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rbP.-Ino SECti:Ei 37,63

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f:-7if01 SYSvii

October 28, 1964

MUNI= FM The Director of Central IntAlisence

SULTECT: Management of the COMMIAProject

After reviewing the series of CORONA difficulties we have

experienced throughout most of this year, I recently directed

114.50r Cameral Greer to come= a small croup of highly walified

LI:eh:lien and contractual personnel and conduct an immesttgation

luto the assembly, test, and checkfout procedures being followed,

with particular emphasis on all items conaected with failures in

chid project. I specified that the group Should be composed of

highly %unified personnel aready cleared but who have. not been

:,.nvolved :a the actual project. the findings of this croup, which

I reviewed &rinser recent visit to the West Coast, highlight

acme serious deficaencies in OW present nalialanont Arrangements,

veld Zu . this rcsara, confirm the indepeadent conclusion to which

I have basn led by my own consideration of CORM problems throughcut recent nontha. I am convinced that we must centralise sad

streagtheo the. management of this project and clarify the associated

ipeneibilities within the NRO.

The technical problems of concern have changed from those ..

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originally associated with making the first CORONts cameras work

at all, with what, today, would be considered very poor photographic results, to these associated with cameras now operetta'

at c high level of performance. In fact, at present the achievewcut of consistently good performance, end the realisation of

further improvement in quality of results, involve an extremely

tie-in between the camera and the vehicle with its associated

stabilization and control erste*. The structure of divided manage•

sa,mt which was suitable at the rime the project originated has not

evolved with technical progress. At tha. present tine, the several •

"Wace contracts which relate to the payload, its engineering,

end ch4ck-clat, arc the responsibility of a CIA contract officer . .-.

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at Langley, in the organisatios of Program "11." lane" contracts

her the vehicle, its engiseering, check-out, and Launch, are the

responsibility of Program "A." General Greer's inquiry revealed

that the totality of these contracts does not cover all of the

tactics that should properly be performed by the contractor. At

the. sewer time, the contracts allow room for duplicative effort

etthin &Uterine: parts of the contractor's organisation; this is

s...epensive one has, I believe, actually been detrtmeotal to

reliability.

I feel that we must establish a single authoritetive point

of contact but ween the VRO and the contractor on this pro em.

To him would be assigned full responsibility for conduct of the

program; once of his first teams would be to review the present

contract/ as to consistency sae completeness, and to amend them

as requireo. I would expect bim to exercise continuing teen meal

ew contractual surveillance over the contractor, as wel/ as over

the Lervice 6.1012Ciait involved, to maintain standards of performance

era to oe sure that gaps or inconsistencies do not develop in the

operation. At the present time there is no single authority for

t11.1.: complete surveillance in the 161.0, short of my office.

I re convinced that the Director, 11W Program "A," because

of the direct authority ha has over necessary air Force resources,

LP the may oat to whom I can assign the full management reproofoi Which I *peek. This can be arranged with what I consider

to a relatively minor changes frcc the present situation, by

t'ollowing the same pattern that we have used In the LAMM and'

'AWL proerems. Tbara is a CIA contract officer now attached to

General Creer l a stall who administers the CIA "black" contracts

an LANYARD end ARGOK, under the management direction of General

Greer as Director, Program "44.." This has been a very successful

arreceomect, one I propose that VT handle =G RA in the same way,

by assigning a CIA contract offleer to General Greer's staff to

administer the "black" contracts uncer his management direction.

I expect the Director, Protror "A," to tontines to use the

Cenfisuration Central Dowd ant) 30 a principal nanagezent tool.

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TOP SECRETAllitE32- t- 3 CorotroL. _____

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it seems to me that the COS is the best way to bring the combined

technical talents of the CIA and the Mr Force to bear on the •

=OSA program, and at the same tine to impure that those umemimm.

sant and technical people in both organisations who have a broad

kncvindS0 of all of our programs are kept abreast of the current

operational and technical problems of CORONA. We should both

h•.: sure that members of the CO are selected with this is mind:

I will expect Program "B" to continue to supply security

support and film courier support, as is done for all of the nE0

programs.

Me "white" part of the CORONA program is presently organised

just as it was in the days of the DISODENUntpeeject. Since •

DISCOVERER is no longer used as a cover, there is no longer a

ui.ec for this arrangement. Evan though general Greer, as Deputy

Cce Space Systems Division, now has full authority over

(ex-DISCOVERER), it may be desirable to bring it more

ulos4ly unuer the view of his staff and of the COS. These are

cbteges to be accomplished in steps, however, carefully planed

se cvo:.c publicity or upeculation.

6 think that by these means we can strengthen tbscemogsment

ci the CORONA project with a scialous of disruption to established

p:.7a=tice. I as completely convinced thet a strengthening is

rQquired. If you are in /Agreement with this approach, may I'

=guest that you indicate your concurrence an the attached atm •

6:102112 •

Simms

SROCSKATMEOWLONS

Director

national Reconnaissance Office

I Aixt:
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MENDEAStel POI DIEZCIElt, IRO MUM A

DmcT, BID MOAN

SUBJECT: Respoesibility for the ao110111 Project •

At the peasant time, amd for historically valid reasons,

the monsgerst of the 00101K project is divided,. with the

Director, Progress1, respoesibla for "blade ammtesets, sod •

the Disavo. w Program A, respossikle Ear the ummining

contracts, and fee laws& operatimes. Vidor this assaser,

mot there is um place in the Mg short of sr striae,

wher:1 the authocity resides to review all applicable .

contracts far coesistemsey and esepletemeee, to enseeiel :1. •

coetieuing contractmel and tecimdsal smrsolilease Wee •

contractors mad °vet the Service agencies, and to Ls.,

direction to castractors on all upsets of the peograme:I.,

.

I feel that it is essential for as is establish a single;

point of authority within the 11110 far the CDROM progria,

which I eras then anise fell responsibility Eve the sestossfni

conduct of the program. I an convieced digit the Direstier,

!1 Proves A, because of the direct auttwority he Irma ever

the Nocassary Air Posse resources is the caly ame to shoe

I can reasonably asai this respLesibility. Acesedlogly,

I hereby ask* this assignment to him, under arrangemsets.

similar to those me haws used in the ease of WSW. • •

under the menagement dixestion of the Director, Peeves A.

review all appliemble contracts black and to, for their : •

who will serve as the staff of the Director, Program A, to

El seguado, California. lie will administer these montracts

of the entire program; one of his first tasks will be to

• COMA, program will be adidnistered by a CIA sentract offiAier

consistency and completeness, all awed then as ney be . . .

I will hold the Director, Provos A, responsible for esoduct

Specifically, the "b/acle contracts associated with the

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- I etssider it esseatial that the tosbnical mamma

sod experiesce of the lisle IMO be Node essilable to the

COILCOA prestos as Asada& I expect the Director Program A,

to oestImue to me the Caelgurartam Control 11644 as a

principal am iageme tool, and I ascot the Director

Program I, to make available to Program A the Adifiell:

consultation, and assist:sue of appropriate Preiprem

personnel as imembers of the CCB and as individmal masultmats.

Program B vilt cantinas to provide Program A aids

security smart and file courier support.

The Director, Program A, will reviev the present smomegew

mot of the whits aspects of the ODOM program, sad meow

mend any changes needed to strengths' and sentraUse eathOrity.

I mat it clearly understood that the 411111111.1111 hem

directed are strictly sod solely for the purpose of ereetisg

an adequate focus of authority and responsibility for the

continuing amassment of this lapertant program. It is ny

Intermits by these changes to mike the GCB a sere effective

instrument for technical saddened" to the prows, by providing

a strong smagemsot within thick the whole prosesa cam be

brought into view, and throe* "thick all aspens of the

prop. as can be controlled In an Integrated way. Ts additive, .

I intend that, through the mediae of the OCII, the technical

people in both "'ropes A and Program II will be kept late

of the technical and operational problems of the promise It .

must be understood, basaver, that technical and cootractual

direction to the contractors involved is this wows rill

flow only through the Director, Program A, and the responsible

contract administrators on his staff.

Concur:

DbOtILIA1

Director - National Becommaissento .•

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JOIE A. MeCONE .

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