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DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

WASHINGTON, D, C. 20330 

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0011411.11W_ 

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY 

6 MAR 1967 

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE 

SUBJECT: Manned. Orbiting Laboratory Monthly Status 

Report 

The attached Status Report on the Manned Orbiting 

Laboratory (MOL) Program covers activities through 

February 28, 1967 and is submitted in accordance with 

the February 13, 1967 memorandum from the Office of 

the Secretary. 

i

sk JAMES ..ERGUSON 

General, USAF 

Director, MOL Program 

1 Atch 

a/s 

DORIAN 

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PROBLEM 

A. MOL Schedule Adjustment 

Government and contractor executive management on 

the MOL Program met in Los Angeles on February 15, 1967 

to examine contractors' cost and schedule data with the 

objective of defining a revised baseline program which 

would correspond to anticipated government funding levels 

for FY 68 and FY 69. The severity of the problem facing 

the MOL Program results from the large disparity between 

the approved FY 68 budget of $430.0 million and the 

contractors' FY 68 estimated requirements of $811.0 

million. Because of this disparity between funds 

availability and early year requirements, it is evident 

that the negotiated MOL contracts, which are essentially 

processed up to the point of government signature, will 

now have to be renegotiated to a new baseline schedule 

which can be supported with available fiscal year funds. 

Schedule slips of nine and twelve months are being 

examined as an initial effort toward reducing the FY 68 

funding impact. The funding disparity in the early 

fiscal years is further compounded by our inability to 

obtain DX industrial priority for the program and the 

requirement to fund part or all of the contractors on 

a commitment, rather than on an expenditure, basis as 

intended. 

Pending completion of the current schedule 

exercise and a firm program decision, the contractors 

have been directed to take action as necessary to stay 

within the FY 67 approved funding level of $228.0 million 

and to adjust their buildup to phase into a FY 68 funding 

level of approximately $500.0 million. All contractors 

have been participating in joint sessions with the Systems 

Office to establish integrated test flows and revised 

program schedules which more nearly conform to the 

anticipated funding levels for FY 68 and FY 69. The 

contractors submitted initial cost quotes on their revised 

schedules in late February and firm costs are due from 

the contractors during the week of March 6. Revised !em schedule and cost data will be ready for Secretarial 

review in Washington by mid-March. 

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CHANGE PAST MONTH 

A. Congressional 

In preparation for potential MOL briefings for 

key Congressional Committee members and staff personnel, 

General Evans has presented a MOL status report and 

updating to selected individuals from NASC, OSD (PA), 

SAFOI, AFABF, and J-5. 

B. SIVB Checkout System for use to Support MOL Flight's 

1 and 2 

A SIVB Checkout System currently located in the 

Saturn System Integration Laboratory at Douglas, Huntington 

Beach, had been declared excess to needs there. The use 

of components of the SIVB Checkout System would represent 

a savings of approximately one million dollars in support 

costs for MOL Flights 1 and 2. A request was made to NASA 

for this equipment. 

NASA has replied that the particular set of 

equipment requested has been justified for use by Marshall 

Space Flight Center in the Apollo and Apollo Applicatibn 

Program. NASA has indicated, however, that there are other 

items of ground support equipment in the SIVB Program, not 

yet declared excess, which may be available. One of the 

problems in securing this equipment arises from the incentive structure of the Douglas SIVB contract. Douglas 

management has been reluctant to declare the equipment 

excess. NASA suggested that a meeting with Douglas 

management be called to see if Douglas can be persuaded 

to declare the equipment excess to the SIVB and available 

for MOL. 

The Systems Office will schedule a meeting with 

Douglas management to discuss this matter; NASA is prepared 

to participate. A decision is expected in early March. 

C. Flight Objectives Directive 

MOL Program Directive 67-2 Flight Objectives for 

the MOL was issued on February 8, 1967. This document 

outlines the general flight objectives to be accomplished 

by the end of the MOL development program. The Deputy 

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Director, MOL, will prepare and forward to the Director, 

MOL, for review and approval, the specific detailed 

objectives for each individual flight. 

D. MOL Executive Council 

MOL Program Office Instruction No. 2, MOL Executive 

Council Management Meetings was issued on February 25. 

This instruction createE—FFe MOL Executive Council, a 

permanent Air Force/Industry advisory body constituted to 

provide a forum for periodic policy-level discussions 

between Government and Contractor management. Membership 

includes the Director, Vice Director, and Deputy Director, 

MOL Program; the Commander, Space Systems Division; the 

Director, Special Projects; and representation from each 

of the major MOL associate contractors. 

E. MOL Astronomy Mission 

The application of MOL to the performance of 

astronomical observations has been under consideration 

since mid-1966. NASA has examined the feasibility of 

conducting such activity with MOL under conditions of no 

modification, slight change and major redesign. In 

addition, NASA has considered the benefits that might 

accrue to NASA progress through the use of technology 

developed in the DORIAN sensor system. 

On February 7, 1967, Dr. Newell advised the MOL 

Program Office of the results of NASA's investigation of 

MOL in an astronomical observation role. One conclusion 

was that planetary photographs could, and should, be taken 

on a non-interference basis in the presently approved MOL 

program; however, with respect to stellar and solar observations, NASA has concluded that the MOL vehicle requires 

increased pointing, tracking and stabilization capabilities, 

along with the addition of suitable astronomical observation 

equipment (detector, recorders, etc.). A Program Office 

Directive concerning the application of MOL to astronomical 

observation activity has been drafted and is now in coordination. 

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F. Acoustic Testing 

After extensive discussions and study, several 

decisions have been made by Dr. Flax and General Ferguson 

on the approach to be taken on acoustic testing of the 

MOL Laboratory Vehicle segments. One complete flight 

configuration Mission Module will be subjected to acoustic 

qualification testing at qualification levels which will 

leave this module non-reusable. As part of this decision, 

an acoustic test facility capable of qualification levels 

will be built at Eastman Kodak. Acoustic qualification 

testing also will be performed on the Laboratory Module. 

It will be tested to flight levels. This may require 

the pvocurement of an additional Qualification Laboratory 

Module. No firm determination has been made as to where 

the Laboratory Module testing will be performed. Facility 

modification requirements at Douglas Santa Monica and at 

NASA-Houston are being investigated. No decision has been 

arrived at on development or acceptance testing. 

G. MOL Atmosphere Briefings 

Briefings on the MOL atmosphere selection process 

have been presented to staffs of the House Committee on 

Science and Astronautics and the Senate Committee on 

Aeronautical and Space Sciences. Prime areas of interests 

included: 

1. Atmosphere makeup selected; 

2. Rationale leading to this selection; 

3. The timing of the decisions that led to 

the present atmosphere makeup. 

4. The areas of study presently underway as 

a result of the recent fires. 

The information exchange appeared to be satisfactory 

to the staff members involved. 

III.CURRENT STATUS 

A. Funds 

Funds in the amount of $5.0 million were released 

to MOL operating activities during February, leaving a balance 

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of approximately $38.0 million retained by the Director, 

MOL Program. Funds currently available will cover program 

requirements through April 1967. A memorandum will be 

prepared during March requesting DoD release of the 

58.446 million (FY 67) now held in deferred status. 

B. Review of Decision on MOL Subsystem Testing at 

NASA Sacramento Test Facility 

The ad hoc Group, established February 3, 1967 to 

provide findings and recommendations which can serve as 

a basis for re-evaluation by the Secretary of the Air Force 

of the decision to test two MOL subsystems at Sacramento 

Test Facility, nas completed its task. The Vice Director, 

MOL Program, and a group of NASA Orfice of Manned Space 

Flight senior officials have concurred with the report. 

It was forwarded to the Secretary of the Air Force through 

the Assistant Secretary for R&D on February 28, 1967. 

C. SIVB Orbital Workshop Experiment Integration Costs 

On February 7, 1967, Dr. Mueller responded to a 

letter from Mr. Fink, ODDR&E, which had suggested that 

NASA re-evaluate a decision to bill DoD for integration 

costs for the five DoD experiments planned for the SIVB 

Orbital Workshop. Dr. Mueller stated that because of 

the new mission plan for the Orbital Workshop, integration 

costs for the DoD experiments will be nominal and largely 

NASA "in-house". Under these circumstances NASA will assume 

integration costs for DoD experiments. 

D. Follow-on Program 

The analysis of options for a follow-on MOL program 

has progressed to the extent that funding implications have 

been identified for several assumed program configurations. 

These assumptions relate to variations in funding procedures, 

MOL vehicle configuration mixtures (manned and unmanned), 

and the baseline MOL Program schedule. On the basis of 

recent developments and decisions concerning the present 

program funding and schedule, the follow-on options analysis 

is to be reevaluated by the Program Office before further 

coordination and presentation is effected. 

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OA. 

E. Easter Island 

Use of Easter Island as a staging base for MOL 

Powered Flight Abort Recovery Forces is to be governed 

by the terms of an agreement between the Chiefs of Staff 

of the United States and Chilean Air Forces. An exchange 

of correspondence between the Chiefs of Staff is presently 

being staffed. The details of the agreement will be 

negotiated by parties designated by both Air Forces. The 

Commander of the Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service 

has been tasked to negotiate this agreement. He will be 

supported by representatives from appropriate agencies. 

The asphalt paving equipment has arrived on site. 

The oo:c .11ix asphalt now available will be used for initial 

runway surfacing, permitting light air traffic until the 

hot mix surfacing is applied approximately mid-1967. 

IV. FORECAST FOR FUTURE 

A. Secretarial Review of MOL Schedule Adjustment 

MOL revised program schedule and cost data will 

be presented to Dr. Flax and General Ferguson on Friday, 

March 10. This review will present the Air Force and 

Contractors' position resulting from the funds and priority 

limitations established at the Program Executive Session 

on February 15. Tentative plans call for presenting a 

program recommendation to Dr. Brown on March 14. 

B. MOL Management Meeting 

The monthly Management Meeting for March, 1967, 

is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, March 28, in LO8 

Angeles. Agenda items include: Contract and Funding 

Status; Cer-Vit Test Results; Acoustic Testing; Astronaut 

Training; Readout; and an evaluation of a suitable source 

for the 7-Segment Solid Rocket Motor effort in light of 

the selection of a 5-Segment SRM contractor. 

V. DUE DATE OF NEXT STATUS REPORT 

1967. 

The next Monthly MOL Report will be submitted April 7, 

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