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TOPGECRE7 T2 02 

IMMEDIATE C ITF WHIG 3061. 

DOR IAN SEM 

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FROM MCMILLAN TO GREER. THIS MESSAGE IN SIX PARTS. 

PART I. THIS MESSAGE PROVIDES TIE 0 !RELIT ION WHICH HAS EVOLVED AS A 

RESULT OF THE FR ESE NT AT IONS AND D ISCUSS IONS OF 174.19 MAY ON THE MOE. 

FROGRAM AN) IS TO BE APFL 1E0 TO THE MOL EFFORTS IMMEDIATELY. PLEASE 

FROV IDE A COPY OF T HIS MESSAGE TO GENERALS FUNK AM) BLEYMA IER FOR 

THE IR GUIDANCE AND NECESSARY ACT ION. 

PART I I. THE DEVELOPMENT OF OPT ICAL TECHNOLOGY LEAD ING TO OPT ICAL 

SYSTEMS CAPABLE OF IMPROVED RESCLUT ION IS THE FR IMARY OBJECT IVE OF 

THE MCL PROGRAM. TIE INIT IAL OBJECT IVE IS TO DEVELOP AND DEMONSTRATE 

AT THE EARL ZEST T WE AN OPERATIONALLY USEFUL HIGH RESOLIK ION MANNED 

CPT ICAL RECONNAISSANCE SYSTEM CAPABLE OF ACHIEVE ING AT LEAST 

GROOM) RESOL UT ION. OTHER MISSION APPLICATIONS OF TIE MOL 

PROGRAM SUCH AS SEA SURVE ILL ANCE , COM I NT Ale EL I NT ARE MCI:WARY AN() 

PAY BE ACCOMMODATED IF NO APPREC !ALEC COMPROMISE TO THE ORBITAL 

VEHICLE WHICH MEETS THE PR IMARY OBJECT IVE IS REQUIRED. 

PART III. MY ASSESSMENT OF THE PRESENT ST ATE OF OPT {CAL TECHNOLOGY 

IND ICATES TWIT THERE WILL BE CONSIDERABLE SKEPT IC ISM REGARD ING THE 

RESENT ABILITY TO FABR ICATE MIRRORS OF TIE NECESSARY OPT ICAL QUAL IT 

IN DIAMETERS GREATER THAN APPROXIMATELY 60 INCIES. THIS SKEPTICISM 

WILL EXTENT) TO FLATS TO BE USED IN CONJUNCT ION WITH SUCH MIRRORS THA 

/RE NECESSARILY LARGER. RIMER THERE IS GENERA. AGREEMENT THAT 

FLATS TO BE USED IN CONJUNCT ION WITH MIRRORS OF THE ORDER OF 

IN DIAMETER OR GREATER ARE NOT WITHIN THE PRESENT STATE• 

CF•T HE•ART AID MAY NOT BE ACHIEVABLE WITHIN THE FORESEEABLE FUTLRE. 

IN ADD IT ION THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT THERMAL, WEIGHT AM) STRUCTURAL 

MOSLEMS FCR VERY LARGE MIRRORS AND FLATS. THEREFORE, THE INIT IAL 

FL IGHTS SHOtLO BE PREDICATED ON A MIRROR OF APPROXIMATELY 60 INCHES 

DIAMETER OF CONSERVATIVE DESIGN. THIS OPT ICAL SYSTEM MAY BE DESIGNED 

TO OPERATE EITHER WITH OR WITHOUT A TRACKING MIRROR. TIE ADVANTAGES 

CF A TRACKING MIRROR SYSTEM VERSUS POINT IN6 THE PR IMARY OPT ICS WILL 

E SUBJECTED TO CAREFUL ANALYSIS, AND THE RESULTS WILL BE REVIEWED 

BV SAFUS. AS A PARALLEL EFFORT, WORK SHOULD BE IRDERTMEN IMMEDIATELY TO DEVELOP A MIRROR AT LEAST 60 INCHES IN D IAMETER OF I IGHTER 

NE MKT WITH THE INTENT ION THAT IT BE DEMONSTRATED IN LIEU OF THE 

MORE CONSERVAT IVE DESIGN APPROACH IF TIE TECHNOLOGY PROGRESSES 

SUFFICIENTLY OT 0 JUST IFY A FL IGHT DEMONSTRAT ION. DEVELOPMENT WILL 

'LSO BE UNDERTAKEN OF LARGER OPT ICAL SYSTEMS OF 0 IAMETERS (EST IMATED 

TO BE ) UP T 0 THAT FLYABLE WITHIN THE WE IG HT 

AND SIZE ENVELOPE OF TIE TIT AL 111C 7 SEGMENT ORBIT VEHICLE 

COMB INAT ION. A DESIGN BASED ON POI NT DE OF TIE PR IMARY OPT ICS WILL 

EE USED. CONTINUING INVEST IGAT ION OF Tit TECHNOLOGY OF ACHIEVI NG 

MIRROR DIAMETERS IN EXCESS OF WILL BE CONTINUED, TO INCLUDE 
NRO APPROVED FOR 

RELEASE 1 JULY 2015 

A 

CO EPT UAL DESIGN OF SYSTEMS WHICH COULD REACH RESCLUT ION PERMITTED 

; THIS WORK IS INTENDED TO DEFINE 

i10Vpi NCED TECHNOLOGY EXPER IMENTS THAT COLLO BE CONDUCTED ON THE MOL 

HICLE. THE DESIGN OF THE INIT IAL ORBITAL VEHICLE WILL BE 

BILE OF ACCOMMODATING THIS PROGRESSIVE OPT ICAL CAPABILITY WITH 

MINIMAL CHANGE. 

PART IV. AS A PART IAL IMPLEMENT AT ION OF THE ABOVE, ITEM. AT 

FERKIN-ELDER W ILL ENTER INTO ADD IT ONAL STUDY CONTRACTS AND ANALYSES 

COVER INC THE OBJECT IVES OUTLINED ABOVE IN Tlf RANGE OF 

on ICAL SYSTEMS. TIE EASTMAN KODAK DOR IAN CONTRACT WILL BE 

REORIENTED TO PERMIT ADD IT TONAL STUDY IN THESE AREAS. CONTACT WITH 

CORPORATE LEVEL PERSONNEL OF OWENS ILLINOIS IS AUTHOR IZEO AND A 

SINGLE IN) IVID UAL OF CORPORATE VICE PRESIDENT LEVEL OR ABOVE MAY 

EE BRIEFED ON TIE NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE PROGRAM IN ORDER THAT THE 

IV TONAL SEM IT Y IMPL ICAT IONS AN) INPORTANCE OF THE IR WORK WITH 

DERV IT MATERIALS IS FULLY UNDERSTOOD, OWEN ILL 1101S WILL BE 

ENCOURAGED TO ACCELERATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOLOGY AM EACH. ITES TO HANDLE LARGE OPT ICAL EL ANKS LIP TO APPROXIMATELY 

AN) TO MATE THEIR FACIL ITY NEEDS KNOWN TO ACCOMPLISH THIS 

TASK. THIS CONTRACT IS TO BE COORD !NATE° WITH EASTMAN KODAK TO 

INSURE THAT OWENS ILLINOIS IS AWARE THAT TIE IR PRESENT WORK WITH 

EASTMAN IS PART OF TIE SAME OVERALL PROGRAM OF NATIONAL INTEREST. 

IN ADO IT ION T If PRESENT CAPABILITY AT AMERICAN OPTICAL TO FABRICATE 

LARGE BERYLLIUM MIRRORS OF THE NECESSARY OPT ICAL. QUALITY SHOULD BE 

REVIEWED AM PROCUREMENT OF AN ADD IT TONAL BLANK SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. 

A PROGRAM MUST BE DEFINED TO IDENTIFY AND BRING EXPERT EXPERIENCE AT 

TECHNIQUES TO BEAR ON THE METALLURGICAL AM OTHER KEY PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH BERYLLIUM MIRROR FABRICATION. 

PART V. CONTINUING WORK MUST ALSO BE CARR IED ON TO MORE ADEQUATELY 

DEFINE APPROPRIATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS FOR COMINT, SEA SUR VE ILL ANCE t 

AND EL INT PAYLOADS. IT IS EVIDENT THAT THERE ARE MANY UNKNONNS IN 

TIE DEVELOPMENT OF A USEFUL COMINT CAPABILITY. PARTICULAR EMPHASIS 

IS REQUIRED TO DEFINE THESE UNKNOWNS IN SOME DETAIL AND SPECIFY THE 

DETAILED PROGRAM REQUIRED FOR SOLUTION. MAXIMUM SIMULATION, 

GROUT AND AIRCRAFT TESTS SHOULD BE PLANNED. ORBITAL FL IGHT TESTS 

WILL BE APPROVED OILY AFTER SUFFICIENT PLANNING AND ANALYSIS HAS BEEN 

DONE TO SHOW THE NEED FOR SUCH FL IGHT TESTS. 

PART VI. ADD IT TONAL GUIDANCE ON ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM PLANS AND 

ORGANIZAT ION OF THE TWO HOUR PRESENTAT ION TO THE MOL POLICY 

COMMITTEE ON 1 JUNE 1965 AN) SUBSEQUENT PRESENTATIONS WILL BE 

ROVE IDE. ANINIT IAL REVIEW OF THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN, SCHEDULES AND 

COST TO MEET TIE N. PROGRAM AS DEFINED ABOVE WILL BE CONDUCTED 

BY GENERAL EVANS ON 28 MAY AT SSD. 

TN: WILL RERUN UPON REQUEST 

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