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SAFSS 

THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE 

WASHINGTON 

.4 

7 MAR 1963 

1963 MAR 27 15 35 

MEMORANDUM FOR The Director, National Reconnaissance Office 

SUBJECT: NRP Satellite Standby Capability 

Reference: DNRO memo to SecDef, dated 25 March 63. 

In reconfirmation of verbal concurrences given to you 

earlier regarding your proposed actions on the above subject, I 

request that you take the necessary steps which you have noted 

to establish a minimum CORONA R-7 capability by May, 1963, 

and a more complete R-7 capability by September, 1963. These 

steps are to include acquisition of six CORONA systems, appropriate Agena D peculiars, and the necessary pad modifications 

and additional pads. Concurrently, please establish the possible 

compressions in pre-launch functions, and the detailed cost requirements. 

I request also that the appropriate initial steps you have 

noted to develope an R-7 capability for GAMBIT be taken, and 

accurate costs. established, although I assess the possibility of 

achieving such an operational flexibility with GAMBIT to be substantially less than that for CORONA for some time. 

Since for both the CORONA and GAMBIT programs proposed 

the pad availability and turn-around times are critical, the implicit 

estimates made in your memorandum concerning these items should 

be reaffirmed. 

Additionally, I desire that the problems of achieving an R-1 

capability for at least CORONA be further examined, including 

maximum compression of pre-launch functions, development of 

sufficient programming options, and provision for greatest continuity 

in holding at R-1. This should be particularly examined from the point 

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of view of possible interleaving and phasing of the cycling of R-1 

and R-7 vehicles to provide one or two vehicles in the R-1 condition 

at all or nearly all times. 

The intent of this is to provide an emergency capability to 

cover highest priority areas already in prograMming options as 

quickly as possible in emergency situations or as weather possibilities permit photography. In connection with this, I believe that 

we should prepare plans for a minimum intelligence cycle capability 

for the very highest priority special tasks, including only sufficient 

orbital duration to achieve the special coverage goals, expedited 

transportation and processing of this probably limited amount of film, 

and directed photo interpretation of such limited coverage. A goal 

of 3-5 days total time duration, launch to first analysis report, 

should be set for this objective; I would like to know the minimum, 

time technically feasible. 

Please inform me when further details of these initial actions, 

additional studies, and development of steady state operational 

procedures, and their associated costs, can be reported. I assume 

that the FY 1963 funding for these programs can be made available 

from NRO resources. Please examine the impact of the FY 1964 

requirements on the FY 1964 program for NRO contained in the 

budget request now before the Congress. 

cc: 

Dir, CIA 

DepSecDef 

srcnET