NRD APPROVED FOR 

RELEASE 1 JULY 2015 

25 Sep 1964 

Dear Jim: 

As you know, the Air Force effort on the MOL program during the 

last several months has been directed at determining the most 

significant military and scientific experiments to be performed and 

to define more fully the configuration to be flown. This appears the 

best approach if the MOL is viewed (as I view it) as a necessary precursor to an operational space station should it later be determined 

that such is required. DOD has obligated $5.5 million on this program 

thus far and we have budgeted $33 million for FY 1965. Our commitment 

for FY 1966 is being studied but it obviously maybe much larger. 

It is my understanding that your staff have been studying a configuration 

called APOLLO X planned as a possible forerunner to a National Space 

Station. I am also informed that NASA may tentatively plan to devote 

an appreciable amount to studies having a bearing on this matter in 

FY 1965, continuing an effort of approximately $12 million committed to 

space station studies and related programs in FY 1964 and 1965. 

I know that we both feel, because of the important leverage they exert 

'on subsequent programs of potentially enormous size, that studies in 

the area.of manned earth orbit research and development should be carefully controlled, and that the purpose of our joint agreement of August 1963 

is to achieve the necessary control. Of course, as studies progress and 

become more closely associated with particular configurations, joint control may become more difficult to achieve. 

In view of the very large expenditures which would be involved in a National 

Space Station, its possible significance to national security as well as its 

importance to the country as a predecessor to manned planetary exploration, 

it seems to me that it may be timely to consider how we might jointly manage 

our programs that lead-in this direction. In fact, I see little reason for two 

separate large programs. Therefore, I will appreciate your consideration 

of a management plan such as the following to consolidate our joint work 

toward an operational or scientific space station: 

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NRO APPROVED FOR 

RELEASE 1 JULY 2015 

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UTVIL,A. thIL Ur& i 

1. DOD and. NASA will agree that the MOL is the flight forerunner to the definition of a scientific or military operational space 

station. 

2. NASA will accept the responsibility of manager of the scientific 

program to be carried out using the MOL. All such scientific experiments 

(except those that may be classified for security purposes) will be selected, 

developed, and analyzed by NASA. The funding for this work will be provided by NASA. Our planning indicates that substantial weight and volume 

can be made available in the MOL after accommodation of particular 

classified experiments. In addition, we would be prepared to consider 

variations in MOL configuration for specific scientific purposes on particular flights of the program. 

3. The Air Force will continue as operating manager of the program. 

4. The coordination of the program will be carried out by a DODNASA board set up similar to the Gemini Program Planning Board. 

5. Following the flight results from the MOL, a determination 

will be made on (1) the necessity for and nature of a new large military 

operational or scientific space station, (2) the extent to which both scientific and defense needs might be cast by a single operational program, and 

(3) the agency of the government that should carry the development responsibility. 

I would also like you to know that I am prepared to ask the Air Force to 

take certain action in order to move more rapidly toward manned flight of 

the MOL. In particular, I am considering a plan employing certain of the 

TITAN III R&D flights to prove interfaces between the MOL and the launch 

vehicle. With similar objectives, I believe it would also be helpful if 

NASA and DOD could work out means whereby two of the stock of GEMINI vehicles 

could be assigned to TITAN III R&D launches. 

I know that this approach will have your serious consideration and I hope 

that we can reflect our joint planning into the FY 1966 budget. 

Sincerely, 

S/Robert S. McNamara 

Honorable James E. Webb 

Administrator 

National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration 

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