. - . •

WARMS? Or TEE AIR YORCE

READQUARTEBS UNITED MT= AIR FORCE

DIRECTOR= Of REGVIREMENTS

OCR NO. 80

DATE 15 March 1955

REVISED Sep 26, 1958 

13)-GENIBAL 0:PERATIoau. nigmumme

FOR

A RECONNAISSANCE SUM=fT3A 4 SUM

Ibis O supersedes GOR No. 80, dated 15 larch 1955, for

(s) A Strategic Reconnaissance Satellite Weapon System which shoed

be removed from the file and destrowed.

I. :IURPOISE.

•

Ibis General Operatiomal Requirneent is in support of the

intelligence amd Reccenaissence Development Amain Objective 1960•

1970, amd the National istalligemce Objectives of the pelted States.

It is desired that development action following this requirement

result in a satellite weapon system capable of providing reconnals•

sauce of the earth. _mu. OPERATIONAL =sum

A. The operational mission of this weapon system is to

provide aerial reconnaissance world wide and/or of preselected areas

of the earth for:

Instantaneous warning at balkistic missile attack. ".

Collection of intelligence data to satisfy national

intelligence objectives.

3. Support of U.S. emergency war yams.

4, gn aid in determining the intentions of a potential,

enemy and the status of his wanking capabilities.

E. Aerial reconmaissance will be pertonmelbypkotegmbic,

ferret, infrared, and other sensor systems as necessary to collect

data on intelligence objectives which will be designated on the basis

of priority requirements.

EMI MECTIVENISS ESTIMATES.

Ines!

Annex." (u)

capabilities are-contained in the "GOB intelligence

D5 SIP' 4744 137,

•
IV. MI= RIVIRCIIIIINT.

A. amoral

It is desired 

continental that satellites be launched from the limits at 

stations in the *stern 

the Baited States and monitored tram ground Basisphers. --(1#

Oround lased facilities

A satellite ccmputation required. and control center is

receive

Acquisition and tracking sites collected data tram the are required to satellite ant m to role, command essages to the orbiting vehicle. The facilities will be designed

and located to receive the data from satellites degradati with ninth= delay or

with the space 

on and to minimise enemy 

to 

interception at or interference ground traaamissiaa.

3. A data processing subsystem is required for effective

tr

op

ansmission 

erational control, 

to other agencies via the'

and for processing, scremaimg storing and

!Vitas 45 USAF Communications and 6I. OCR 129) to the ma intelligence Bata Moiling 438L (ocR 14 and 149.2). System

V. OPERATICIIAL

A. Satellites will be employed to acquire or confirm data concenang lAcetions , capabilities and vul unmanned strike forces, defense nerability °rammed and systems, _ran topogreph; and technolwgical developments, or in to insure &tetrad coverage of a 

geography. They will be employed *liar

selected area in a

will te

gown period of time. The frequency or density at coverage required

sensors.

determined by correlation at data acquired from of Separate or combined a variety configuratioms at the photographic electronic, infrared ar other•sensors will be employed to provide the desired coverage.

These sensors will be employed to acquire broad 

coverage within which areas or subjects of Men a specific o critical interest will be identifie./ bjective that merits scrutiny is. ied, frequent, - or perheps for brief periods, continuous coverage an the confined specific Objective marble directed. identif relatively

Bach sa

p tellite may require the capability at -flight rocessing of the data collected and transmission to the a 

in

ppropriate ground receiving stations. 44)-

VI. =rmass OP MONT sums.

Present reconnaissance systems are limited as follows:

A. Inability to provide continuous surveillance. —0-
S. vulnerability to didactics. -fey

C. vulnerability to conatermeasures.

VII. 0112SISCIIAL FISWOMMICR.

Airframe and PramWan eaboveteln

tril.atrtae e satelLits airframe shouldterte desigued to Jars=

2. She ;repulsion metes visualised viii use the ICBM boosters for the first stage propulsioe, ea a 'wood stags engine to fermis& additional thrust to *thieve orbital speeds. __40—

/rig I tarry Parer aubarites

1. 841 auxiliary power seas:fetes is required in the satellite to amply electrical per to the 'prices airborne its from but prior to Lunch

sauce lifetime. Se

-until the end or the satellite's recennals- ge componserimmust.be caspatibie with available ground power (barite saiwap„ testing 4101 check-out an the launch stand. Isy

C. Onidance and Central Sabsystee

Ibis.sebeystem will be designed to provide guidance . end control necessary to place the satellite an the reqnired orbit. 19)-

p

Aaethod or self.stabllisatian in attitude must be rovided when this vehicle is an orbit. _484--

3. APproprlate items or grouod support equipment necessary to . service, test and calibrate theelements at this subsystem are required. -(10._

D. Choice of Orbit and inclination Angie 

1. The altitude and inclination angle or the satellite

the specific aiasias. 

Should be.selective, depending um the IntallAgomme requirements of 110-

2. Lamah Sicilities

The satellite 

fixed, leaching facility will normally be a permanent type Installation.--00-

Satellite laumchimg facilities maxim est should utilise to the ent4-graund support equipments designed for current ballistic

P.

missiles.--(5)-

Cemmnolcations Setiork

1. Agroumdmspaee communications link is required to transmit collected data tram the orbiting satellite, and to tnnindt

commemd instructions tram the acquisitioa and tracking station to the satellite.
11,!".././04

il 2. A point to-point in is required to relay data-from

the acquisition and tracking station to the data processing ceoWer&

and to relay command instructians from the control cantor to the acquisition and tracking station; /

Development of a.sultable data handling subsystem

is required by this weapon system and must be available by the time

a potential exists for the actual collection of intelligence infor- mation.

In order to facilitate dissemination of the processed

intelligence information from the intelligence center to other using

agencies, the data homilies subsystem developed for this weapon system

sData houldNendliag

be as compa

System

tible as possible with system 4381, - Intelligence

;

N. Self.Destructiai

Provisions for self.destructioa, to the extent that

the satellite is removed from orbit, will be incorporated into each

satellite. Incorporation of this feature should not delgy attainment

of an early operational capability.

I. Reconneissaace Sensing Sistine Newirnmentv

The reeamaissance sub-systems performance requirements

are detailed in addenda to this General Operational Requirement according to the following numbering system.

a. -Visual - 002 NO. 80.1"

''..-wh. Electronic - 002 

E

NO. 80.t

4- .-4TA. lettered - ZION O. 80.3

s.")mipping & Charting -. OCR NO. 804 --(0.

Inca. OMWENAL CONBIDINATIONS.

• Development of this system/ell/ be an an expedited basis to provide an•operational capability at the earliest possible date. _(g)-

Consideration should be given to the use of a recoverable

satellite in order to achieve INLICLEUM accuracy, information content,

reliability of receipt of calected data, and reuse where economical1y

feasible.

O. Data Pram/sang Facilities
4W0401

3. consideration should be gives to the security against . wry istezuwogatica of the orbiting satellite and the survivability of loog life satellites.

U. Annan.= .

2be earliest versions at this system should be available by aid 1960 and a fUll operational capability must be evadable by 1965.

JAMS FERGUS=

Major Cameral, USAF

Director of Reguirememta

DOS, Development