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December 6, 1968 

NOTE FOR MR. KIRK 

John: 

Dave Williamson and Myron Krueger brought this document, 

together with their covering memorandum, to us on Friday, December 6. 

I wish I could be here to discuss it with you; however, perhaps these notes 

will give you sufficient information upon which to base your decision. 

On March 13, 1968, you signed a memo to the NASA Co-Chairman, 

SACC, giving the views of the DOD members of SACC regarding Goddard 

Space Flight Center's "Earth Resources Technology Satellite Study. II We 

were rather tough with NASA regarding this study, mainly because the 

Goddard work had not been coordinated with us in its earliest stages and 

we did not get to see the work until a printed report was all ready for distribution. I have attached a copy of your comments. 

The present situation goes something like this. Recently, Congressman Karth's Subcommittee staff requested a copy of the same Goddard 

report as a background document for a paper the staff is writing on NASA I S 

earth resources program. Dave Williamson views the situation with grave 

concern, since he feels that there was no rational explanation for the 

security classification which now appears on the report. If, for example, 

he sees that the security classification has been placed on the report at 

the request of the DOD, he feels that Congressman Karth will handle 

NASA very severely. Dave also points out that as one reads the report 

he is unable to find anything SECRET in it. In effect, Dave is saying, 

"What do I tell Congressman Karth?" Additionally, he is suggesting that 

we can solve the problem by declassifying the report. I certainly under~ 

stand Dave's concern. If I were handling the problem in the DOD, I 

would pass the unclassified copy of this report to Congressman Karth 

and hope for the best. Dave will not consider this suggestion. Another 

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BYE 13596-68 

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option I have raised is that of sending the report to Karth and gambling 

that he won't ask any questions about its security. If he did ask a 

question, I would tell him that the report was under review. A third 

possibility is to brief Karth on why this report gives us a problem. 

Please call on Bill Yost to help you if necessary on this item. 

He has my itinerary and if you wish to get in touch with me I can be 

reached at almost any time during my absence. In the meantime, you 

certainly have my vote on any decision you make. 

As you know, Dave Williamson will not start calling you on this 

item until five minutes after you sit down on Monday morning. 

Attachments: 

BYE 12856-68 C1'~4 

BYE 17595-68 Cy 1. 

'?a . .(.~{ "'-i.j'v· , 

PAUL E. WORTHMAN 

Colonel, USAF 

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11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 -- 14 000643550 

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20546 

OFFICE OF THE ADMINISTRATOR " DEC 1968 

MEMORANDUM FOR: Mr. John E. Kirk 

DOD Executive Coordinator 

Manned Space Flight Policy Committee 

The attached study, prepared by the Goddard Space Flight Center in 

1967, has been discussed by SACC in the past and the final version 

was classified SECRET by NASA in recognition of the DOD sensitivity 

to the discussion of desired ground resolutions. 

Congressman Karth has instructed his Subcommittee staff to prepare 

a committee report on the earth resources survey program prior to 

the next session of Congress; such a report must obviously be an 

unclassified document. The Subcommittee staff has specifically 

requested a copy of the ERTS study, a request we must honor. The 

Committee staff has been informed that the report is classified 

pending determination of its security status. 

Under the normal security standards which NASA applies (i$e., noncode word), this report would be unclassified and we would be hard 

put to it to identify for the Subcommittee or its staff the specifics 

which ilaffect the National Defense". I am concerned that the Subcommittee may chose to question us aggressively on this subject and 

that we would be unable to prevent their raising the very issues we 

all are trying to avoid. 

NASA strongly recommends that the DOD review its position on this 

document in the direction of permitting its early declassification. 

We would like to have a response early next week$ 

Attachment 

Cy 12, Series B, 

ERTSS - October 1967 

KAN'Dfo4E :ltIA aYEMAN 

~~ S'\mwA 'OHh'f 

NASA Executive Coordinator 

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SURVEY APPLICATIONS COORDINATING COMMITTEE' 

Washington. D. C. 

March 13, 1968 

, MEMORANDUM FOR THE NASA CO-CHAIRMAN, SURVEY 

APPLICATIONS COORDINATING COMMITTEE "', 

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:, SUBJECT: Goddard Space Flight Center's Earth Resources Technology':'",,',' ' 

" ,:, Satellite Study , <' ',:' ,,' 

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This is in response to your memorandum, "Earth Resources 

, ,Technology Satellite Study Prepared by Goddard Space Flight Center,",:; , : 

, :', " > : BYE 17488-68, dated February 28, 1968. The DOD members of the " 

" ' ,, {:') Survey Applications Coordinating Committee reiterate their finding 

.. , ,I : ~,~ • that the referenced Goddard study is disapproved. ,.; .. 

" " 

,I, . Your memorandum states that "SACC working interpretations ••. :',", " 

,

'" "ie"""I;' /.\ are that such discussions and studies may proceed as long as they do , /, not concern ground resolutions of better than 10 to 15 feet projected, ';- , 

',~if ,' ", five years in the future." We are unaware of such a "working inter-

. ,"~' ;" " '-"pretation" or term of reference for SACCo The SACC charter is (;", 

, !: ' unequivocal in specifying definitions for SACC's use; nothing regarding 

,,'j', )' 10 to if) f4;!et appears among them. In SACC, a reconnaissance-like ,:,:1.1.:' . sensor is defined in terms of resolution and not in terms of the type of, .,' " ': r' r': "; document in which it appears. 

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With regard to the suggestion that a selected 'portion of the July 11, 

,,1966 NSAM 156 Committee Ji,eport could be used to advantage to justify 

the Goddard study, the general effect of broadening our terms of ref-

. erence would be to further constrain the study. For example, the text 

, of Recommendation 4 is balanced by the definition cited below it, placing 

, a O. 1 milliradian limit on study and design as well as development . 

Secondly, to exploit the NSAM 156 Commit'tee Report further would call 

for SACCto assess each NASA project or study in terms of Point 5, 

considering "carefully the relative merits and costs of aerial and other ., '. . "'" , ""," '. 

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" ' possible alternatives .• ! , " the "practical political interests, " and'::. I;: ,: :"0:' .. '.\ the "cost effectiveness. II It should be clear that this is not a good:'-':':." 

.; ~i" time to expand the criteria against which NASA's projects are .. ,' ,,:'. 

",-' ~">::evaiuated bySACC. ' .;",., :' ., . " 

·.f, The DOD members of SACC cannota~cept'the following points. " 

as arguments for approval: " 

.' , 

• i:"'c 1.. That,this satellite deserves exemption because it flies : .. ' : i [, .~ '. ,higher than most. .• ' .' 

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2. That this satellite should be approved because its .Yidecon 

is unclassified and industrially sponsored. 

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• i·'.·· 3. That the camera performance violates SACC terms of 

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,reference only s1i~htly. 

!.,' Finally, the proposal to distribute this document, in spite of ; ::. , ~; ," 

'.!' the SACC disapproval, lias an unclassified document for dissemina-

!. tiO~ and use by NASA, NASA contractors, and User agencies" is of 

. i , great concern to the DOD members. The recipients would certainly 

~i",. : :": interpret the document as a serious interest on the part of NASA. 

Their response would result in another surge of enthusiasm for entry 

.' into forbidden areas, augmenting the customer bow-wave which is 

.1 ' . causing NASA so many problems at the present time. '.,' I .... 

'. ,','" 

, i' 1',0 We wish again to invite you to prese!1t studies like this for SACe. 

i !. " • review while they are in the planning stage, rather than after they , 

';,:'1, ..... are printed. Good progress is being made in this direction; continued .. ' 

; J!';I';::~"close adherence to the SACC charter's terms of subm'ission will do .' 

" i~;:f'" , .... \ much to anticipate and forestall similar problems~ '.J, :<, '. . 

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;, ~ .:L:;, We trust that the NASA members will find our argument persuasive. /';.' '. 

" If they still find themselves in disagreement with us, the issue should: 

, ,'. ,. be forwarded to the Manned Space Flight Policy Committee for review:, 

. ~:,'.:, and adjudication~. .,', . . 

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