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DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE 

WASHINGTON, D.C 

llllllllllllllllllllllllllil\11111111111111111111111111111 14000"'304!D 

ATTN o, AFRDS 

24 NOV 1969 

Data Relay Satellite Support to the NRO 

SAFSS (General Allen) 

1, Reference is made to your 25 September 19Q9 memorandum 

to me, subject as above. 

2. In response to referenced memorandum on 10 October 1969J 

SAMSO submitted an abridged management plan for Air Force 

development of a Data Relay Satellite (DRS) in support of the 

NRO. Since that time there has been considerable discussion 

among participating agencies, and a memorandum from SAFRD to 

SAFUS, attempting to.arrive at a management concept mutually 

agreeable to t'he Air,,.-Force and the NRO. It is apparent to me 

that there is still one fundamental area of disagreement 

regarding the conduct of the DRS development and it basically 

pertains to the authority for specific management procedures 

on the program, The Aitr Force recognizes the importance of 

the DRS development to the overall NRO Readout Technology 

program and the considerable technological challenge involved 

in meeting the NRO requirements within the specified time 

schedule. We.i.re anxious to accept the challenge and are 

confident that the program will provide significant benefit 

to other Air Force space programs, We do believe, however, 

that we must be allowed to implement the specific procedures 

that are most adaptable to the normal Air Force way of doing 

business. It is intended that this program be conducted and 

justified on the basis of a "white" development with the 

knowledge of NRO involvement restricted to an absolute minimum. 

2. The Air Force does llOt intend, lll any manner, to impeas· 

NRO visibility into the progr::.m nor restrict NRO technical 

direction of the DRS inter Iac-.~, but we cannot accept the 

concept of a SAMSO SPO established as a separate entity which 

is responsible only to the NRO, If Yl are c~nvinced that 

such an arrangement is required to ir. ·e meeting the technical 

requirement.:: ·,od schedule of the NRO .. iss ion tel lite, I 

would urge t the DRS program be placed m. SAFSP which is 

structured • that t· ,. of management arrari;c:rnent. 

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I UI' JLLI (t I 

4, If it is decided to develop a DRS capability for the 

NRO within the Air Force I I and a "white" program 

is acceptable to the NRO, a management procedure is attached 

which we would propose to implement, The plan would provide 

general guidance to the SPO pending preparation by SAMSO of 

a more detailed plan. We assume that you would also provide 

the Air Force with written direction regarding the Byeman 

aspects of the program, Specific procedures contained in 

the attached plan are, of course, negotiable. In the area 

of "black" security, we look solely to the NRO for guidance 

and direction. 

WALTER R, HEDRICK, JR. 

Brigadier General, USAF 

Director of Space 

OCS/Research & Development 

2 

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TOP SECRET 

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