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PRIORITY 

:DORIAN. SLOUH. 

BERG FROM EVANS. ARMED FORCES COURIER. UNABLE TO HAND CARRY DOCUMENTS YOU REQUESTED TO YOU PRIOR TO NEXT WEEK. THEREFORE, THEY 

ARE QUOTED .DELOWTORYOUR. INFORMATION,• IN .FOUR.,-PARTS. T:0 1 

DRAFT MEMO BY L. S. STEININGER DATED 24 JUNE. 1965 SEC' 

IFICATION SECRET/BYEMAN4DORIAN. 

BASED ON PRIOR DISCUSSIONS WITH DR. HORNIC. AWN. .LAND413R•., 

BRopLOFFECE0 A-ORAFTNEMORANOWTO .THEPRESIDENT- ON 44:REV1SO4 

• REFLECT .DR. •HoRmic'S•AllEWS. THIsAAAFT VAS CONC R..• 

tORNIG. 

AS REFLECTED IN THE DRAFT, IT WAS.AGREED THAT AN VNMANNED CAP.- 

•ABILITY SHOULD BE DEVELOPED CONCURRENTLY WITH THE•MOL, IF POSSIBLE 

BY USING A CAMERA SYSTEM FOR MOL THAT CAN OPERATE WITHOUT 

AND THAT IS THE BEST POSSIBLE AUTOMATIC SYSTEMS TOR •NAYIGATIONI. 

• CAMERA POINTING, FOCUSING AND IMAGE MOTION - CONTROLSHOULDJIELEVE7 

LOPED. AND INCORPORAW IN THE .MANNED AS WELL AS IN•THE•000ANN Ep 

SYSTEM. • • 

• 

IT WAS FURTHER AGREED'THAT:TO IMPLEMENT THE. PF0GRAm RRCIRQSED • 

BY THE MEMORANDUM, THE DOD WOULD TAKE THE FOLLOWiNG,1CTIONSI • 

I. IMMEDIATELY .AFTER PROGRAM APPROVAL CHOOSE A CONTRACTOR 

TO DEVELOP THE MOL WITH A RESOLUTION CAPABILITY AND 

IN:ACCORDANCE WITH -THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS: 

.A. THE CAMERA-OPTICAL SYSTEM WILL HAVE THE OBJECTIVE OF. .. 

:OPERATING EITHER MANNED OR UNMANNED WITH UP TC RESOLUTION. 

B. WHEN. 

 IN THE UNMANNED MODEOECESURY OPTICAL ALIGNMENT.. 

• WILL BE ACHIEVED- BY PROVIDING ktAPABILITY FOR:ADJUSTING - ALIGNMENT 

REMOTELY' OR AUTOMATICALLY.WHILEANARBIT RATHER THAN BY STRENGTH-: 

ENING. THE STRUCTURE'- VER THAT REQUIRED: FOR MANNED OPERATION. 

C. AFUGHT -DEMOSTRATION OF THU:UNMANNED MODE AT THE BEST 

FEASIBLE RESOLD.TION•WILL BE .CONDUCTED WITHIN MONTHS AFTER THE FIRST:. 

';MANNED RAW. • • • • • 2. INITIATE CONCURRENT STUDIES ivITHMTHECONTRACTOR..(S)..ON. . 

...ALTERNATE OPTICAL SYSTEMS - WITH THE PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING AS 

SOON AS POISSIBLE NETHER THERE IS ANY OTHER 'OPTICAL:SYSTEM WHICH 
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WOULD BE PREFERABLE TO THAT BEING PURSUED BY THE PRIME CONTRACTOR 

-•• IN (1) ABOVE, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARD TO REDUCING THE POSSIBILITY OF RESOLUTION DEGRADATION IN EITHER THE MANNED OR UNMANNED 

MODES. 

IT WAS RECOGNIZED .THAT IrTHE STUDIES PREFORMED UNDER (2) ABOVE 

PRODUCED A PREFERABLE SYSTEM, IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO DETER MINT AT 

THAT TIME WHETHER A PROGRAM REORIENATION WAS NECESSARY OR DESIRABLE. 

.1149-1-1111), MEMO FROM DR. HORNIG TO SECDEF DATED 30 JUNE 1965, WITH),, 

ATTACHMENT, SECURITY CLASSIFICATION TOP SECRET/BYEMAN/DORIAN 

QUOTE: 

HERE IS THE MEMORANDUM ON MOL WHICH COVERS THE POINTS THAT 

DIN LAND AND I COVERED VERBALLY WITH YOU LAST WEEK. I HAVE ALSO 

ATTACHED A COPY OF A MEMORANDUM TO THE PRESIDENT WHICH .1 HOPE TO 

GET TO HIM TOMORROW MORNING, AND I WOULD :BE HAPPY TO HAVE YOUR 

COMMENTS ABOUT IT. THE REASON FOR MY HASTE IS THE IMMINENCY OF 

MY TRIP TO KOREA WHICH WILL KEEP ME AWAY UNTIL LATE JULY. 

MEMORANDUM FOR 

THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE 

I SHOULD LIKE TO PASS ON TO YOU MY CURRENT THINKING IN CONNECTION 

WITH THE MOL PROGRAM, BASED ON THE WORK OF MY SPECIAL MOL PANEL 

UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF DR. EDWARD M. PURCELL AND ON D1SCUSS 

IONS WITH DR. EDWIN H. LAND. 

SINCE THE MOL PROPOSAL WOULD BUILD AFULL SCALE PROTOTYPE OF A 

MANNED HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHIC SYSTEM, I SHOULD FIRST ADDRESS 

MYSELF BRIEFLY TO THE QUESTION OF THE VALUE THAT SHOULD BE ASSIGNED 

TO HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHY 'IN GENERAL. `I KNOW OF NO WAY TO 

MAKE A QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT IN THIS AREA. HOWEVER, IT SEEMS TO 

ME THAT OUR EXPERIENCE IN OCCASIONS OF NATIONAL CRISIS AND AT :OTHER T 

TIMES WHEN CERTAIN CRITICAL QUESTIONS COULD NOT BE FULLY ANSWERED 

(EXCEPT WITH A HIGHER RESOLUTION THAN WE HAVE'AVAILABLE) ARE SUFF.!. 

ICIENT-TO PUT VERY GREAT VALUE ON THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE RESOLUTION. 

THUS, I WOULD BE WILLING TO PAY A GREAT DEAL FORA SYSTEM:WHICH 

HAD THIS CAPABILITY. AT THE SAME TIME, HOWEVER, I MUST ALSO NOTE THAT 

THERE ARE OTHER, PERHAPS EQUALLY URGENT, INTELLIGENCE REQUIREMENTS 

FOR QUICK RESPONSE AT TIMES OF CRISIS AND LOW VULNERABILITY` FOR 

ACTIVE WAR SITUATIONS. THESE WILL NOT BE SATISFIED BY MOL. IF 

THERE WERE A SYSTEM FILLING THESE NEEDS IN COMPETITION WITH.NOL, 

A CHOICE BETWEEN THE TWO WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT INDEED. ALTHOUGH 

THERE IS NOT NOW SUCH A SYSTEM, ANY EXPENDITURES THAT WE MAY:MAKE 

ON Ma SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO REDUCE THE INTENSITY OF OUR FUTURE 

EFFORTS TO SATISFY THE STILL OUTSTANDING REQUIREMENTS. 

WITH REGARD TO THE MOL PROPOSAL ITSELF, THE AIR FORCE HAS DONE 
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a • 

AN EXCEEDINGLY THOROUGH ANALYSIS OF BOTH THE MANNED AND UNMANNED 

SYSTEM ALTERNATIVES FOR A HIGH RESOLUTION OPTICAL RECONNAISSANCE 

SYSTEM. IT HAS, IN MY OPINION, DOCUMENTED A PERSUASIVE ARGUMENT 

THAT, FOR EQUAL TOTAL WEIGHTS AND TOTAL VOLUMES THE MANNED SYSTEM 

DOES HAVE AN ADVANTAGE OVER THE UNMANNED SYSTEM AND CAN BE EXPECTED 

TO PROVIDE A HIGHER AVERAGE RESOLUTION AT AN EARLIER TIMEJHAN THE 

UNMANNED SYSTEM. I, THEREFORE', WOULD SUPPORT APPROVAL OF THE MOL 

PROGRAM. I WOULD POINT OUT THAT WE SHOULD EXPECT DIFFICULT TECHNICAL PROBLEMS IN BUILDING THE MIRRORS NECESSARY FOR SUCH SYSTEM, 

A CAPABILITY YET TO BE DEMONSTRATED. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT THIS 

RISK IS ACCEPTABLE. 

IT IS IMPORTANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE RELATIVE 

MERITS OF MANNED AND UNMANNED SYSTEMS ASSUME THE USE OF A TECHNOLOGY 

ABOUT WHICH WE ARE REASONABLY CONFIDENT. ALTHOUGH THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE ASSUMPTION TO MAKE, WE SHOULD' RECOGNIZE THE POSSIBILITY 

THAT THE UNMANNED SYSTEM FALLS SHORT IN THIS COMPARISON BECAUSE, 

FOR THE VERY SOPHISTICATED TYPE OF SYSTEM THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING 

HERE, RELATIVELY LITTLE EFFORT HAS BEEN DEVOTED TO SOLVING THE 

PROBLEMS INHERENT IN AUTOMATIC PATTERN RECOGNITION, IMAGE MOTION 

COMPENSATION AND PRECISE POINTING TO THE ACCURACY REQUIRED FOR 

THIS PURPOSE. I AM PERSONALLY CONVINCED THAT IF SUFFICIENT 

COMPETENCE, IMAGINATION AND EFFORT WERE DEVOTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT. 

OF THE NECESSARY AUTOMATIC SUBSYSTEMS1 THE MARGIN THAT NOW EXISTS 

IN FAVOR OF THE MANNED SYSTEM COULD IN TIME BE LARGELY ELIMINATED. 

I WOULD. ALSO LIKE TO MENTION SEVERAL ADDITIONAL FACTORS WHICH ARE 

PERTINENT TO A DISCUSSION OF MANNED VS. UNMANNED SYSTEMS.:FIRST, 

ALTHOUGH AVAILABLE EVIDENCE:MAKES US'REASONABLI CONFIDENT THAT MAN 

IS PHYSIOLOGICALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY CAPABLE OF PREFORMING AS, 

REQUIRED BY MOL, THIS CAPABILITY IS STILL TO BE DEMONSTRATED, AND 

IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE FLIGHT TESTS WILL SHOW THAT THE MANNED SYSTEM DOES NOT PREFORM AS WELL AS PREDICTED. SECOND., IT SEEMS REASONABLE 

TO ANTICIPATE THE POSSIBILITIES THAT EITHER PUBLIC REACTION AGAINST-, 

MOL AS AN INVASION OF PRIVACY OR INTERNATIONAL OPPOSITION TO MANNED 

OVERFLIGHTS MAY PREVENT THE USE OF A MANNED SYSTEM. ALTHOUGH BOTH 

THESE RISKS SEEM ACCEPTABLE FROM THE FINANCIAL STANDPOINT AND 

SHOULD NOT THEREFORE PREVENT INITIATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF 

THE MOL, THEY ARE SERIOUS ENOUGH POLITICALLY TO WARRANT. OUR TAKING 

ACTION TO PROVIDE FOR THE EVENTUALITY THAT AN UNMANNED, RATHER 

THAN MANNED, SYSTEM WILL BE REQUIRED. IN ADDVTION IT SEEMS QUITE 

POSSIBLE THAT FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT, AN UNMANNED SYSTEM 

WILL EVENTUALLY BE DESIRED TO COMPLEMENT THE MANNED SYSTEM BY PK"- 

FORMING THE MORE ROUTINE RECONNAISSANCE MISSIONS OR BE AVAILABLE 

IN SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES, SUCH AS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN CASE OF THREATS 

AGAINST THE SYSTEM BY THE OTHER SIDE. 

FOR THESE REASONS, I URGE THAT YOU INCLUDE AS AN INTEGRAL PART 

OF THE MOL PROGRAM A MAJOR EFFORT TO DEVELOP THOSE SUBSYSTEMS 

WHICH WOULD BE NECESSARY FOR A HIGH RESOLUTION UNMANNED SYSTEM, 

SO THAT IF THE MANNED VEHICLE TURNS OUT TO BE UNUSEABLE, AN 

UNMANNED SYSTEM CAN BE PUT INTO OPERATION REASONABLY SOON THERE' 

AFTER. I SEE NO REASON WHY AN IMMEDIATE EFFORT ON THE CRITICAL 

d 
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....AUTOMATIC SUBSYSTEMS SHOULD PERTURB THE PROGRESS OF THE MOL DEV- • 

ELOPMENT PROGRAM IN ITS INITIAL PHASES. HOWEVER, A DECISION WOULD 

HAVE TO BE MADE RATHER EARLY IN THE PROGRAM ABOUT HOWTHE.CAPABiLiTY -

FOR THE UNMANNED ALTERNATIVE 'WOULD BE CARRIED FORWARD. I RECOMMEND • 

THAT THIS BE DONE BY BULDING.THE MOL TELESCOPE-CAMERA SO THAT IT 

CAN BE OPERATED IN EITHER •THE MANNED OR THE UNMANNED MODE, USING 

THE SAME ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF THE OPTICAL SYSTEM FOR- EACH 

MODE. NATURALLY, THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS RECOMMENDATION MUST. BE 

WORKED OUT IN DETAIL TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT WOULD ENTAIL AN 

UNREASONABLE INCREASE IN COST OR A SERIOUS DEGRADATION OF PERFORMANCE 

AS COMPARED TO THE OTHER ALTERNATIVES. I ALSO RECOMMEND. A STUDY INTO 

THE POSSIBILITY OF BUILDING AN ALTERNATE. MODULE FOR THAT PORTION . • 

OF THE PAYLOAD OCCUPIED YBY THE GEMINI-LIVING MODULE WHICH WOULD,...PROVIDE. - - 

ADDITIONAL. FILM, RECOVERY CAPSULES OR. PROPULSION FOR THE SYSTEM 

WHEN- USED IN-THE UNMANNED MODE. . -- 

TURNING NOW TO THE :IMPACT OF .MOL ON OUR PROGRAMS AND POLICIES, 

THERE- IS AN IMPORTANT QUESTION REGARDING - THE RELATIONSHIP OF MOL 

TO NASA PROGRAMS. THE AIR FORCE HAS-SUGGESTED- ,- AND AT IS.CER-.. 

TAINLY.QU1TE•TRUE, THAT IN THE LIVING COMPARTMENT TO BEDEVELOPED FOR MOL CERTAIN NASA EXPERIMENTS - COULD BE CONDUCTED-. HOW.- 

EVER., I REGARD THESE EXPERIMENTS AS RELATIVELY TRIVIAL, WHEN ,COMPARED 

TO THE OVER-ALL NASA PROGRAMS AND TO THE -MAJOR JUSTIFICATION OF 

THE MOL ITSELF. IT SEEMSTO.ME,-.THEREFOR4. THATJT-WOULD BE IN 

THE. BEST INTERESTS.OF-THE.• MILITARY PROORWIJHE-PEACEFULIMAGE 

OF THE. NASA PROGRAMS, IN000..-PELATIONSHIPSETWEEN DOD.AND'' 

NASA IF - • THF MOL CAPABILITY 'FOR'NON-MILITARY EXPERIMENTS. WERE. 

EXCLUDED FROW.THE INITIAL PROGRAM OBJECTIVES AND FROM SUCH • • . 

MINIMUM .PUBLIC - ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT THE PROGRAM AS MAY BE NECESSARY.- 

NATURALLY, I DO :NOT 'MEAN. THIS- TO PRECLUDE THE. EVENTUAL USE OF 

AVAILABLE -SPACE TO THE ADVANTAGE OF THE OVER-ALL PROGRAM, .OR TO. 

TO FUTURE USE BY NASA OF SUBSYSTEMS OR. MODULES DEVELOPED.B1 MOL. 

AS MAY BE APPROPRIATE TO NASA'S PROGRAM AND,-AS AVAILABLE FROM MOL. 

FINALLY, I BELIEVE. THAT VERY SERIOUS POLITICAL QUESTIONS ARISE 

FROM - THE-Ma PROGRAM. ONE IS THE CONCERN) ALREADY MENTIONED ABOVE 

THAT MOL AS A MANNED MILITARY VEHICLE WITWPOTENTIAL 

VATION CAPABILITY MAY BE • . • , 

OBJECTED TO, AND PERHAPS••THREATENED, BY THE USSR. ON THE OTHER HAND 

IF ACCEPTANCE IS.ACHIEVED, -MOLCOULD CONTRIBUTE- TO•THE RECOGNITION. OF 

MANNED OBSERVATION AND SURVEILLANCE AS A NORMAL MODE OF INTERNATIONAL. 

BEHAVIOR. 

ANOTHER- , MORE SERIOUS, CONCERN ARISES FROM THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE MODE 

OF DATA RECOVERY FROM THE MOL, IF DETECTED BY THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE OTHER 

SIDE AND COMBINED WITH INFERENCES ABOUT OBSERVATION DEVICES, MIGHT BE 

CONSTRUED AS DEMONSTRATING AN ACTIVE WEAPONS SYSTEM CAPABILITY FOR THE 

SPACECRAFT. I THEREFORE RECOMMEND THAT CONSIDERATION AT THE HIGHEST 

LEVEL BE GIVEN TO QUESTIONS SUCH AS THESE SO THAT CA) OUR PUBLIC STATEME00 

ABOUT THE MOL ARE CAREFULLY DEVISED TO. MAXIMIZE THE LIKELIHOOD OF ULTIMATE 

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ACCEPTANCE OF THE PROGRAM, AND (B) WHEN THE FIRST MANNED FLIGHTS ARE 

.... IMMINENT WE HAVE,_TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY, ASSESSED THE POLITICAL RISKS 

INVOLVED AND DEVISED DETAILED RESPONSES FOR THE VARIOUS CONTINGENCIES WHICH 

MAY OCCuR. 

IN SUMMARY, I WOULD SUPPORT 111E APPROVAL OF THE MOL PROVIDED PLANS ARE 

MADE TO CONCURRENTLY DEVELOP AN UNMANNED OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY FOR THE* 

SYSTEM, AND RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS: SIMULTANEOUS INITIATION OF 

A WELL SUPPORTED PROGRAM TO DEVELOP THE AUTOMATIC SUBSYSTEMS NECESSARY 

FOR UNMANNED OPERATIONS, AND A REDESIGN OF THE MOL TELESCOPE-CAMERA 

FOR DUAL MODE OPERATION. AT THE SAME TIME, I WOULD URGE you TO CONTINUE 

TO SEEK FURTHER SYSTEMS WHICH CAN SATISFY THE INTELLIGENCE NEEDS NOT MET 

BY WI. I WILL BE HAPPY TO GIVE WHATEVER ASSISTANCE 1 CAN TO YOUANO 7P 

THE DIRECTOR OF THE NRO IN FORMING PLANS fop THE MOL DEVELOPMENT AND 

PARTICULARLY FOR THE AUTOMATIC SUBSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT. 

SIGNED DONAL F. HORNIG UNQUOTE. PART THREE. MEMO FROM ERWIN H. LAND= 

TO DONALD P. HORNIG DATED 18 AUGUST 1965, SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 

SECRET/BYEMAN/DORIAN QUOTE: 

STUDIES ON THE MOLSYSTEM HAVE BEEN CONDUCTEll BY THE AIR 'FORCE 

WHICH INDICATE THAT A TELESCORE WHICH 4S POINTED BY A MAN AND CONTROLLED 

IN TRACKING BY A MAN CAN LEAD TO ABOUT RESOLUTION ON THE GROUND. 

ONIHE BASIS OF THESE STUDIES, IF IT IS AGREED THAT RESOLUTION 

IS A DESIRABLE OBJECTIVE,.ONE CAN CONCLUDE THAT A LARGE TELESCOPE IN A 

SATELLITE SHOULD BE DESIGNED AND' BtILT.-THE PANEL 'FEELS FIRST THAT THESE 

STuDIES, ALTHOUGH VERY COMPETENT FOR THE TIME CONCERNED, SERVED MAINLY 

TO PROVE- THAT A DESIRABLE OBJECTIVE COULD BE ACHIEVED; AND SECOND THAT 

THERE' WAS NOT TIME ENOUGH FOR: THE STMJES TO EXPLORE A VARIETY OF OPTICAL 

SYSTEMS THAT MIGHT USED., NOR 70 EXPLORE OR INVENT MECHANISMS FOR 

MARKING THE IMAGE SHARP ALL OVER THE AREA OF THE F1L14, NOR: TIME TO pcpLoRE 

INTENSIVELY ALTERNATIVESIO THEUSE OF A MAN* • 

IN THE MOL STUDY THE UNMANNED SYSTEM WAS CONCEIVED IN RATHER CONVENTIONAL TERMS. AS THUS CONCEIVED TWO PROBELMS SEEMS CRITICALLY 

LIMITING: 

(A) ADJUSTING THE ]MC wITH SUFFICIENT ACCURACY; AND 

(B) POINTING THE CAMERA CLOSE ENOUGH10 A DESIRED 

TRARGET.1 

THE LATTER PROBLEM WAS MADE ACUTE BY THE FACT 

FFEREN MC CC) THAT THE ABS[ M 

COMPENSATION OVER THE ENTIRE FRAME, onof A SMALL' 

REGION IN THE FORMAT IS RECOROEDAT HIGHEST RESOLUTION. 

IT WAS SHOWN THAT MAN CAN COPE WITH PROBLEMS(A) AND (B); THE UNSATISFACTORY CONSEQUENCES OF FACT CC) WERE TACITLY ACCEPTED AS UNAVOIDABLE., WE 

BELIEVETHAT THESE TECHNICAL PROBLEMS CAN BE SOLVED ALONG LINES NOT _ 

ADEQUATELY EXPLORED IN THE MOL STUDY. ELEMENTS IN THE SOLUTIONW1LL 

IMPROVED NAVIGATION, POSSIBLY ACCOMPLISHEOIHROuGH PROPER' USE OF EXISTING 

OR PLANNED GROUND SYSTEMS; AP ON COMPUTER; AUTOMATIC LP' ''''' 

INTRODUCTION OF DIFFERENTIAL WC OVER THE FORMAT. 
IT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN ASSURED THAT A FAMILY OF INVENTIONS IS REQUIRED TO MAKE THE UNMANNED NAVIGATION OPERATE AND TO ELIMINATE IMAGE 

SMEAR AWAY FROM THE CENTER OF THE FIELD. THE COMMITTEE IS PUZZLED BY 

THESE ASSUMPTIONS BECAUSE IT SEES QUITE CLEARLY THE FEASIBILITY OF 

ADAPTING WHAT IS ALREADY' KNOWN. IN BOTH OF THESE DOMAINS FOR USE WITHIN T 

A VEHICLE THAT IS DESIGNED a WHOLE TO PERMIT THE POSSIBILITY OF SOLUTION* 

A SOLUTION TO THESE PROBLEMS WOULD PERMIT THE UNMANNED SYSTEM, 

OPERATING WITH ESSENTIALLY THE SAME CAMERA, TO ACHIEVE THE SAME GROUND 

RESOLUTION ON PRESCRIBED TARGETS AS THE MANNED SYSTEM. IT WOULD ALSO 

CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE MANNED OPERATION BY RELIEVING THE OBSERVER OF MUCH OF THE ROUTINE TRACKING AND IDENTIFICATION TASK, AND 

MAKING THE POINTING AND SELECTION OF AREA OF INTEREST LESS CRITICAL. 

THE CONCLUSION THAT AN UNMANNED: VEHICLE WOULD RESULT IN A LOWER 

RESOLVING POWER SEEMS TO US, THEREFORE, UNWARRANTED; THE FURTHER ,IMPLIED 

CONCLUSION THAT THE SOLUTION OF THE PROBLEMS INVOLVED WHEN A MAN 1$ 

NOT EMPLOYED TO DIRECT THE TELESCOPE.* WOULD SERIOUSLY DELAY THE PROGRAM 

ALSO SEEMS TO US UNWARRANTED. INDEED, IT APPEARS THAT THE LIMITING FACTOR. 

IN THE SCHEDULE WILL PROBABLY BE LEARNING HOW TO DESIGN:ME MECHANICS 

OF VERY LARGE MIRRORS SO THAT THEY WILL RETAIN THEIR SHAPE IN THEIR MOUNTS 

IN SPACE. WE, THEREFORE, RECOMMEND THAT IF THE MOL SYSTEM IS. APPROVED, 

ITS CAMERA PAYLOAD BE DESIGNED AS A COMPLETELY AUTOMATIC SYSTEM. THIS 

DEVICE THEN COULD BE FLOWN WITH OR WITHOUT A MAN DEPENDING UPON A 

NATIONAL JUDGEMENT ON EACH OCCASION ABOUT THE NEED OR DESIRABILITY 

OF ADDING THE SPECIAL HUMAN CAPABILITIES FOR TARGET SELECTION, SELCECTION 

OF DATA TO BE TRANSMITTED TO GROUND STATIONS AND VERBAL REPORTING. 

SIGNED EDWIN H. LAND 

ELET FOUR. MEMO FROM DONALD F. HORNING TO DR. ALEXANDER FLAX, WITH ATTACHMENT 

DATED 22 NOVEMBER 1965, SECURITY CLASSIFICATION TOP SECRET/BEYMAN/ 

DORIAN/TALENT-KEYHOLE, QUOTE. 

I THINK THAT THE RECENT RECONNAISSANCE PANEL MEETING 

WITH YOU WAS A VERY PRODUCTIVE ONE, PARTICULARLY WITH RESPECT TO THE 

DISCUSSION ON MOL. I KNOW THAT IT WAS USEFUL FOR US TO KNOW THE 

QUESTIONS THAT HAD ARISEN ABOUT THE PANEL INTENT AND I HOPE YOU FOUND 

THE PANEL'S EXPLANATIONS EQUALLY HELPFUL. I REALIZE THAT,THE WHOLE 

CHARACTER OF THE,MOL DEVELOPMENT WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE PROGRAM 

DEFINITION STUDIES NOW UNDERWAY IN THE AIR FORCE, AND SO I AM 

ESPECIALLY INTERESTED THAT THEY ACCURATELY REFLECT THE PANEL'S OPINION. 

IT OCCURS TO ME THAT IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO HAVE A 

SUMMARY OF THE POINTS MADE BY THE PANEL DURING THE 

MEETING WHICH YOU COULD SEND TO_THE KEY PEOPLE ON THE DEFINITION 

PROGRAM. THE ATTACHED PAPER DOES, I BELIEVE, FAITHFULLY REPRESENT 

THE PANEL VIEWS AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO YOU 

FOR SUCH USE AS YOU FEEL APPROPRIATE. SIGNED DONALD F. HORNING. 

E. 0 

• • 

NRO APPROVED FOR 

RELEASE 1 JULY 2015 
NRO APPROVED FOR 

RELEASE 1 JULY 2015 

RECONNAISSANCE PANEL VIEWS ON THE 

MOL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM 

IT IS THE PRUPOSE OF THIS PAPER TO SUMMARIZE VIEWS OF THERECOMMAISSANCE PANEL ON THE MOL DEVELOPMENT,RROGRAM AND, IN 

PARTICUALAR, THE PANEL'S. INTERPRETATION OF THE AGREEMENT REACHED 

BETWEEN DR. HORNING AND DR. BROWN ON AUGUST 23, 1965. 

THE PANEL IS CONVINCED THAT A HIGH RESOLUTION ON THE MOL DEVELOPMENT 

ORBITAL RECONNAISSANCE SYSTEM IS A HIGH PRIORITY NATr 

IONAL GOAL. ALTHOUGH THE PANEL CONCURS THAT THE PROPOSED - MANNED MOL 

CAN ATTAIN SUCH RESOLUTION AND THAT THE PRESENCE OF A MAN ON BOARD 

THE SPACECRAFT CAN ENHANCE CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE MISSION, THE 

PANEL CONCLUDES THAT A PROPERLY DESIGNED UNMANNED SYSTEM CAN, 

IN AN EQUIVALENT. TIME, ATTAIN THE SAME RESOLUTION WITH ACCEPTABLE 

MISSION RELIABILITY. IN ADDITION, BECAUSE OF THE GREAT SIGNIFICANCE 

OF THE DATA THAT MOL WILL OBTAIN, THE PANEL FORESEES A FUTURE REQUIREMENT 

FOR OPERATIONAL MISSIONS ON A CONTINUING BASISI AND CONSIDERS IT 

LIKELY THAT IN SUCH AN OPERATIONAL PROGRAM THE. UNMANNED SYSTEM WILL 

SHOW ADVANTAGES FOR THE ROUTINE MISSIONS, AND MANNED SYSTEM 

FOR SITUATIONS WHICH REQUIRE SPECIAL CAPABILITIES. IT THEREFORE BELIEVES 

THAT THE MOL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM CAN AND SHOULD SUPPORT AN.OPERATIONAL PROGRAM WHICH COULD USE BOTH MANNED AND UNMANNED VERSIONS 

OF THE SYSTEM IN WHATEVER MANNER IS MOST CONSISTENT WITH THE INDIVIDUAL 

MISSION REQUIREMENTS, THE CONTINUING NEED FOR. ECONOMIC OPERATIONS 

AND THE INTERNATIONAL SITUATION THAT MAY EXIST AT THE TIME. 

THE PANEL CONCLUDES THAT CERTAIN ELEMENTS OF THE MANNED ANV 

UNMANNED SYSTEMS CAN BE COMMON. 1N PARTICULAR, THE AUTOMATED 

SYSTEMS FOR NAVIGATION AND CONTROL, POINTING AND FOCUSING, DIFFEREXT1AL 'MC OVER THE FORMAT AND ON ORBIT ALIGNMOT,OF THE OPTICS SHOULD 

BE DEVELOPED BOTH TO REALIZE THE:FULL POTENTIAL OF THE OPTICS DURING 

UNMANNED OPERATIONS AND ALSO TO ENHANCE THE PERFORMANCE OF THE MANNED 

SYSTEM BY RELIEVING THE MAN OF ROUTINE, DEMANDING TASKS. THE PANEL 

OBSERVES THAT A PROPERLY PLANNED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM CAN ACCOMMODATE 

IDENTICALITY BETWEEN MAJOR ELEMENTS OF THE SYSTEM (PRIMARILY THE OPTICS,. 

THE SUBSYSTEMS MENTIONED ABOVE, THE LABORATORY MODULE AND THE 

BOOSTER) IF THE REQUIREMENTS OF BOTH ;MANNED AND AUTOMATED MISSIONS 

ARE FULLY CONSIDERED IN THE INITIAL SYSTEMS DESIGN. 

THE PANEL RECOGNIZED THAT THE AUTOMATIC FILM HANDLING AND RECOVERY 

SYSTEMS NECESSARY FOR AN UNMANNED MOL MIGHT NOT BE APPROPRIATE 

IN THE MANNED SYSTEM AND, CONVERSELY, THAT THE GEMINI SPACECRAFT 

WOULD NOT BE NEEDED DURING UNMANNED OPERATION. IT IS CONSIDERED 

LIKELY THEREFORE THAT A PACKAGE CONTAINING MULTIPLE FILM RECOVERY CAPSULES WILL HAVE TO BE DEVELOPED TO REPLACE THE GEMINI FOR PLANNED UNMANNED MISSIONS. 

THE PANEL INTERPRETS THE HORNING-BROWN AGREEMENT TO MEAN THAT 

THE INITIAL SYSTEM DEFINITION WILL RESULT IN A:DESIGN CONSISTENT WITH THE 
NRO APPROVEO FOR 

RELEASE 1 JULY 2015 , 

ABOVE "AND THAT THE SEPARATE MODULES:AND CONVERSION EQUIPMENT NECESSARY 

FOR AUTOMATIC OPERATION WILLIE DEVELOPED AND BUILTCONCURRENTLY WITH 

THE MANNED MOL AND WITH A FINANCIALAND MANAGEMENT PRIORITY EQUAL 

TO THAT GIVEN THE MANNED :MODULES. IN CONNECTION WITH THE FLIGHT DEMO* 

STRATION OF THE UNMANNED SYSTEM REFERRED TO IN THE AGREEMENT, THE 

PANEL ASSUMES THAT A FLIGHT TEST OF THE COMPLETE AUTOMATIC SYSTEM, 

:INCLUDING THE SEPARATELY DEVELOPED EQUIPMENT, WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE 

MOLJEST PROGRAM AS EARLY AS THE TEST PROGRAM WILL REASONABLY ALLOW. 

ALTHOUGH THE AGREEMENT SPECIFIED THIS AS 9 MONTHS AFTER THE FIRST 

MANNED TEST - :CAT THE TIME OF THE AGREEMENT, THIS PERIOD-REPRESENTED 

A COMPROMISE BETWEEN PANEL AND DOD OPINIONS ABOUT WHEN THE ;UNMANNED 

SYSTEM COULD BE READY) - IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE AIR fORCE-:fROGRAM 

DEFINITION STUDIES WILL DEFINE A MORE APPROPRIATE SCHEDULE WHICH INCLUDES 

BOTH MANNED AND UNMANNED TESTS IN A SEQUENCE WHICH TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS SHOW TO-BE EQUALLY ADVANTAGEOUS TO BOTH SYSTEMS. UNQUOTE. 

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