conougamma 8 DEC 1958

41116.11M,

Until Septeiber 1956, the CORONA Project was to be canoes:lad in

the 1st Phase of the WS•allis 13,11tew Reeeramissenee Program, 'time

then decided that such a a:Motion was undesirable because of the

following reasons:

Tbela5.117L program:has been openly identified as a Military •

Reconnaissance Satellite and all phases of the program /me

therefore been tainted witharmonnaissamo effort.

2. The international politioal climate is now hostile to any

form of overflight and roccomiseance and this hostility

has manifested itself to the polaidunre high Government

officials might camel the CORONA prom= should it continue

to be identifimiwith such efforts.

OBJviCTIVES:

In light of the above, this plan has been guided by the f011ow

ing requiromenter

ARM (Advanced Research Projects Agency) participation

oust be logically =gained.

Any imtelligence community interest or aseociation in the

CORONA effort oust be concealed.

Any scheduled or oontemplated military reconnaissance effort,

photographic or otherwise, mast be concealed,

4. Any direct confliction with a subsequent US-117L Atlas phase

r.:74‘

.. • 

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utilising identical OVIIIPliaisi meet be comooslad except where

obvious engineering advanosmutts would profit Atlas and other

satelliti prqgrome. • A Waal explanation suet be given for the requfred polar

orbit, stabilised flight and recovarr.

Cover itiesions must satisfy professitxml curiosity by a logical

imposes of taohnical effort and the production at a product

having military application.

T. A relationship with the press suet be maintained to provost

conttnemd speculation.

SIPARMONt

1.. The true nature and parpose of 111•117L have areal* been the

subject of such extensive pedalo discussion and the amber of persons in

various contractor companies and in the military services bnamiedgetible of

the program is so large that it is believed to be *MU, infeasible to deny

that a satellite recomaissance system is being developed. Accordingly, .

to secure acceptaace at an emplumWWWitt of the 0080111 firings shish denies

any commotion with reconmissanoe or with other sSat ar sensitive ellitary

activities, it is necessary to describe the entire Thor4costed series of

flights as an. activity entirely separate from the 16.111L program. To

&compile!' this, Alirk has issued a directive separeting the 113.117L program

into two (2) distinct series, one identified as DIBBOVIM22 (COMM Thor

Boost) and the Other as SEM. (11r, Atlas Boost ). DISCOVERY will be

identified as a practical specs platform for the conduct of experiMents

aimed toward the development of improved military slystems.

003-0160

COPT eat 30
TeR_SEGRET

AIL

2. The actual break between WS-117L and the CORONA series occurred

on 28 February 1958 when the Director, Advanced Research Projects Agency,

in a memorandum to the Secretory of the Air Force, directed that the

development of a proposed interim reconnaissance :system utilising the Thor

boost be dropped. That memorandum ostensibly authorised the use of the

Thor boosters for test flight of thelockheed develcped satellite vehicles

and included provisions for the recovery of biological specimens in furtherawe of manned satellite flights. To the allotted mother of vehicles, ARM

added an additional ten (10) to permit the acceleration of other programs

contemplated for later launchings. A total of nineteen (19) Thor boosteri

thus became available for the CORONA series, though the specific number of

vehicles need never become an intended matter of publicity..

EXPLANATION:

1. To give pbblic circulation to the desired explanation it is vital

that at least a minimum amount of information be released and that normal

announcements be made. To attempt to deny the press any information re.

garding the launchings would not only invite a penetration effort on the

part of the opposition but create an air of mystery and encourage damaging

speculation. At the same time it wily be necessary to give consistent but

much more complete technical explanations (which will be at least in part

classified) to the considerable umber of persons who do not need to laws

the true purpose of CORONA but are in a position to guess what it involves

unless they are provided with a convincing alternate explanation. These are

mainly military and . company personnel working at the launch site, in the rery

coven. force, and in companies and military organisations concerned with

the series,

cat,-03.6o

COP! at 30
2. Though it is eantamplated that Vandenberg Air Pone lase be

designated a enamin= essurity area•, it is virtually impossible to eon.

coal the activities praperatory to or at the ti= of lambs The physical

somditiese at the fasility are sash that unauthorised observations Nobs

moomplishodlidlakimilattee ales. Publicity efforts oust *organ Mow

for some mopin0 firings &ft poblie !Flowing will be permitted throe,* the

media at the press, televidonsod radio. she spacing of mon000101 ►

laundhinas is ash that an occasional open shot is possible and to intro.•

dun these shots to the proms world (1) promote a =operative spirit nowt .

Sara Rodin in they will be more 11162r . to respect the closed shots and (2)

exhaust the Tandseberg area= &major =es story is that, in time, it

Should be poisible to oanduot laumehingsudAbout the glary of p011oity

elfish sertidarly will aeocepary the initial firings. dimes 00110111

momo001011t whiglies ars idantioll in outward appeoranee, there is little

same= vith the unautherismd observation' that . ," =core

3.). It is not intended that publicity acoompauy only the samoalled

'opus abate% Olefin the cam lammoblegs to the public and press can

be justified ender the p011owestAblisbed for the leunah area, i.e., that

moults obtained Sr.. certain activities could be of potential significance

to the sesuritgi ofthe United States in its develOpeont of classified

military voter, however, a brief stetaient shOoldhe mode to the pre=

annowasimg the intention to laumnb. dolmas= for public consumption can

rater to the leamehings as being What they are in fast, experiments in the

development of guides= and recovery techmigues in space vehicles designed

exelusimaly to seven= the stator of the art In pilotless span mot for

cat-oi.6o

oorr Zior 30
All

Whatever application may be damped desirable. To this extent, CO* M

flights can be characterised as hardware development and an evidence of a

continuing improvement of U.S. payload capability. Some of the earlier

flights can also lay clain to being the means of proving out the lustre'.

mentation to facilities of the use Pacific Missile Range and its complex

of groUnd environment stations located in Alaska and Hawaii. In each

instance the. release prepared to cover the actual CORONA launching should

emphasise the develop's:* of hardwaee rather than the collection of scion..

tiflo data in order to avoid the interferenoe of the vast nuebar of sciontists she claim a right to sudh data.

=CLAMMED COVER:

1. Within the DISCOVERY series, a total of five (5) bioimedical

vehicles have been plotted against the launch schedule. Three of the

five have actually been committed to the schedule underlfunchinge three,

four and seven. .2he first two will carry mice and the latter will carry a'

primate. The rosining two vehicles are reserve baeb-le.for use in the

event of a failure in the heavier primate vehicle. To further support

the cover plan, ARPA will develop two plaid packepeedesigned specificall, to (1) study navigation of space vehicles, and (2) obtain data useful in the 6'610:sent of an early!!!!AAmist_

A. Bio-Nedical

The truebicomedicel pelioads will be publicised as tests to

determine the environmental conditions of outer space and the

effects such conditions have upon living specimens. These will be

unclassified.lannchins toward which more detailed publicity can

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• . TOP SETET •

be directed. An initial release issued to the prase in support

of =Olt will hem established these flights as owe of the

primly objectives of the DL CO series. The data Obtained

from such flights will be reported as contributing to the Joint

NASA/ARM Nempin.Speoe program. Though NASA doss not have the

responsibility for the conduct of these biomedical flights,

they have agreed to support them staining useful to the further.

anon *famed satellite flights.

B. Navigation and Early Warning

Berle' the earlier stages of the CORONA program, any refer.

once to the special perlomiebeing developed by ARPA can only

be utilised ms 'internal classified informations needed to

satisfy the nrofessional ouriosity of personnel in ARPA, IND and

ENSD. Because these programs are in themselves classified, there'

should not be air public diecussion of their existenme in the

program until such time as they are actually °omitted to the

launch schedule. At that time, the objective involved in the

is can be disclosed but without the usual details that

will accompany the biomedical firings. In the meantime, the

development of these special payloads will become known within

the various• facilities, thus satisfying the curiosity of person•

ael as to what is forthcoming.in the series.

amino COVER:

la For a considerable period of time, the Special Projects Depart.

sent of the Lockheed Missile Systems Division has maintainedafacility

oca-oulo

con de 30.
• TOP Amk

removed from the main company area for the purpose of concealing the

COMA nIntificatimns performed on the after cone of the primary vehiele.

Until resent); personnel assigned to this facilikywerenotpernitted to

reseal espy 

with USD and wore actually under *over of the

Hiner Helicopter Co. Thic ewer arrergoont, however

'

 proved to have an

adverse effect upcothe security of the program for it did not leave root

for needed flexibility of personnel. The =taboo, at this fmaLlayins

thus surfaced to key pereonnal of LUBD and the Ballistic Moils Division

USUctith the followina eiriganatian• "Br Ooverlin nt exactions =um

instructed to conduct certain classified studies dealing with the potential

of the t!S-317L 'viten. These studies were so successful that additional

vehicles were programmed to investigate the advanoed vehicle development,

conduct neasurements of ortein suspected space phonons:8,0nd perform instrumentation studies. Because the information to be obtained during such

proposed flights nay affect the reallUmment of existing programs or other

pro3ootc now in existence or oontomplated, the work to be performed muip

be accomplished under the most favorable security conditions*

z. It was thus made known that certain classified paylamiscamrs

being developed by the Lockbeedlassile Waters Division under rather

strict security conditions. Therefore, when a military classification is

given to the launching of a partiodar vehicle and the press is denied

assess to the launch area, it would appear logical to the urnitting per.

gonna associated with the prommithat the data from such flights would

be of concern only to those personnel assigned to the Special facility

that developed the instrumentation. The press, on the other hand, would be

COS-10160

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g∎ TO? SECRET a,

regulated to swept the olaselflooatioa on the basis of .the iambi= seouritY

policy established far the launch mama.

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lb* current lama* schedule for the Thor boosted series lists the

C01110111 laasehrbes objectives as •Advanced Englaseriage. These mould not

aseeseariliy ham to be ohaeged rime the schedule has bees is balm for a

soasiderable period mad *opiate to hate been aeoppted as .s marking paper

by those elm are familiar with the fact that the payloads for these baraehm

Isis are classified. • Further; soy amnounemeest mode to the press during a

MOW lausehleg mill; of Micessity, speak in rather vague term due to

the restriction governing closed shots.

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•

t
• TOP FrCHT

5. The serifs will obviously egperienoe a percentage of failures

and since such failures cannot be predicted in advance, it is necessary

to maintain.a cover plan that is norm. enough to adjust to slippages

in the program. Therefore, no explanation should be °omitted to a

given vehicle that would prevent its subsequent use in the ores of a

failure.

Sitinatatalgite

I. In many instances there will be a need to explain the use of a

recoverable. capsule. The large number of personnel involved in the re.

=nosy effort :rakes it virtually impossible to conceal this phase of the

oneration. In' preparing the roomy crews for their idsdon, both Air

Fore* and Navy personnel should be reminded that the object to be recovered octet main in its original condition and met in no war be tempered

with, for to do so would destroy the valuable data and equipment contain.

ed therein. They mat impressed with the fact that only professional

personnel, specifically trained, can handle the sensitive equipment and

instrumentation being recovered.

2. Use of a recoverable capsule can bast be e3cplained as being the

one SWIM the United States has for preventing outside interrogation of

the satellite, preeervirg go ultimate application of the data to the

specific military system unbar development. It further snob's* a visual

eammination of any physical themes in the condition of equipment, A:rashes the most accurate data return when combined with MID telemetering

and also enables the re-use of valuable instrumentation when such is

eooncedmally feasible*

CON-Ol60

COPT /wife 30
TCP SEC CT

LOW MIME • POLAR MITI

The row:trams* of low altitude and polar orbit will obviously

have to be cotplalmed and defended. Each of these recadreuents idll have

to be explained separately so that one or the other does not suffer through

guilt by aseoldatimi. For ampler First, a polar orbit can be dictated hi

Range Safety; Seemed, it is necessary in order to properly exercise the

early warning net to detect attack •ehieh will logieally acme from • polar

direction. The diciations of Range Safety are will founded. The fact

that we are not firing from Patrick APB, Florida eliminates our use of

off shore free water space. Vandenberg AFB Range Safety does not permit

launchings to the List for they would 'endanger the vast laud mass ant

populace of southern California, Kezicto ant Central America. To launch in

a Westerly direction would cause us to lose the advantage of the earth's

rotation. Therefor:, the restrictive conditions limit the launch area

to 3650 to 1110° and the fact that the satellite passes over the Soviet

Union becomes coincidental rather than intentionel.

The km altitude obtained bp/ this satellite can best be explained as the limit of our ability. • This being the heaviest satellite

launched by the United States would not necessarily subject the orbit

altitude to question, particularly 'in light of the various failures the

U.S. has experienced in orbiting lesser .weights. Again the launch angle

can be introduced as a governing teeter. Since are comet launch in an

easterly direction, we lose the advantage of the earth's rotation. Its..

planing such matters to the press will require a careful play of words,

COR•0160

COPT 4 1 of 30
• iff?—Safifi

and releases dealing with such matters' might well have to take on the

appearanee of an =0%100 for this limited ability, It is believed, however, that a eueeeesful launch of the DISOCIVISUI, placing nearly 2,000

pounds in orbit, will be accepted by the press as a major acoomplishment

and will need little if any explainatiem.

It in reoognised that in dealing with certain personalities

in the military structure and in various fields. of industry, there will

be a need to reveal that a camera cysts' has been developed and is being

utilised. In order to keep from revealing the true paps* of this

equipment,. it is believed advisable that these inlividcals, and others

to whom egetyment my become exposed, be told that 0.11111112SS oontained in

the vehicle are part of an effort to conduct celestial aberrations frock

a labarateig in spine. Such an effort could be in ocomectien with studies

of mreigation such as that proposed by ARPA for firing later .n the series.

The reason for withholding such information from the general pudic is

that it night be misinterpreted, particularly in light of the rem*

claims in the press that a "Spy in the Sq# reconnaissance sate= te is

in the making. Any misinterpretation of the applisation of the optical •

system could have a disasterous affect upon . ow diplomatic relations,

In view of this, cur claim will be that notional security prevents us

frog disclosing the use of such equipment in any scientific study.

In the overt test personnal at the site are exposed to the

equip's:to they can be told that eineares are part of the statilisation

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1_ E R ET

tests bSing. eonluated, where it is necessary to have a continuous

record of the herisons.

3. It is not intended that air of the above claim be published

in esbnuice of a particular Lamb. Rather it is intended for use as

ilaichly Classified Information* to be used in the event vs nest retreat

frau other exSanations due to a vehicle zalfunatian exposing Vital

optical equipent. or some other Women situation.

MACIDDIT (2) • Classified Cover Yawl's

Itdtial Press Release

COR.0160

co Pr L.L. or 30
TOP SECRET ARTACIENT "A"

signuassausisi

signstgrawaymas (atracs)

It is certainly teahnologioally simple and feasible to utilise a

Thor payload to deliver, at orbiting altitudes, a substantial number of

balloon deooys indistinguishable fro g satellites of approximately 117L

wise. The mental picture sonmed would be of a lams single satellite

re-appearing over the IISSR an the nestfollowing orbit as a co,.ey The

sensitivity of such a program would be large], operational rather than

technological and tangs!, therefore, be plausible.

MALIUERARLo 

The rationale underlying maneuverable satellites is fundemsObally

the sans as that underlying aectrenie Reflectivity caiDeoeys. Cancel,.

ably e satellite could be caused to "move over" so as to appear in un•

predictable places. This also has an operational security advanteco.

NagrUalnatt

This notion is more specialised than that of asneuirweb3a satellites

in that the maneuvering irwolved is in dther the reentry or possible

•bombing" phase. Jither the development of a "bombing" satellite or a

requirement for increasing the accuracy of a recoverable 4111PIAIIA can be

used as explanations. Operational security would need to be mintained.

VAREVIC All SIALDS:

Local magnetic variations are not well known and could be of de..

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C013 a of 3o •
TOP SECRET a

aided int.erest for molting in the modgation of SAC penetration bombers.

It is probably feasible to extrepolate mmignetio field meamniments from

Thor 317• orbital altitudes to the surface of the earth.

IltatianiaIMM

This involves the interaction of atomic particles blade available

by nuclear explosions at occbrmas altitudes) with the earth's magnetic

field. In general, physicists predictions are that there will be insignificant results at Thor 13.71. altitudes, However, our elliptic orbits

are quite high in apogee and in one or two programs could be higher, The

possible implication of these effects are still sufficiently sensitive

so as to provide an amuse for some degree of special security.

SAC is continuously on the alert for additional penetration aids.

Passive, peaceful looidng satellites wad possibly contain RCN equipment

calculated to disrupt Soviet defenses. This would be a rather thin

muse for persons faadliar with 1 but add* serve to deceive the non.

professional.

AWOL/MEW

The stow could be that Lockheed has developed an ablation material

sufficiently radical so as to allow very substantial weight reduction in

the payload and that this material is a proprietary item which they do

not wish Osumi Electric or similar competitors to become aware of.

COE • 0160

•

;.: COPT a of 30
Top_4EcRET

ninerfaZani

There is a need for oonfirnatita data on our predictions relative

to the characteristics of signal. carrying information back from the

Atlas-boosted reoonnaissance satellites to the reed-out stations: It

is not neoessary to do actual reommaissaniss to produes such data.

filmilated data could be placed aboard the Thor 117L payload and trans.

matted back over the United' States so that the promo/40n characterieties at the tins of transmittal. Wald be mall Masa. The necessity for

special security movie:ions for such a test is traits tenuous and the

desireability of sanducting tests connected so closely with resoneadasence

is a ri*:

TWILIT! Cr 11/411-111.8PAtat

While prediction, have been made about spine environments at the 150

mile level, there i$ no °enflaming data aims space probes to date bans

cootanneed their measuraments at mush higher altitudes. It mill not be

long before the 145 and Dyne-Soar programs place h ymns at mach alts.

tudes. If data measured by Thor 1171, puloads was urofavorobla there

mould be great consternation and wholessis reorientation of eadating

expensive manplabspace programs: This is adequate reason for special

security provisions:

EgianggriaiL

This oconects to saw extent to the magnetic field offsets previously mentioned and is primarily a bogus isplioation that Ma is

affected by the radiation phonemes taccountend at high altitudes.

COS•0160

COPY a or 30
223.11M:

A comer device not parbioubmily connected with any of the above is

the possibility of placing a beacon of Vanguard else in the min body of

the 11.7L vehiale. This portion will continue to orbit for up to several

days after the reowvery capsule bail been ro •entered. The transmission of

tindesipherable oode-croups from these remains would probably prove vest'

cent1seing to =bitting observers.
aritTTACHNENT "Dm

*PROJECT DISCOVERER" SATELLITE

PROMNAMAINEONCED sr DOD

The first attempt to lam* a satellite over the Paola*

Missile RmqpIedll be node late this year or early next year &an

Vandenberg Air Force Due, California, the Department of Defense

announced todgy. This launching will be part of a series designated

PROJYCT DISCOVERER. to be serried out by the Department of the Air

Force under the direction of the Defense Department's Advanced Research

Projects Amoy.

The purpose of ARPA's PROJECT =COM is to continue develop.

went of a umber of astern' and techniques which will be employed in

the operation of space vehicles. Although no precise number of laundb.

logs has been scheduled for the project, it is expected a considerable

number will be attempted because of the nature and variety of the en.

poriments involved and the fact that the satellitem, will orbit for short

periods of time.

The initial launchings primarily will be to test the vehicle

itself, especially its propulsion and guidance. Later the satellites

contain bicardiaal specimens to seek data on enZatmental conditioms which will be useful to the men-in.space program being carried cut

jointly by ARPA and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

As part of this program, live animals also will be carried aloft and their

MOM:LT attempted in order to develop the techniques involved.

The first DISCOMMatvehiele is a 2 stage rocket. The main stage

is a modified THOR Mg produced by the Douglas Aircraft Company. The

second stage is a nee vehicle produced by the Lockheed Aircraft Corpora.

tion and powered by a Bell;-Hustler engine.

The first DISOM10211sundhed satellites are expected to weigh

approximately 1300 pounds. This includes the weight of the second

stage vehicle which will orbit as an integral part of the satellite

after burn-out. Initial versions of the DISCO NRCH satellite are designed to orbit for short periods of time at relatively low altitudes.

High altitudes are riot possible with the weightthrust . ratio established for the Drocovrara.

Much of the data expected to be obtained from Project DMCOVigria

such as results of the biomedical flights, will be of general scientific

interest and will be unclassified. Otherresultswhichwill. be highly

significant for the'development of later systems and techniques for space

navigation involve national security and will be classified.

END

COB-0160

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