 100 days. The film would be processed in the satellite, electronically scanned, and the pictures transmitted to ground stations by

broadband telemetry. The Soviet space probes Lunik III and Zond 3

produced pictures of the moon in essentially the same manner. Figure 1

is an external view of the proposed spacecraft showing the camera lens

and the solar cell panels: Figure 2 shows the internal configuration

of the camera, which would have a catadioptric lens with a focal length

of 30 in.

Since the spin axis lies in the orbital plane, it would be parallel

to the surface of the earth only twice on each revolution of the earth

(see Fig. 3); consequently, the direction of the spin axis should be

programmed so that it is horizontal over the desired inspection area.

If the camera operates through a 70° scan, then an area 350 by 45 n mi

would be photographed from an altitude of 250 n mi in a single pass

(see Fig. 4).

'

. • • •
-5-

After the film had been exposed, it would be processed in the

satellite by a web developer and then stored to await readout. When

the satellite passed within range of a receiving station, the film

would be scanned, and the pictures transmitted to the ground. Tables 1

and 2 present the design characteristics of the camera and readout

systems. The ground resolution to be expected of this design would be

about 20 ft at 125-n mi altitude and 40 ft at 250-n mi. altitude (see

Fig. 5). A weight breakdown of the entire satellite is given in

Table 3.

VSE OF THE INSPECTION SATELLITE 

Photography with a resolution of 10-50 ft would be useful for

arms control. It would be useful to inspect military facilities such

as forts, military bases, airfields, munition storage, docks, naval

installations, and missile ranges, as well as manufacturing facilities

for weapons and delivery systems.

In order to illustrate the capabilities and limitations of this

photography, selected pictures of Cuba taken by 11-2s during the missile

crisis of 1962 were 'rephotographed to control the resolution to simulate satellite photography. Figure 6, a photograph of San Julian

Airfield in Cuba, shows this base as it would appear with a ground

resolution of 20 ft. The runways, taxiway, parking areas, hangar

facilities, and hardstands can be easily seen. However, individual

aircraft, trucks, trailers, and aircraft cannot be readily identified,

The SA-2 site can be located very. easily, but its operational status

cannot be determined. The mobile SA-2s being used in North Vietnam

certainly would not be detected.
-18-

REFERINCIS

Taylor, J.W.R. (ed. and comp.), Jane's All the World's Aircraft,

Sampson Low, Marston and Company, Ltd., London, 1965-66.

"South Africa Plans Missile Development," Washington Post,

October 28, 1963.

"Indonesia to Make Missiles?," Flight International, December 12,

1963, P. 979.

"New Research Rockets," Interavia, November 1964, p. 1699.

Stephens, LB., "ELDO: Progress and Policy," Flight International,

July 22, 1965, P. 135.

"European Space Policy and ELDO," Flight International, February 10,

1966, p. 237.

"The French Space Program," French Affairs, No. 191A, The French

Press and Information Service, April 1966.

"Diaeant, The First French Satellite Launcher," Interavia, November

1965, p. 1744.

Nagashima, Shusuke, "Japan Moving Toward Orbiting of Scientific

Satellite in 1967," The Japan Times, January 1, 1966, p. 8.

"Black Arrow," ylisht International, July 22, 1965, p. 139.

"Getting Britain into Space," Malt International, May 11, 1966,

p. 840.

Brownlow, C., 'Egypt Plans Satellite Launch Within Year," Aviation

Weekend Space Technolosv, September 9, 1963, p. 32.

"Rocket Expert Says U.A.R. Nears Space Launchings," New York Times,

June 2, 1964, p. 12.

Davies, M. E., U. S. Patent 3,143,048, August 4, 1964.

"Stabilisation System," Aviation Week and Space Technolosv,

August 9, 1965, p. 79.

mal,Aitszujaaungss., Astro-Electronics Division, Radio

Corporation of America, AND P-5128, December 11, 1963.
• •

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Table 3

ESTIMATED WEIGHTS

Component Weight lb

Camera Installation

Lens and lens mount 25

Film transport assembly 20

Fibs 10

Film reels (supply and takaup) 3

Scan roller assembly (including drive) 3

StruCture 4

Developer processor

Developer (film and web) 12

19

Reels (supply and takeup) 3

Drum drive 2

Beater assembly 2

Readout installation 40

Readout scanner 20

Drum and drive 3

Electronics 17

Structure 12

Base plate 6

Exterior 3

Supporting structure 3

Instrumentation and cabling 5

Pressurisation system (including gas for

heater/dryer)

Electrical Power

Solar cell panel assembly 35

Batteries and case 10

Converters, regulators, and distribution unit 5

Cabling, connection, and J-box 5

Stabilisation System

Horizon sensors 2

Aux-spin rockets 10

Notation damper 2

De-spin assembly 5

Electronii

Command receiver

Programmer

Data transmitter

Antennas

Cabling

Instrumentation

5

5

10

3

5

2

Structure (not including camera section)

Equipment support 3

Supports for solar panels 8

a

4

nt
Mena

Format

Scan angle

Film

Film speed

Exposure (nominal)

Slit width

MMC

(Image motion

compensation)

Cycling rate

Mode of operation

Forward coverage

30 in. catadioptric, f/4.5

2.25 in. by 36.6 in.

700 (±35° from nadir)

70 ink, 80-136 or equivalent

ASA 20

1/1500 sac, preset before flight

0.030 in., fixed

fixed, cam action

3.6 sec

3 strips in sequence

20% overlap set center of frame

-16-

Table 1

READOUT CAMERA OIARACTERISTICS

Table 2

READOUT CRARACTISLISTICS

Resolution 50 line pairs/ma

Scan rate 860/sec

Rate of film motion c. 0.50 in./sec

Video bandwidth c. 4.5 Me
Launch pads U/C

Viarhead storage

-15-

(c) Construction continuing, 19 October 1962

(d) Later construction in progress

Fig.7 (continued)
t

(a) Before construction, 5 September 1962

(b) Construction under way, 17 October 1962

Fig.7 IRBM site at Remedios, Cuba (40-ft resolution)
=

111= 2

MS 3

Ma'

VIE 5

ME 6

Fig.6 San Julian Airfield, Cuba, 25 November 1962

(20-ft resolution)
3o

20

10

100 200

Altitude (n mi)

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Fig .5—Ground resolution as a function of altitude
2S0 a ml orbit

&Online spin rote *111.7 tom

Ij Emirs Perigee

Strip 1

trip 2

Strip 3

•

firounil

trans

Fig.4—Ground coverage pattern
We of

We anis

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1

EARTH 1

n

orbit

Fig.3 Schematic illustration of satellite operation,

showing alignment of satellite's spin axis
•

411

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Fig. Spinning panoramic camera

•
.

Fig.1 Inspection satellite booms unextended
•

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AC1CHOWLEDGNEIIT

The author would like to thank E. C. Heffern of The RAND

Corporation for his help in the design of the inspection satellite and in the preparation of Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, and

Tables 1, 2 and 3.
I I

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Figure 7 shows the construction of the IRMI base at Remedios,

Cuba, as it would appear with a ground resolution of 40 ft. It is

clear that the missile complex would be detected during construction.

The characteristic road and cabling between the liunch pads and control

bunkers, the security fence, and the support buildings serve to identify

the nature of the facility. However, it is difficult to determine the

status of the construction or to ascertain when the base will become

operational. It is obvious that the destruction of the base which

occurred shortly after these pictures were taken could not have been

observed from this type of picture.

Inspection by satellite can make a valuable contribution to world

peace by aiding in the disclosure of military buildups and of violations

of certain arms control agreements.