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TAB A 

SUMMARY 

STUDIES OF UNMANNED DORIAN SYSTEM 

I. INTRODUCTION 

Studies have been conducted of a wholly unmanned satellite 

reconnaissance system which uses the DORIAN optical subsystem now 

under development for MOL. This paper summarizes the results of 

these studies. 

The objective of the studies was to define and analyze a 

wholly unmanned system configured to yield, insofar as possible, 

the same quality and quantity of intelligence return as that anticipated for MOL. Data on the configuration, performance, schedule 

and cost were to be developed. 

The following paragraphs describe the terms of reference and 

the approach under which the studies were conducted. 

MINIMIN•181■10. 

The wholly unmanned system was to involve the lowest possible 

development risk. Existing and presently projected technology, 

components and subsystems were to be used to the maximum extent 

possible. Both the TITAN IIIC five-segment and seven-segment 

boosters without transtage were studied. Numbers of recovery 

vehicles were to correspond to mission life; existing vehicles were 

to be used if possible. 

411=1•111•111=11111M 

Contractor as well as in-house studies were to be conducted. 

With the exception of technical information required as inputs, 

these studies were to be conducted apart from the MOL/DORIAN Program 

Office; however, close coordination was maintained to assure the 

greatest possible comparability with current MOL program planning 

projections. In matters of design, management approach, etc.,, the 

 wholly unmanned program was to conform to usual practices for 

 similar programs in the NRP. 

Study contracts were let to GE and LMSC for a 60-day study. 

 The contractors were told to consider the Mission Module as a GFE 

 item with the first flyable unit to be delivered in October 1969. 

 The contractors were requested to provide nearly complete redundancy 

 in the OCV in order to achieve the highest possible mean mission 

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life. Factors of development risk, reliability, confidence of early 

success, and costs were identified as key issues and the contractors 

were urged to emphasize them. Each contractor was able to respond 

quickly and well by reforming the teams which had performed studies 

over the past two years of the new search and surveillance system. 

Since the OCV for the wholly unmanned system appeared to be quite 

similar to that needed for a new search and surveillance system, the 

contractors were requested to consider the interrelationship carefully and to draw on their previous efforts in this area. 

Concurrently, in-house studies were conducted to provide a 

basis for careful review of the OCV design by the contractors. 

Studies of simulated operations against a DORIAN target list were 

continued and various computer runs made to provide answers to 

questions regarding weather, target access, anticipated requirements, 

etc. 

II. BASELINE SYSTEM CONFIGURATION 

Figure 1 depicts a 30-day configuration for the orbital vehicle 

of a wholly unmanned DORIAN system. The placement of the control, 

recovery, and mission support modules in this configuration is such 

that it offers the advantage of minimum structural weight and optimum 

interfaces between the modules. Additionally, this configuration is 

potentially applicable to other missions. 

The Orbital Vehicle is flown in the opposite direction to that 

planned for the manned system. This may introduce an aerodynamic 

heating problem on the blunt end of the Mission Module at low perigee 

altitudes; however, this problem is not expected to be severe and, 

at worst, may require some additional heat protection. 

The performance of the baseline configuration discussed in 

Section III of this report is based on sufficient weight for orbit 

keeping propellants for flights with a perigee altitude of not less 

than 80 n.mi. 

Launch would be accomplished from the Western Test Range. Onorbit operations would be conducted through the existing and 

programmed facilities of the Satellite Control Facility at Sunnyvale, 

California. On-orbit functions would be controlled in accordance 

with the following concept: 

Target coordinates read up from ground to computer. 

Ephemeris computed on ground and read up to vehicle. 

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FIGURE 1 
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Star tracker data and navigation data used to compute 

sensor pointing commands. 

Image motion sensor (V/h) tracking through main optics. 

Computer extrapolation of previous V/h data to new 

target as backup. 

Focus and alignment either closed loop or commanded from 

ground. 

Redundant backup subsystems switched in by ground command. 

Four recovery vehicles - first vehicle recovered after 

approximately one week's operation. 

Recovery would be accomplished on command in the Hawaiian area 

by the 6594th Recovery Squadron using existing or projected equipment. 

III. ESTIMATED PERFORMANCE 

The configuration described above is based on using a Mission 

Module configured for automatic mode operation "GFE" from the MOL 

'program. Functions which will be accomplished automatically (i.e., 

with no assistance from the man) are: 

a. Pointing 

b. IMC 

c. Film handling and recovery 

d. Alignment and focus 

e. Across format IMC 

The manned/unmanned mode was included in the MOL program 

earlier in the year and was made part of the Contract Definition 

Phase (CDP). Further progress in the CDP has tended to further 

support the validity of this technical approach. 

The critical aspects of pointing to acquire the target have 

been examined further. The precision of the navigation required is 

attainable for perigee altitudes of 80 n.mi. even in periods of 

peak solar activity. At 70 n.mi. perigee, some method of accounting 

for in-track errors due to variations in drag is needed. The precise 

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attitude reference device needed is consistent with several existing 

star tracking instruments. However, automatic star trackers and 

advanced high-accuracy horizon sensors have been a constant source •• 

of difficulty in NASA programs (the main programs using them) and great 

care will have to be exercised to balance performance and reliability. 

A camera to- provide compensation for image blur across the full format 

due to in-track pointing errors has been designed in detail by Itek 

and submitted to EEC, whose initial reaction is very favorable. Image 

Motion Sensing is quite critical and exploratory development has 

continued on three parallel approaches--each of these has given indication of promising to meet unmanned system requirements although none 

constitutes flyable hardware as yet. 

The critical devices needed for automatic operation of the 

DORIAN sensor have progressed well and offer considerable promise for 

successful operation in the automatic mode. Thus the quality (resolu-!... • • 

tion) of the wholly unmanned. system can ultimately be expected to be:. 

the same as that for the manned system in the automatic mode (i.e., 

with no participation by the man but with the automatic devices 

operating reliably and within design tolerances). The cumulative 

probability of achieving a geometric mean ground resolution is shown 

in Figure 2. As can be seen, 

the system should produce 

Further improvements in performance may result from technological effort now under way. For example, "zero co-efficient" optical 

materials are progressing very well and development of mirrors for 

DORIAN is scheduled. If successful, a significant simplification of 

the Mission Module will result since the louvres and baffling door 

movements will not be required. Orbital testing of a drag accelerometer is scheduled and if successful will permit adequate drag 

accounting and therefore operation as low as 70 n.mi. perigee even. , 

in periods of peak solar activity. 

The quantity of product to be obtained is determined largely 

by the expected mission duration. The expected mission duration is 

a function of the non-random failures (learning factors), inherent. 

reliability and design life. If one considers a mature System in • 

which the inherent reliability is being achieved, the effect of design 

life on expected mission duration can be seen from the following 

table. (A "mature" unmanned system is assumed to be achieved after . 

ten flights.) 

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CUMULATIVE PROBABILITY 

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EXPECTED MISSION DURATION 

WHOLLY UNMANNED SYSTEM 

Design Life, Days 30 35 60 

ON Reliability, Ro .91 .90 .83 

MM Reliability, Rm .81 .78 .62 

Booster Reliability, Rb .93 .93 •93 

Mean Mission Duration, Days 24 27 42 

The increased design life between 30 and 35 days involves an 

increase in expendables at the expense of reducing the weight 

contingency from 30 percent to 10 percent. 

The reliability figures, Ro and Rmrepresent the probability 

of successful operation for the design life. The vehicles which 

fail to achieve the full design life may achieve some lesser life 

which on the average will be approximately one-half the design life. 

Therefore, the mean mission duration, taking account of the booster 

reliability, is 

1 + RoX 1 4. Rra X Rb 

MMD = Design Life 

2 2 

An increase in design life at the same inherent reliability 

will result in a significant increase in mean mission duration. A 

mean mission duration of the order of 27 days appears reasonable for 

an unmanned system with a design life of 35 days as opposed to 24 

days for a design life of 30 days. On a straight-line reliability 

extrapolation, the 60-day mean mission duration would be 42 days. 

Experience in flight testing satellites has shown that early 

failures may be expected in which there are complete mission losses. 

An estimate for the unmanned DORIAN is that four of the first ten 

attempts would probably fail in this manner. Taking this factor 

into consideration and assessing the development difficulty, it was 

estimated that a 10-launch development test program would be 

required. 

The present configuration of the MOL includes a readout system 

in each flight vehicle. A readout capability could be developed for 

the wholly unmanned system and substituted for the recovery equipment in the Mission Support Module. Effort presently under way for 

possible application to GAMBIT CUBED will develop the technology and. 

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• 

basic components for such a readout system and will, within the next 

few months, demonstrate the capability, film to film, in ground . 

tests. This system will have the capability of reading out and reconstituting photography from the DORIAN with resolution degraded by 

about 15 percent. Some 80 frames per day could be read out to a 

single station from a circular orbit of the order of 150 n.mi. altitude. 

The readout version would represent an alternate OCV to be used 

in crisis situations or other circumstances requiring rapid response. 

In addition to development test flights for this payload, the follow 

on program must include flights to exercise the readout capability 

on a regular basis in order to assure that the capability will be 

operational when required. However, the costs of developing this 

alternate OCV for readout have not been included in the costs of the 

unmanned system. 

IV. ESTIMATED COST AND SCHEDULES 

Schedule 

The pacing item in this program (as in the MOL program) is the 

availability of the DORIAN optical subsystem and the Mission Module. • 

Therefore, a first flight date of December 1969 was assumed. This 

date is identical to the first flight with optics now planned for . 

the MOL program. Assuming a go-ahead in the near future, the balance 

of the program elements of a wholly unmanned system could be available 

to meet this flight date. 

Costs 

The costs for the Mission Module were obtained directly from 

the MOL SPO and the DORIAN sensor office. 

Costing ground rules were established to insure maximum interpretability and completeness of the OCV costs submitted by the 

contractors. Segregation of costs was required and twelve categories 

were specified for costing breakouts: 

1. Program Management 

2. System Engineering 

3. Module Design 

1. Flight Hardware by Subsystems 

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6. OV Test and Launch 

7. On-Orbit Requirements and Support 

8. Flight Evaluation 

9. Logistics and Spares 

10. Test Models 

11. Vehicle Integration 

12. Facility Contract Items 

Although a detailed system specification was not available, 

a detailed and precise performance requirement was developed to place 

specific requirements on each subsystem and the total OCV. These 

detailed requirements were developed during the first week of the 

study and were made a part of the contractual documents. 

Five full scale models were required with no refurbishment for. 

flight. The total OV system, including prime mission module and 

necessary spares, were to be qualified. 

Four sets of AGE were required: one at.the pad, two sets to, 

be used in-house, and one set of engineering AGE for prototype 

vehicle testing. It was assumed that there would be a single pad • 

at WTR and that the STC at Sunnyvale, California would accomplish 

on-orbit control. Two sets of major components, including GFP, were 

assumed as vehicle logistics spares. A flight evaluation report 

would be required five days after each R/V recovery and a summary 

report would be required 20 days after termination of flight. 

Assumptions were made that GFP subsystems would be functionally 

tested at the contractor's facility. If problems exist, the contractor will isolate the trouble to component level and defective 

components will be returned to the supplier with the subsystem made 

operational be replacement with a good unit. 

The estimates for launch vehicle cost were made with the best 

information from the Martin Company and other contractors and are 

consistent with the costs submitted for the plan for a new search 

and surveillance system. 

The costs for recovery equipment represent the cost for a 

contract to supply the recovery system GFE to the OCV contractor. 

The costs are consistent with current and projected experience on 

recovery vehicles. • 

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The estimated cost of SGLS equipment and AGE needed by the OCV 

contractor is based on contractor estimates and actual experience in 

other NRP programs. 

The support item includes funds for Aerospace Corporation 

support and for mission anticipated optimization based on experience 

and practice in present NRP programs. 

Table I summarizes the estimated costs of a wholly unmanned 

program for both a 30-day and a 60-day nominal mission. The development costs are the mean of estimates which varied from 95 percent to 

105 percent of the listed figure, based upon development uncertainties. 

It should be noted that the costs stated are for a ten-launch 

program; follow-on costs are predicated on a launch rate of four per 

year. 

The costs for development and flight of the alternative readout 

system discussed in Section III are not included in the cost tables. 

Cost for development readout hardware for two development flights and 

an operational ground -station- is-estimated at $94.0 million including 

savings for recovery vehicle hardware not required. Follow-on costs 

approximate an additive increment of $2.0 million per flight for the 

readout equipment only. In order to have this readout capability on 

call for crisis situations, it would be necessary to exercise it at 

least once and probably twice a year. This would result in a serious.: 

degradation in the normal. productivity of these surveillance missionsi 

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TABLE I 

PROGRAM SUMMARY 

(Cost in Millions) 

(Development based upon 10-launch program) 

Non-Recurring Recurring 

30-day 60-day 30-day 60-day 

Mission Module 311 311 221 221 

OCV 135 220 100 150 

Launch Vehicle 90 155 93 185 

SGLS 1 3 9 20 

Recovery Equipment 10 20 10 20 

Support 17 30 

Military Construction 31 31 

Subtotal 578 740 450 626 

Contingency 10% 58 74 45 63 

TOTAL 636 814 495 689 

TOTAL FOR 10-LAUNCH PROGRAM 

30-day 

Non-Recurring 636 

Recurring 495 

TOTAL 1,131 

Follow-On 

Per Unit 

30-day 60-day 

22.1 22.1 

7.7 10.0 

9.3 16.5 

.9 1.8 

.9 1.8 

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4.1 5.3 

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TAB B 

MOL PROGRAM COST SUMMARY 

The planned total RDT&E cost of MOL Phase II development is 

 $1,818.0 million. This figure is based upon the program schedule 

shown in Figure B-1 and the annual distribution of funds shown, 

by system segment, in Figure B-2. 

The cost figures shown were derived through a methodical and 

systematic procedure which was formally instituted in. January 1966, 

and which will continue through negotiation of Phase II contracts 

with all major associates. The cost estimating methodology employed 

has involved the generation of independent estimates concurrently 

with preliminary, contractor estimates, reiterations of these procedures, detailed evaluation of final contractor proposals where such 

proposals were available, and detailed reviews of cost estimates by 

independent groups of highly-qualified individuals. The result is 

 an estimate of MOL system costs which is believed to be realistic. 

MNIONEMMEN.11111, 

BYE21191/66-A 

It should be noted that the cost estimates shown in Figure 

 B-2 provide only for the basic program. There is no allowance for 

 system improvements beyond the primary optical reconnaissance mission. 

 While the desirability and potential of other possible military 

 applications of MOL, such as SIGINT and Ocean Surveillance, have been 

 recognized, the costs for such secondary objectives are not included 

 in the estimates shown. Neither are costs included for scientific 

 and technological orbital experimantation effort not related to the 

 primary mission for which MOL may be particularly suited. 

To provide a basis for cost comparisons, the following estimates 

 of recurring costs are shown. These costs assume a 5-year opera- 

 tional program with current baseline configuration at 4 and 6 flights 

 a year. 

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MOL Recurring Costs ($ Millions) 

Manned Mode ' Unmanned Mode 

4/year 6/year 4/year ear 

Lab Vehicle $25.3 $23.0 $22.0 $19.8 

Mission Module 24.0 22.8 22.1 20.8 

Gemini B 16.5 15.5 ' - 

Support Module - - 4.0 4.0 

Titan IIIM 17.0 15.6 17.0* 15.6* 

Crew & Equipment 0.5 0.4 

Test/Operations 1.0 1.0 0.5 0.5 

GSE/TD - 0.5 0.4 . 0.5 0.5.. 

TOTAL $84.8 $78.7 $66.1 $61.2 

*This cost is for the 7-segment Titan IIIM which provides 41 days .. 

mission design life. 
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TAB C 

BASELINE MOL n/ECTIVENESS FACTORS 

I. RELIABILITY, DEVELOPMENT RISK AND MISSION SUCCESS 

The Laboratory Module segment of the MOL is based on current 

state-of-the-art subsystems, which in large measure have been 

adapted from the Gemini and Apollo programs. The Mission Module segment, on the other hand, which contains the DORIAN high resolution 

optical sensor, represents a major advance in the state-of-the-art, 

 with an attendant high development risk. Additionally, MOL, in its 

 development configuration, is designed to function both in manned 

 and unmanned modes; hence, it is somewhat more complex than would be 

 the case if either mode were flown singly. Many new components and 

 subsystems must be developed, or adapted from existing designs to 

 provide for this dual capability. Important new developments. are: 

A. Image Motion Compensation (IMO across the Film Format 

B. Image Tracking (1//h) Sensor 

C. Tracking Mirror Drive Servo Subsystem 

D. Acquisition and Tracking Scopes 

E. Thermal Control Door and Louver Assembly 

F. Focus Sensor 

G. Automatic Optical Alignment System 

H. Low Drag Accelerometer 

I. DORIAN Optical Assembly 

J. Re-Entry Vehicle Launcher 

Adaptation from existing designs are required for: 

A. On-Board Computers 

B. Star Trackers 

C. Re-Entry Vehicle 

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D. Consoles, Displays and Associated Instrumentation 

E. Thermal Control System 

Because of these new engineering requirements, assurance that 

the vehicle functions reliably is a major factor in system design. 

In order to provide a basis for a reasonable projection of reliability 

values, a failure analysis of the current GAMBIT program was conducted. 

The types of failures encountered fell into two general categories. 

The first of these, about 75 percent of the total, consisted of 

failures attributable to design deficiencies, procedural errors, or 

faulty quality control, and hence were amenable to corrective action. 

The remaining 25 percent of failures fell into the second category, 

failures attributable to statistical or unknown causes. It is also of 

interest to note that all failures of the first category occurred in 

the first day on orbit, whereas the failures in the unknown category 

were distributed throughout mission duration. 

GAMBIT failure rates have been reduced in recent flight history , 

through a sophisticated and thorough ground testing program in which 

incipient failures were detected and corrected before actual flight. 

This testing is analogous in approach, though neither as extensive 

nor similar in motivation, to the "man-rating" process which NASA 

has employed to a high degree of success, and to which MOL will be 

subjected. 

With an intensive approach to ground testing, occurrence of 

failures of both categories can be reduced, but it is clear that 

failures of either type cannot be completely eliminated. The Mission 

Module, representing advanced state-of-the-art, can be expected to 

experience malfunctions at a higher rate than the Laboratory Module, 

for which phenomenology and technology are well in hand. 

However, the development configuration MOL is being designed 

to take the maximum advantage of the presence of man in the event 

of equipment failure. Equipment is being designed and installed 

wherever practicable to permit astronaut access for trouble shooting, 

adjustment, maintenance, repair, and replacement. The system is 

being designed to permit manual switching and override so that man 

can work around problems, choose alternate modes, or himself perform 

many of the functions for which the faulty equipment was intended. 

He can detect malfunctions, both incipient and actual, diagnose, and 

institute corrective measures. He can also work in coordination with 

ground based technical support. This team approach, as shown by 

aircraft experience, is a powerful technique for overcoming in-flight 

problems. The recent XB-70 experience in which a nose gear failed to 

lower is an excellent case in point. Repeated consultations between 

7;:T. "7.:•,, tr.. 71071 

• ..E.1 

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flight crew and ground supported by trouble shooting in flight, permitted the diagnosis of the trouble, 'and a corrective action to be 

devised to lower the nose gear. These factors are expected to be 

major contributions to the early success and maturity of the unmanned 

and manned configurations of MOL. 

Adoption of these design principles also makes it possible to 

continue a mission in the manned configuration despite cumulative 

equipment failures beyond man's capacity to repair. The normal mode 

.of MOL operation, either in the unmanned or manned mode, is essentially 

automatic. When man is present, automaticity is exploited by utilizing the crewmen in tasks such as selection of alternate targets of 

high intelligence value, selection of cloud-free alternate targets 

when primary targets are obscured, and rapid return of important 

photographs by wideband data link. In the event of the failure of 

automatically functioning devices during a mission, the crew can 

perform many of the necessary functions.manually and hence preserve 

the capability of the vehicle to continue to collect photographic 

intelligence. The following equipment can fail, cumulatively. with 

little or no degradation in mission performance beyond the basic:capability of the manual mode: 

A. Image Tracking (V/h) Sensor 

B. Image Motion Compensation (IMC) Across the Film Format 

C. Star Trackers 

D. Data Recovery Vehicle Launcher 

E. One SGLS Command and Tracking Data Link 

F. Two Fuel Cells 

G. One Cryogenic Tank 

H. Three Pairs of Attitude Control and Translation System 

Fuel Tanks 

I. Twenty-five percent of Attitude Stabilization System 

Thrusters 

J. Automatic Mode for Orbit Adjust 

K. One On-Board Computer 

L. One Acquisition and Tracking Scope 

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M. Laboratory Attitude Reference System 

N. Auxiliary Computer Memory Storage 

The resulting performance in the manual mode after failure of 

the above equipment is approximately equivalent to that of the 

automatic configuration with all of its equipment functioning, except 

that overall mission photographic resolution still remains somewhat 

better in the manned mode due to man's target centering capability. 

A most important outcome of the flexible development and test support 

functions possible when man is present in the vehiCle is that trouble 

shooting, adjustment, maintenance, repair and replacement, or actual 

manual performance of automated functions will be done on much of the 

equipment in the high development risk category. 

A numerical reliability analysis of the Mission Module alone 

in the automatic mode results in a mature reliability figure of .892, 

although it is somewhat less (.8 to .85) early in the flight program. 

This analysis is based on a random failure rate of one failure per 

ten million hours per Active Element Group (AEG), and estimating that 

the Mission Module contains the equivalent of 10,000 AEG's in serial, 

and 19,000 in redundancy. For reference purposes, GAMBIT has an 

equivalent AEG count of 6500, and GAMBIT CUBED is estimated at about 

10,000. Clearly the Mission Module is a very complex system element.. 

Reliability estimates were then computed for the MOL as a 

system, as presently configured to function in both manned and 

unmanned modes, and for a comparable wholly unmanned system, both 

using the same Mission Module. A comparison of the two approaches 

was then undertaken to determine the number of launches which would 

be required to complete development programs resulting in vehicle 

designs of approximately comparable performance and reliability. It 

was determined that for a wholly unmanned system, about ten development launches completely equipped with the high resolution - optical 

sensor would be necessary as compared with the current MOL Program 

which provides for seven development launches. Of these seven 

launches, two are preliminary validation launches not equipped with 

the optical sensor. The remaining five are equipped with the high 

resolution sensor, three in the manned automatic configuration and 

two in the unmanned automatic configuration. 

Based on these considerations, the current MOL development 

approach is considered the most effective in achieving early operationally useful intelligence collection of ground resolution 

both unmanned and manned, earlier, and with significantly decreased 

development risk than can be expected of a wholly unmanned development program. This is largely due to utilizing crewmen for 

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overcoming equipment malfunctions, for maintaining peak sensor performance, and also as on-orbit development and test engineers during 

early program phases. The automatic configuration of MOL benefits 

greatly from this development technique. 

II. QUANTITY, QUALITY AND TIMELINESS OF INTELLIGENCE RETURN 

A. Present Target Programming Operations 

In order to provide a baseline for the discussion of the 

intelligence collection and enhancement techniques realizable with 

the MOL DORIAN high resolution optical sensor, it would be useful to 

review the target programming techniques in current use for a typical 

reconnaissance system such as GAMBIT. 

The orbit for each GAMBIT mission is normally chosen to 

optimize accessibility of high priority targets selected for that 

mission, within the bounds of booster and orbital vehicle performance, 

and consistent with recovery requirements. This complex problem is 

subjected to computer analysis approximately fifteen days prior to 

flight, and results in a defined orbit and the corresponding required 

launch parameters. Launch injection errors may result in a slightly 

different orbit than planned, requiring that adjustments in target 

programming be made during the mission. Additionally, the spacecraft 

orbit may also be adjusted to return the vehicle to its planned nominal 

ground track. 

The spacecraft orbit parameters, and the complete mission 

target deck are combined in a computer run which prints out predicted 

ground traces over the target areas of interest. This printout 

locates and identifies all targets accessible along the ground track, 

and specifies the optimum sequential series of photographic operations 

based upon system limitations, orbital considerations, target priorities, 

and photographic mode (mono or stereo) requirements. These computer 

results are modified manually for weather considerations, for conservation of expendables and last minute intelligence requirement changes. 

Prior to launch, the mission target program is transmitted to the 

Satellite Test Center at Sunnyvale, California to be translated into 

vehicle commands for camera pointing data and camera on and off times. 

Commands sufficient for about one day of on-orbit operation are 

stored in the vehicle programmer prior to launch. After the launch, 

and throughout the mission, continuously up-dated target programs 

are computed, and new commands are transmitted to the vehicle while 

it is in orbit. In this way, necessary changes in target operations 

can be accommodated to account for orbit anomalies, last minute 

intelligence requirements, and forecast weather conditions in the 

target areas. The time required from the initiation of a desired 

change in the target program until new commands can be transmitted 

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When the supply of spacecraft expendables (gas for stabilization and control, electrical power, and film) is limited, and when 

forecasted weather in the target area indicates that the probability 

of successful photography is low, operations against low priority 

targets are generally discontinued until conditions improve. If, 

however, the probability that low priority targets will be cloud 

covered accumulates to about 70 percent, photographic attempts 

against these targets are normally suspended altogether.- However, 

.high priority targets are normally maintained in the target program 

without regard to forecasted weather. 

B. DORIAN Optical System 

The DORIAN high resolution optical system represents a 

major advance, not only in photographic art, but also in optical 

science. The size of this sensor, which requires a mission module 

35 feet long and 10 feet in diameter to contain it, is difficult to 

visualize. The prime optical elements themselves stand taller than 

most men (they are six feet in diameter). Few astronomical telescopes 

approach this size, and even fewer, including the 200-inch Hale 

telescope on Mt. Palomar, can match DORIAN optical quality. 

An optical system the size of the DORIAN sensor is essential 

to the achievement of ground resolution from an orbit 

altitude of 80 nautical miles. With this size, and with high resolution, the optical field of view, hence the area on the ground 

observed by the sensor, becomes very limited. 

The GAMBIT and GAMBIT CUBED systems utilize strip cameras, 

in which film is pulled past a slit in the focal plane in synchronism 

with the satellite's apparent motion over the terrain. Strips of 

film are typically exposed for about five seconds, which represents 

about 21 miles along the satellite path over the earth. The DORIAN 

camera, on the other hand, is a frame camera, that is the film remains 

motionless while the scene is tracked and entire frame of film is 

exposed at the same time. The DORIAN format is round, whereas both 

GAMBIT and GAMBIT CUBED are rectangular: 

Camera Field 

of View 

Nadir Frame 

Width 

Frame Width at Included Area 

Maximum Oblique per Frame 

GAMBIT 6.4° 8.95 n.mi. 17.94 n.mi. 188 sq.mi. 

GAMBIT3 3.2° 4.45 n.mi. 8.95 n.mi. 93.5 sq.mi. 

DORIAN 1.1° 1.54 n.mi. 2.38 n.mi. 1.88 sq.mi. 

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It is immediately obvious that a great premium is placed on 

the accuracy of target location, and the precision to which the DORIAN 

optics can be pointed so that the target will fall in the camera field 

of view. At nadir, a 12,000 foot airfield runway cannot be contained 

in the DORIAN field of view; hence, we must now specify which end of 

the runway we wish to photograph. Two major effects arise from these 

circumstances; one, locations which represent one GAMBIT or GAMBIT 

CUBED target area (which in itself could contain several specific 

targets) will not represent several DORIAN sized targets; and two, 

careful target selection becomes of paramount importance because photographs of all targets which are closely clustered cannot be taken on 

a single active pass. Every effort must be made under these conditions 

to insure that each photograph is of the highest intelligence value. 

C. Selection of Active and Mobile Targets 

A useful operational technique, that of inspecting targets 

for indications or activities of a transient nature that would yield 

photography of especially high intelligence value, can be employed 

with the manned MOL vehicle configuration. 

To assess the value of this technique an analysis was conducted which: 

a. evaluated the effect of the limited DORIAN field of 

view when superimposed on actual GAMBIT photography on the size, 

number, and character of MOL targets; 

b. determined whether certain activities or conditions 

might exist for periods of hours or a few days during which the value 

of technical intelligence would be particularly high; and, 

c. determined whether indicators would be present which:, 

the crewmen could detect by examination through the acquisition and 

tracking scope. 

The extremely high resolution of the DORIAN sensor and 

its limited field of view are of overriding importance in the assessment of its coverage. This becomes evident from a sample of 140 

frames of GAMBIT photography in which 700 DORIAN sized targets were 

found. Some of these targets were larger than the available field of, 

view and hence would actually become two or more targets. This 

proliferation of targets renders target selection for DORIAN of particular importance. As a first step, indicators of transitory 

conditions of special intelligence value that crewmen might easily 

detect were defined. Utilizing the 140 frames of GAMBIT photography 

with its 700 DORIAN sized targets: 

a. The fraction of the targets which had potential 

for active indicators of conditions of special intelligence value was 

estimated; and, 

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b. Of those, the fraction that would have active 

indicators present at any given time was determined. 

Transient Activity Indicator Probabilities 

Target Categories 

Possibility of 

Occurrence 

Likelihood of 

Occurrence 

Missile Development & Test 99% 7% 

Ground Forces 35 11 

Airfields 75 18 

Radar/Communications Deployment 35 4 

Industry 5 2 

Missile Production & Logistics 65 1 

Nuclear Weapons 85 5 

BW/CW 85 5 

, Nuclear Materials 5 3 

Aircraft Production 75 24 

Naval Activity 65 9 

Radar/Communications 100 25 

Major & R&D 

AVERAGE 70% 6% 

The fraction of targets for which active indicators can 

be defined is relatively large while the incidence of indicators is 

low. 

Because of its importance in yielding early technical intelligence data on the USSR missile and space programs, Tyuratam has been 

studied in some detail. In addition to its specific importance, 

Tyuratam is also a typical example of other high target density 

complexes such as Sary-Shagan and Kapustin Yar which contain large 

numbers of high priority, active targets. More than 60 targets can 

be identified currently at Tyuratam and the number is increasing 

steadily. Five GAMBIT frames laid down with care will cover the 

entire Tyuratam complex. Forty DORIAN fields of view have been 

defined, with specific locations, which would generally return the 

same "target take" as the five GAMBIT frames. With 'four over-flights 

per mission and two stereo pairs per over-flight, on the average, 

one DORIAN system flight will be about equivalent to one GAMBIT system 

flight in terms of the "target take" at Tyuratam. 

An analysis was made of Tyuratam photographs of pads and 

silos: 159 pad photographs yielded 9 percent with missiles on the 

pad; 77 silo photographs yielded 21 percent with doors open. These 

are much higher incidences than would be expected from operational 

systems, which further emphasizes the importance of obtaining data in 

the early development phases. 

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The unmanned MOL configuration would require times from 

months to years to develop a high probability of catching a particular missile on a pad depending upon the priority structure given to 

the forty fields of view required to cover the complex. 

However, crewmen aboard the manned configuration can 

examine targets for active indicators through their acquisition and 

tracking scopes, and can begin to yield a gain in the return of photographs of high intelligence value. An estimate of typical resolutions 

needed by the crewmen to detect active indicators was carried out 

with the following result: 

Decision 

Photo Target Indicators Resolution 

Missile Sites Missiles Exposed 10 Ft. 

(Completed) Erection/Loading Equipment Exposed 10 

Vehicular Activity 10 

GSE Exposed 5 

Silo Door Open 5- 

Special Vehicles 3 

Snow Removal 10, 

Airfields New Aircraft 

Unusually Configured Aircraft 

Aircraft in Unusual Locations 

Disassembled Aircraft 

Aircraft/Ground Equipment in 

Weapons Loading Areas 

Aircraft Subsystems Exposed 

Aircraft in Maintenance Docks 

Vehicle/Truck Activity around 

Aircraft 

15 

5 

15 

5 

10 

3 

10 

5 

Ground Forces, 

Major Installations 

Vehicles Present 

Vehicle Types 

Motor Pool Maintenance Activity 

The question of the practicality of this mode of operation 

hinges upon two points: 

a. with what resolution can the crewman examine the 

target; and, 

b. how long can he examine the target before a decision 

is required. 

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It appears that a reasonable design for the tracking scope 

will permit the following range of operation: 

Ground Resolution 

3- 4 feet 

30 - 40 feet 

Field of View 

10 

100 

With the particular time constants of the MOL/DORIAN system, 

the crewman will have 10 seconds to examine and judge for the presence 

of indicators (starting the examination with the target at 36° ahead 

of the vehicle and ending at 11° ahead). If the judgment is affirmative, a 15° stereo pair can be obtained looking aft at -5° and -20°. 

If a larger aft angle is acceptable the examination time can be 

correspondingly longer. 

The specific concept of the "examination for active indicators mode," is to program the primary optics as though the MOL vehicle 

were unmanned. In addition, the two acquisition and tracking scopes 

will be programmed automatically to acquire and track two targets in 

the immediate vicinity of the target programmed for the primary optics 

(specifically, the three targets will be chosen to establish to the 

most efficient roll angle between them, thus optimizing the time to 

slew the primary mirror from one to the other). At any instant that 

a crewman makes a judgment that active indicators are present (and 

the weather is good), he interdicts the automatic program, the primary 

mirror slews to the position of the acquisition scope mirror, and a 

stereo pair is obtained. At the end of the sequence, the primary 

optics returns to the next pre-programmed target. 

Several key points emerged from the analysis: 

a. Because of the low incidence of active indicators 

and hence infrequent interdiction of the automatic program, acquisition of pre-programmed targets is affected only slightly. 

b. The reduction in cloud-free photographs returned in 

the automatic mode because of crew interdictions is offset by the 

added number of cloud-free photographs of special intelligence value, 

even if the enhanced value of the special photographs is not taken 

into account. 

c. The ratio of cloud-free photographs of special 

intelligence value returned with crew participation is about three 

times that without crew participation. This ratio is probably 

conservative since it does not account for: (1) examining more 

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than one target in the 10 second period in high target density areas 

and with possible slow panning by the crew to cover large targets 

like airfields and harbors; and, (2) possible increases due to crewman examination and judgment of weather factors. 

A digital data readout system in the MOL baseline system 

is capable of reading out 15 stereo pairs (1" x 1") to the ground 

per day. Thus the crewmen can select the target area from a frame, 

and transmit to the ground all cloud-free special photographs which 

they have acquired. The remaining capability can be used to transmit 

photographs of high priority targets taken in the pre-programmed, 

automatic mode. 

Turning again to the previous example of Tyuratam, the 

number of special photographs collected would be expected to increase 

by a factor exceeding three over an unmanned automatic mode. There 

are several reasons why the increased ratio should be realized: 

a. The targets tend to be clustered so that several 

may be examined in a single field of view or with a slight amount of 

panning. 

b. Examining launch pads for the presence of missiles, 

might well be done at 10 to 20 foot resolution, thus tripling or 

quadrupling the field of view examined by the crewmen as compared to 

the main optics. 

c. The targets at Tyuratam have very little background 

clutter and the crewmen will become extremely familiar with them 

through repeated training and examination. Thus, it is expected that 

the time to examine a target will be much less than the allotted 10 

seconds. 

In general, the MOL system with crew participation can be 

expected to return two to four times more special photographs from 

Tyuratam than the current return with the GAMBIT system (with the 

MOL system flying half as many flights). 

A special category of active targets deserves particular 

attention. These targets are not only transitory, but they are also 

mobile. Examples are: (a) an experimental aircraft which may operate 

from a known airfield, but its location on the airfield is not known; 

(b) a missile or space booster being transported on an access road in 

the vicinity of a target launch pad; (c) tanks, mobile missile launches 

or similar materiel in a field or a general research and development . 

area; (d) trains on sidings. The specific location of these targets 

cannot be predicted with surety, but a search in the vicinity of the 

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main optics field of view can surface these targets. The man can 

then make a vernier centering adjustment to bring the special target 

into the primary field of view. 

Although this analysis and the results of ground simulations 

using GAMBIT photography are very promising, they cannot be regarded 

as totally valid quantitative indicators of orbital manned performance. 

In particular, the effects of the atmosphere, haze and scintillation 

in direct viewing by the human eye is quite different than when seen 

on film. Conversely, color often provides cues not evident in black 

and white photography. Further exploration of this function from very 

high-flying aircraft will provide additional data which may validate 

the efficacy of the unaided human eye or indicate the need to introduce some contrast enhancing transfer medium to give the same effect 

as film. 

D. Selection of Cloud-Free Targets 

A function which is compatible with the selection of active 

and mobile targets is the observation of weather conditions and the 

identification of targets which are judged to be in the clear. The 

Soviet weather averages only about 50 percent cloud-free, so that 

generally one-half of the target attempts will be unsuccessful unless 

a selection method is employed. 

In the MOL, the spotting scopes are continuously directed 

automatically toward programmed targets. Employing the scopes, the 

operators will have a device against which to exercise the weather 

option along with inspection for indicators of activity. 

In order to examine whether the weather patterns will 

permit such activity, the results of an extensive analysis were 

obtained, based upon the inspection by the Government Weather Center 

of 152,000 frames of KH-4. photography. In addition, the photography 

from more than 3,000 KH-7 camera operations was reviewed for the 

purpose of correlation. A model of the weather conditions was then 

drawn which established the probability of finding an alternate 

target in the clear when the primary was obscured. When applied to 

a simulated DORIAN mission, these studies showed that a substantial 

improvement of about 20 percent in the production of clear photographs 

could be made by cloud-free selection methods. 

III. ALTERNATE MISSION POTENTIALS OF HIGH INTELLIGENCE VALUE 

A. 

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B. Crisis Surveillance and Tactical Targets 

The MOL can, in times of crisis, be boosted from its 80-mile 

orbit to orbits of 200 to 250 miles. The advantage of the higher 

orbits is that they permit access to all targets in the Sino-Soviet 

land mass once every two to three days or so depending upon the actual 

altitudes and orbital ellipticity selected. Altitude changes are 

accomplished by using fuel normally utilized to sustain the MOL in its 

usual orbit. When the orbit perigee is raised, fuel expenditure for 

orbit sustenance is sharply decreased, and duration on orbit can 

remain unchanged at the normal 30 days. The maximum circular orbit 

altitude which can be attained with available fuel is about 260 

• nautical miles, although the Gemini B sets a practical limit of about 

240 miles. Above this altitude, insufficient thrust is available 

from the retro-rockets (on the presumption that only five of the six 

rockets provided function properly) to de-boost the Gemini for re-entry. 

Eliptical orbits can also be selected, rotating the line of apsides, 

for example, so that apogee occurs over the area of interest. Orbital 

limits in this case are set by permissible Gemini re-entry angles, 

and, at the higher average altitudes, the Gemini de-boost capability. 

The following shows the circular orbit altitudes to which MOL can be 

boosted according to when the change is initiated from a typical normal 

orbit (80 n.mi. perigee, 180 n.mi. apogee, inclination 80°) and the 

total mission life in days. In all cases, re-entry is initiated after 

30 days in the higher orbit. 

*New Circular Orbit Change Initiated on: 

Orbit Altitude 1st Day 7th Day 14th Day 21st Day 

150 n.mi. 30 30 30 30 

180 n.mi. 30 30 30 30 

200 n.mi. 30 30 30 30 at 

190 n.mi. 

250 n.mi. 30** 30 at 30 at 30 at 

210 n.mi. 200 n.mi. 190 n.mi. 

*NOTE: 213-6 n.mi. repeats every 2 days, 240.5 n.mi. every 3 days. 

**Marginal. Exceeds Gemini de-boost limit. 
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The field of view of the DORIAN sensor in terms of area of 

terrain observed is increased, and its resolution decreased at higher 

altitudes. For crisis purposes, the advantage is the larger area 

covered per pass rather than the area per frame. 

Orbit Altitude over 

Area of Interest 

Nominal 

Resolution 

Area Observed 

at Nadir 

1.88 sq miles 

6.56 sq miles 

11.65 sq miles 

18.25 sq miles 

80 

150 

200 

250 

In addition to the prime optical sensor, which can be 

utilized simultaneously in both photographic and visual modes, both 

of the acquisition and tracking scopes can be programmed to different 

suspect areas on the ground, multiplying the opportunity for the 

observation of activities of interest. Although acquisition and 

tracking scope resolution will fall off to about 9 feet at 250 n.mi., 

the field of view is large compared with the DORIAN sensor, and some 

categories of activity can be readily distinguished visually, such 

as: 

a. Gross estimate of large objects, such as aircraft, 

ships in port, tanks in park. 

b. Verification of the absence or presence of aircraft 

on airfields, ships in port, cargo in port, army vehicles in camp. 

c. Estimate of whether railroad yards are empty or 

full, and if full, general class of rolling stock present. 

Hence, operated in this mode, advantage of man's flexibility and adaptability is turned to the return of urgently needed 

intelligence data on a daily basis. 

C. Visual Reconnaissance 

Apart from the support which visual observation affords the 

primary photographic mission in t erms of weather avoidance, active 

and mobile target selection, and to the crisis surveillance mode in 

terms of verifying order of battle, and confirming presence or absence 

of major activity, visual reconnaissance remains a latent potential. 

It is possible that a critical examination of important targets, 

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during the high resolution photography sequence, can provide supple 

mentary information of major value. Targets can be inspected by the 

crewmen from a continuously changing aspect. They can do simple 

-counting by class of object, discriminate detail by color, classify 

activity, and detect and classify movement. The value of visual 

reconnaissance from space is difficult to assess at this point in 

time, but an assessment will result as a byproduct of other MOL 

program activities. 

D. Observation and Mapping of Mars 

It is expected that interest in the planet Mars will be 

heightened in the 1970 time period as the national space program 

looks beyond Apollo. In support of this interest, the DORIAN sensor, 

with no change in its configuration, offers a capability to examine 

and map the entire surface of Mars at about 50 n.mi. resolution. 

This is considerably better than present ground based systems (300 

n.mi.) which are handicapped by the turbidity of the earth's atmosphere. 

At present, the DORIAN sensor appears to be the largest instrument 

capable of astronomical observation which will be in orbit during the 

time of interest. 

Astronomical and planetary observations in addition to Mars 

can also be conducted. However, the current DORIAN pointing and 

tracking system is not configured to support the long exposure times 

needed for photography of distant objects. This aspect is treated in 

more detail in TAB D. 

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TAB D 

ADDITIONAL CAPABILITIES OF THE MOL SYSTEM 

I. INTRODUCTION 

MOL system capabilities can be treated in four different 

categories: 

1. Basic MOL/DORIAN system capabilities for additional 

missions without changing or adding to basic equipment. 

2. Basic MOL/DORIAN system capabilities for mission 

enhancement with minor equipment additions or changes. 

3. Basic MOL vehicle capabilities for other than high 

 resolution optical reconnaissance missions. 

4. Growth potential capabilities toward higher optical 

resolution, and increased effectiveness. 

The category stage of the use of MOL has been treated in TAB 

C. This tab summarizes the latter categories stages of MOL capabilities which can be achieved with varying degrees of modification 

of the present MOL baseline system. 

 II. BASELINE SYSTEM WITH DORIAN PAYLOAD AND MINOR EQUIPMENT 

ADDITIONS 

A. Improving the Current System 

Improvements to the MOL/DORIAN system as now configured 

 will continue as a normal consequence of the growth of technology. 

 Effort both in the application of technology, and in studies is now 

 being expended to this end. 

However, there is also existing technology which has developed ts-, the point that serious consideration must be given to is 

application to MOL. Of major current interest is the proprietary 

ceramic-vitreous material CER-VIT manufactured by the Owens-Illinois 

Glass Company. This material has a very low thermal coefficient of 

 expansion (0.05 x 10-0 in/in/°F). Used in place of fused silica for 

the primary asphere and tracking mirrors in the DORIAN optical 

system, it would permit a reduction of about 700 pounds in basic 

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vehicle weight, as much sensor thermal control equipment could be 

dispensed with CER-VIT polishes as well or better than fused silica 

and, unlike fused silica, can be cast into desired configurations. 

Hence its manufacture is considerably cheaper than fused silica. 

B. Electromagnetic Pointing System 

Activities are presently underway to define and evaluate 

a small, lightweight auxiliary electronic sensor system to enhance 

the system effectiveness of the primary optical sensor. The Electromagnetic Pointing System will be capable of identifying and locating 

emitters, and pointing the primary optics with sufficient accuracy 

to assure that the target emitters will be contained within the 

optical field of view 

Overall system weight including antennas will be less than 300 pounds, 

peak power less than 250 watts, and total volume less than 5 cubic 

feet. 

The primary employment of the Electromagnetic Pointing 

System (EPS) will be to furnish information to the operator which 

will increase mission effectiveness by giving him options of: 

1. Observing that pre-programmed photography is 

possible and appropriate in terms of the electromagnetic environment 

when this is an element of the target characteristics. 

2. Determining that a pre-programmed alternate 

target is more appropriate. 

3. Determining that a non-preprogrammed "possible" 

target is more appropriate. 

In the latter two cases this action will be "appropriate" either 

because of the transitory nature of the target or the necessity for 

real-time photo and electromagnetic intercept of a target emitter. 

The design of the EPS will be such that its inclusion with 

the primary photo sensor will neither degrade its operation nor 

result in a lower reliability for the system. There will be no 

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and the EPS. Coordination of the pointing functions of the two 

sensors, if any, would only be initiated upon manual command of the 

operator. 

C. Ship Detection 

In-house studies have defined a radar system with modest 

capabilities, power and orbit sustenance requirements which would be 

suitable used for detection of ships on the high seas. The system 

would cover a swath 100 miles wide and detect ships of the size of 

trawlers. Its weight is estimated at 400 pounds. It can enhance 

the intelligence value of the MOL mission by detecting moving targets, 

such as ships, which cannot be accurately programmed into:the MOL 

target deck. It would be used in specified limited areas to alert 

the MOL crew to obtain high resolution photographs of ships. 

D. Astronomy 

The DORIAN optical sensor is capable of being used as a 

precise astronomical instrument. It can be employed for some 

planetary and near stellar photography without change. However, as 

the baseline configuration is designed with attitude stabilization 

tolerances and refractive optical system components best suited to 

high resolution photography of the earth's surface, its baseline 

capability is confined to the visual spectrum, and to those objects 

sufficiently bright to permit use of short exposure times. 

Application of current state-of-the-art stabilization and 

pointing techniques would permit the sensor to resolve distant stellar 

objects to 0.1 seconds of arc, an order of magnitude improvement over 

current observations from the earth's surface which suffer from 

atmospheric limitations. The limiting visual magnitude of the DORIAN 

sensor is about 26, with a 20 minute exposure on high resolution film. 

The refractive optical elements in the baseline Ross 

corrector can be replaced by fused silica to permit access to a wider 

spectral range. The basic sensor design could also be slightly 

alterea by replacing the Ross corrector with first surface reflecting 

elements to permit access to an even wider spectral range. These 

altered configurations would permit observation of ultra-violet 

sources which are denied to sensors on the earth's surface due to 

the filtering action of components of the earth's atmosphere. This 

latter configuration of the basic sensor is also capable of high 

quality spectrophotography. 

III. BASELINE MOL WITH OTHER PAYLOADS 

MOL, in addition to performing optical reconnaissance has a 

potential for fulfilling other mission capabilities. At present Ocean' 

Surveillance and SIGINT missions are being studied by the Navy. 

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COMENT 

A. Ocean Surveillance 

The objective of the MOL Ocean Surveillance studies under 

way is to define an experimental program for testing satellite 

sensors and sensor usage concepts, needed to obtain information for 

the design of an operational ocean surveillance satellite system. 

The following types of sensors are being considered: 

1. High-Resolution Synthetic Aperture Side Looking 

Radar 

2. Conventional Search and Detection Radar 

3. Photo-Optical Equipment 

L. Passive Electronic Signal Intercept Equipment 

The necessary level of detail which ocean surveillance 

satellites must collect relative to detected targets has not as yet 

been established. It is possible that with improved and properly 

integrated ground systems, satellites need only supply accurate 

location information for detected targets. On the other hand, it 

may be necessary for the satellite to classify every target as to 

type and identify specifically some percentage of targets in the 

open ocean. In addition it may be necessary to frequently observe 

conditions in selected ports and harbors throughout the world. 

The Ocean Surveillance configurations under consideration 

are designed to operate in at least four modes, according to the 

amount of information to be obtained on various test runs. The role 

of man in the various modes will range from no participation to 

complete integration in a man-machine combination. The 'four modes 

in order of increasing data transmission requirements are: 

1. Target detection and location only. Fully automatic 

operation, with all data transmitted to ground. 

2. Fully integrated man-machine operation, with the 

astronauts performing image interpretation and data analysis aboard 

the satellite. 

3. Semi-automatic operation of full array of sensors, 

with man intervening for functions such as selection of targets for 

high resolution sensors, and selection and cropping of imagery for 

transmission to the ground. Image interpretation to be performed on 

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4. Target detection and location, plus heading and 

speed determination (if feasible) and collection of high resolution 

imagery. Fully automatic operation, with all data to be transmitted 

to ground. 

B. SIGINT 

SIGINT Studies are currently underway aimed at determining 

the feasibility of obtaining intelligible data 

Other types of sophisticated Soviet electronic systems under 

development could yield valuable technical intelligence if intercepted. 

At the conclusion of these studies it is proposed to configure a SIGINT system which would incorporate the SIGINT missions 

considered most urgent and which can be done effectively by a manned 

system. The majority of the manned tasks which have been identified 

by current studies fall largely in the area of COMINT collection 

C. Multi-Purpose Laboratory 

In addition to its other capabilities, MOL has the potential 

for providing a unique laboratory environment for the execution of 

specific experiments. These experiments can support the objectives of 

both NASA and the DOD. The MOL has 1,000 feet of pressurized volume, 

and can provide up to 3,000 feet of unpressurized experimental equipment into polar orbit on 30-day missions with a crew of two. 

The experiments considered of interest to the Department of 

Defense can be grouped into the following three categories: 

1. Those having potential for improving the ground 

resolution capability of the primary mission sensor. 

2. Those which demonstrate and test concepts and 

components necessary for advancement and growth of the primary mission 

capability. 

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3. Those which explore future potentials or contribute 

to development of equipment for other military space systems, either 

manned or unmanned. 

Examples of these various categories of experiments which 

might be conducted with the MOL for the Department of Defense are 

listed below: 

Knowledge is needed on the performance of large mirrors on 

orbit. The alignment, erection, pointing and tracking, focusing, 

figure control and the behavior of materials such as beryllium, 

CER-VIT, fused silica, pyroceram are all essential to improving 

ground resolution capability of the primary sensor. 

To establish our potential for new manned military missions, 

experiments must be conducted in the area of communications 

and the erection and maintenance of associated 

antennas. Experiments to establish countermeasures against hostile 

attack of the MOL are needed. Experiments to improve techniques for 

nuclear detection and arms control are also essential. 

IV. MOL GROWTH POTENTIAL 

The MOL system is well suited to grow beyond its present 

development program status toward greater operational utility. It 

can grow in two ways which are mutually supporting. The optical 

sensor can be increased in size 

Because of the 

necessary weight growth of such a large optical system and the natural 

conclusion that orbital life longer than 30 days is more cost effective, 

the system will grow in size. The consequence of this size, weight 

and life growth is that a bigger booster is required or the rendezvous 

approach be employed. The large optical sensor and rendezvous are 

discussed in greater detail below: 

A. Large Optical Sensors 

Studies indicate that primary and tracking mirrors up to 

about in diameter are feasible under existing technology. 

Larger size optics will probably require new construction methods pri 

marily due to problems of structural rigidity, test and handling 

problems in the earth's gravitation environment. Ground resolution 

improves with increasing mirror diameters of up to about 

where vehicle vibration, atmospheric turbulence, reduced field of view,. 

weight and other such system factors assume much greater significance. 

The present state of technology should permit the acquisition of optical. 

systems capable of photographic ground resolution. 

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The capability to achieve ground resolution can 

develop readily from the MOL baseline program. The development risk 

will be inherently high but minimized by the presence of man. The 

need for the man in system operation will be definitely higher than 

for the present DORIAN system. The fabrication difficulties, 

complexity and costs may well dictate a rendezvous approach to minimize the number of sensors required. 

B. Long Duration and Rendezvous 

For satellite missions involving complex, heavy, or costly 

payloads, cost effectiveness is generally improved by increasing the 

orbital lifetime. The lifetime of a satellite is limited primarily 

by the quantity of expendable supplies such as fuel for power and 

'propulsion, film, gas, etc., that can be injected into orbit with the 

selected booster. For a manned satellite, expendables such as food, 

water, and atmosphere and adverse physiological effects such as yet 

unknown effects of zero gravity and accumulated radiation dosage 

further limit the lifetime. In either the manned or unmanned case, 

equipment reliability is also a limiting factor, although in the 

manned case the test, maintenance and repair capability reduces the 

probability of mission failure. Essentially then, longer life 

missions are obtained by larger boosters, increased equipment meantime-to-failure, and rendezvous. 

At present rendezvous is conceived of as applicable only 

in the manned case. The operations of docking, transferring expendables, etc., appear too complex to be accomplished completely 

automatically. Orbital rendezvous is advantageous for long life 

missions requiring resupply of expendables, crew replacement or 

rescue, and assembly of large, heavy objects. The cost effectiveness 

trade-off of increasing booster size versus resupply for satellite 

missions varies with the value of the payload remaining in orbit and 

the mission lifetime. 

It has been determined that the expendables section of the 

automatic mode configuration of the baseline MOL can be sized so as 

to evolve into a follow-on configuration with minimum modifications. 

The automatic mode vehicle would be launched as the first vehicle in 

a rendezvous program. The resupply vehicle would consist of the same 

expendables section mounted as a trailer to the Gemini B. Early in 

the program, a vehicle could be maintained on orbit continuously with 

3 and 5 launches of the mission and resupply vehicles, respectively. 

The payload capability of the rendezvous and resupply 

vehicle on the T-III 7-segment booster would permit launch of the, 

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resolution sensor. In addition to providing improved performance and economics, the rendezvous system has the following 

attributes: 

1. Simple evolution from baseline program. 

sensor. 

2. Minimum development risk for resolution 

3. Continuous, on-call, operational capability. 

4. Maximum acquisition rate and readout of special 

intelligence photographs. 

5. Minimum recycle time (as low as one day) to 

photograph specific targets. 

6. Continuous, on-call, multi-mission sensor capabilities. 

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