NLVIILI

CORONA

February 3, 1964

MEAD= TOR DIRECT fit, MOM A

DIRECIOR, $pvecsam

SUBJECT: Operating and Inginsering Objectives for MON& _

This memorandum sets forth a statement of policy for *M.--

CORONA, project against which enginseriug objectives

set and engineering decisions made. It, further, establialhes-..

procedures bym614b DNROwill be kept informed of the degree 7.

to which this policy is effective, and will be made awareof_

any problems that nay create a need for further guidance.

Program Directors will see that the guidance contained-_

herein is made clear to the affected administrative and contrett•

Lug offices, to the members of the Configuration Control Board,

and to the appropriate engineering supervision in the orgmnisa•

tions of the affected associate contractors.

All item' of equipment, however supplied to the project,

all applicable engineering effort, and all test, check-out', aid

launch services are considered to be within the scope of this.

directive.

General Policy • • • ft .••

1. The primary objective of the CORONA project is to .

achieve consistent reliable returns of intelligence photography

of a quality comparable to that of the best experienced during

1963, on a schedule closely approximating that laid doom in

advance by the Dom, and in a nearer responsive to the - targeting

guidance supplied by USU. Within the limits permitted by this *.

objective, it shall be the policy to stabilize the configuration •

of the CORONA system, maintaining a fixed configuration with

uniform procedures for test, check-out and launch.

Distribution:

Cy 1 to D Frog A

2 to D/Prog B

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• 2. It is a secomiarysOgasikve to improve . the performance

of the CORMS system in quaIltif,- In responsiveness to Intel1.4pmx:e needs, and. nn reliability and semen,. It is considered

that stability of configuration will contribute importantly to

this objective.

The amoomt of engineering effort expended on this

project valet be controlled to insure that this effort is always

and economically directed toward approved objectives of high

priority. Changes will not be introduced into the system or

its operation except as they are judged essential to meet the

priggery objective, or are judged to contribute significantly

toward specific, important, identifiable improvements in quality,

responsiveness, reliability or economy.

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Secondary or ancillary payloads and experiments will

not be scheduled for or carried cm a COMM mission without the

explicit approval of DURO. No COMA mission will be specially

configured to accept such payloads or experiments without

specific approval tram MO.

No engineering effort will be expended against develop•

sant or integration of ancillary payloads or of experiments

without explicit prior approval of DM.

In general, DUD expects to approve for initiation or

for flight only those ancillary payloads or those experiments

that in his judgment: either contribute significantly to

knowledge about the performance of the CORONA system, or are

necessary to the engineering or development of specific desired

improvements to the system.

Initiation of Satan Mmerovements

7. It will be the policy to initiate efforts toward

improvement of the system only when the effort is specific in

nature, when the effort is directed toward a specific identified

improvement in quality, responsiveness, reliability or economy,

when it is judged that this improvement will be significant

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and desirable in the light Witikost to attain it, and when

it is judged that the improvement can be brought about without

significant risk to** primary objectives of the project.

Engineering directed toward improvements judged to be highly

desirable, which do not denomstrably fail the last two criteria, may be considered for initiation on a phased basis to arrive

early and is an imoonemical summer at judgments relative to

these two criteria.

in general, changes directed toward improvement of

the system will be instituted in two orison steps. The final

step will be accomplished by approval of a separate teChnical

directive authorising immodest:1cm of the Change into sebeduled

flight systems or procedures. Prior to this step, initiation

of engineering, procurement, and fabrication will be aecomplisbed

by approval of a technical directive, or by' approvalin ammo.

of a number of separate directives, approvals being phased as

may be needed to implement the objectives of paragraph 7 above.

The Chairman of the Configuration Control Board OM ,

or his designated representative will keep MO informed ea a

timely basis of significant matters pending before the COS that •

come under the scope of the policies here set forth. Information

to be presented will include a pertinent description and status

of the effort proposed; GCS disposition of these mutters

whether favorable or unfavorable, will be reported as effected.

10. Document 8P34.279, Operating Procedure far Systeme

Engineering and Technical Direction dated 10 Arne 1963 and %-

incorporated by reference into applicable contracts, establishes

procedures for Government approval and transmittal of technical -

dtrection to COMA contractors. DEW directs that henceforth -.

the following administrative practices be observed in SAWSP in

accompliOhimg the procedures outlined in the referenced document: 7

Subsequent to approval of a technical directive by the 00$, but

prior to its approval by the designated representative of AIM,

and prior to its transmittal for implementation, the technical

directive and necessary supporting documentation will be reviewed

by DNAD or, at his direction, by the Deputy DM. Following

this review, the 2D and documentation will be returned to SAISP

with DM comments for further action as appropriate.

CORONA Brockway 24c14.1.11an

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