NRO APPROVED FOR 

MEMORANDUM TO ASSISTANT FOR, R&D PROGRAMMINO (AFRRP/ 

Col F. Tioermanm) 

SUBJECT: NOL ProaramReciama on, Draft Preside tial 

Memorandum 

The following information is submitted to be in» 

eluded in the Department of the Air Force reelama to ,the 

Secretary of Defense on the FY 67.68 MOL Program* 

PROPOSED .REPLY: 

The rezults of extensive etudies conducted during 

the MDT, Definition Phase have confirmed our estimate 

that the first manned system test can be launched in 

late 19()9,, We have not identified anything teehnically -

as a result or our studies,that would prevent us from 

achieving this goal. Further. contractnegotiations 

currently underway with eachiof the associatescontractors 

for full-scale engineering development are being negotiated 

on a baseline schedule which calls for the first manned 

System test in late 1969. Specifically,., the,seven flights 

are now planned, as follows: 

1. First unmanned flight in April 1969 ftr 

the uprated TIIIC and a suborbital qualification or 

Gemini 24 

Second unmanned flight in july 1969 for 

the orbital qualification of the uprated Titan IOC 

laboratory subsystem. 

3. Third flight in December 1969. It will be 

manned and followed by four all-up MOL flighte at approxi., 

mately three to . ,four month intervals. 

In addition, the Department of Defense Appropriation 

Bill for 1957 includes an increase of $50 million for the 

MOL Program over the President's budget. These additional 

funds mere included on the strength of information provided 

J:)OVINGRAD7,22 AT' I 12 

OOT 41=0.11TInLIA 

.1LD 

DOD Tall, Z:200.10 • 
RELEASE 1 LY 2015 

by the Department of the Air Force and in recognition 

that failure. tO• provide the additional funds would endanger the scheduled first maimed flight in late 1969. 

The delay for initiating full-scale engineering 

development from early September '1966 to•'earlyllovember•, 

1966 does not induce a 2-month slip to the MOL flight • 

schedule, since interim authorization Was given the n 

Director, MOL in late August 1966 to obligate the nee., • 

essary program funds in order to protect-development'arY 

lead time. This direction to protect schedule dates 

is being carriedout.. The additional $50 million fochod 

VOL, when appropriated by Congress and released by. the 

Department of Defense, will increase the level ot::new_YLq. 

funding in FY 67. to $228 million which is consistent — 

with'the recommendation of the Secretary of the Air 

Force to the Secretary of Defense last December on the, 

minimum level of- funding'for MOL during Fi/H67. - ', 

The MOL Frog-rat Plan and Funding Requirements m . 

document recently submitted to the DDR&E stated and 

supported a - FY 68 funding requirement of $556.8 million 

to continue with MOL development without affecting the 

primary objective•orAaahedule. This is'still - Department 

of the Air Force best judgment. of the funds required for 

FY 1968 to meet program needs. -/kny, adjustment' in tote' 

program costs and FY funding requirements will be reported 

at the time of , review of the negotiated contract costs. 

This review is presently scheduled for late October 1966.. 

In summary, the technical baseline for the MOL 

system as derived'from definition studies,'perits 

development to proceed on an orderly basis to achieve 

the initial - launch-of a manned system in late 19691 

provided, adequate fiscal year funds are available to • . 

fully 'support achievable technical progresso.n,44taehed 

to this memorandum is a proposed line.in-line out 

correction:.. to thatTortianof-the.DraftjPresidenti.iii 

Memorandum addressed to the MOL Program. 

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aThinn, Mni Fl m co7 f As r'tu - 7 vlT;ac, p In 

1566; 1,he =T/.44: EVANS-;'r 

144 or Generals 118.AF 

Vice .Director, MOL Program 

1 Atch 

afs SAF-SL Official File 

SAF-SL Chron File 

Copy to: SCO,Read IT, ,I.' 'f. ,':, • ,, :: i 

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, :.. 7.:,, , i:: •"i..?;? 

Dr. Flax • 1 ;:„ir, !; ':1 f. , -: i .: ;Ti., :, 

CO1 Randall/SAF-SLPASeD66)id/53889 

•• 
NRO APPROVED FOR 

cZONFIDENTIAL 

D. Manned Orbit in Laboratory(MOL) 

")) 

The MOL program received Presidential approval in 

August 1965. Contract definition is now complete and 

negotiations will be completed by November 1966. .Based on 

using adequate time to develop and check out the primary 

experiment, the first manned system test will be. launched 

in eapIy.4978• •late 1969 or possibly late-1969 early 1970. 

Seven flights are now planned as follows: 

1. First'uhmanned flight in Juae-1969 April 1969 

for the uprated Titan IIIC and a suborbital qualification 

of Gemini B; 

2. Second unmanned flight in -SeptembeP-1969 

July 1969 for the orbital qualification of the uprated 

Titan IIIC and laboratory subsystems; 

3. Third flight in Jaavapy-1978 December 19694 

It .will be manned and followed by four all-up MOL flights 

at approximately 3-4 mOnth intervals. 

Contract definition indicates that the minimum funding 

required to meet program objectives will exceed the 

original estimate of $1.5 billion by approximately $375 

million. Firm costs figures will be available in late 

November 1966. Based on the Department of the Air Force 

•■•••■••■•••• - ;

DOWNGRADED AT 12 V Ell 1+r. ; 

NOT AU TOMA TICALLY Dr: L A salvta 

' DOD DIR. 6200.10 
NRO APPROV 

0-017ITTITR1 

comments and an increase of $50 million for the MOL 

Program in the Department of Defense Appropriation.Bill 

for 1967 I have recommended new funding of $178-mti4Iew 

$228 million in FY 1967 (use of prior year funds raises 

this to $253-mtillea $303 million for FY 67) and $48e 

rti .iliem $556.8 million in FY 1968. Any adjustment in 

total program costs and fiscal year funding requirement 

will be reported at the time of review of the negotiated 

MOL contract costs. 

CONFIDENTIAL