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6 APR 1954 

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Dear Bennie, 

This letter supplements my 3 March letter concerning the reconnaissance aspects of the MOL (BYE 22570-64). 

Within the-04 NEC), I have assigned to the Director,-h) NRO 

Program A (Major General Greer) the responsibility for studies 

involving the comparison of manned and unmanned satellite reeve 

DaiSiatte0 capability, and other reconnaissance matters which will 

be of interest to, or undertaken in direct support of, the MOL program. Unless I make specific exception to the contrary, all of this 

work will be conducted under a code word category (DORIAN) within 

the Byeman system, and handled exclusively within the-(8 M° 

channels. AU instructions to the Director, -0). NRO Pr A will 

come from me directly. 

I am enclosing two memoranda for record covering our 21 March 

discussions on the MDL project. These memoranda confirm and 

ezpand my previous instructions, and supersede them in regard to 

the subject of radar reconnaissance. I do not intend any change in 

 the "black" QUILL project, bit otherwise the subject of radar is free 

 for "white" MOL consideration. 

I think it is essential that the key personnel associated with the 

 MOL project understand that the existence of "black" aspects cannot 

 be counted on for support of the phase I MDL effort. This latter 

 effort must stand on its own merits; the actual conduct of "black" 

 development is dependent upon successful establishment and comple- 

••■■10111.10.1 tire of phase I MOL work. I will discuss with the secretary of Defense 

 the general character and schedule of theili+NR0 studies !ander way 

 and contemplated In support of later phases of the MOL project. The 

case for the project at the present time however must be made on a 

completely "white" basis. 

DORIAN 

..L.JDED iEO kmikATic 

DOD DIR. 5200,10 DOES NOT Arai 

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It is also essential that the existence of black effort which 

may later be applied to the project be protected completely. No 

document outside the-M. NEC should make any reference whatever 

to the existence of the-+S)4410 work, such as stating or intimating 

that a "classified" or "special handling" annex exists to any plan. 

I feel that it is essential for the establishment and maintenance 

of good working relationships and effective MOIL, effort that the key 

personnel understand these arrangements. 

Sincerely, 

Brockway McMillan 

Director 

-69,14ational Eecommissance 

Office 

4 Atchs 

General B. A. Schriever 

Comniander 

Air Force Systems Command 

2 

Centre! System 3 - A 
6474):4;.4_1 __Copies 

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7-.).1 0 Sr 

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DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

WASHINGTON 

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY 

2 6 MAR 1964 

MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD 

SUBJECT: Reconnaissance Experiments in MOL 

This memorandum describes the manner in which reconnaissance 

experiments and reconnaissance -related experiments will be conducted 

in the military manned orbital laboratory, and policies to be followed 

in connection with these experiments, as agreed upon by Drs. Brown, 

Fubini, Hall, McMillan and Flax, and Generals Schriever and Ferguson. 

General Objectives for Reconnaissance Related Experiments 

Experiments will be performed to determine the possible contribution of man, using appropriate aids, to the performance of reconnaissance and surveillance missions from an orbiting station. 

Data derived from these experiments will be used to compare the 

cost and performance of maimed and unrriannPd systems. 

Security Policy 

There shall be no compromise to the security policies established 

by the-ES) NRO. 

Every effort will be made to conduct experiments at the lowest 

level of security classification possible. Except as may be directed by 

the (6) DNRO, no experiments will be conducted that require codeword 

classification. Study or design of such classified experiments will be 

only as directed by the-ES)- DNRO. Experiments related to photographic 

reconnaissance will be subject to special controls to avoid compromise 

of classified information. Controls are outlined below. 

Experiments with high resolution radar may be considered without 

special security constraints, except that the existence of related experiments and studies now under special classification will not be revealed. 

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Data from these latter will be declassified insofar as is possible without 

compromising the source. 

Experiments related to other image-forming reconnaissance, and 

to signal intercept, may be subject to special controls. Details of this 

policy are still being developed. 

Experiments involving sensors in the infra-red and higher portions 

of the electromagnetic spectrum, having angular resolving power 

coarser than one milliradian, are not subject to special controls. 

Experiments Related to Photographic Reconnaissance 

These experiments will seek to determine man's capability, with 

appropriate aids, to point an instrument with accuracy better than 

1/2 mile, to adjust for image motion to better than 0.2 percent, and to 

focus precisely. 

They will be conducted using a telescopic system. 

Photography of reconnaissance quality will not be used to record 

or verify performance. 

Photography approximating reconnaissance quality may be undertaken on some orbital flights, using an available instrument which it is 

believed can be declassified without compromise. 

Orbital experiments will not be undertaken until it is determined 

that they are desirable or necessary, on the basis of simulation on the 

ground or in airborne tests. 

Comparison of Manned and Unmanned Systems 

A comparison of the potential cost and performance of very high 

resolution photographic systems, manned and unman* d, and a comparison of unmanned photographic systems with competitive visual 

manned systems, will be conducted separately, within the-0.NR° 

under special security (DORIAN). 

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DORIAN 

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These studies will keep current with the data from the MOL 

program, with the objective to insure that, should the experimental 

results warrant a decision to develop a manned system, the basis 

for initiating such a development will be at hand. 

The-4% NRO, under special security controls, will examine the 

present experimental program and, if necessary, will undertake to 

design experiments to measure the limiting optical properties of the 

atmosphere. Comparisons will be made of experiments which (a) can 

be unmanned, (b) require manned orbital flight and. can be conducted 

at a security level other than codeword (perhaps by use of suitable 

cover), (c) require manned orbital flight and must be given special 

classification. Results of this design study will determine policy for 

the conduct of such experiments. 

ea‘fea4t. 

Handle via BYEMAN 

P-nto .!rotrim DORIAN 
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44rin44prr 

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

WASHINGTON 

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY 

2 6 MAR 1964 

MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD 

SUBJECT: Policy for Conduct of MOL Program 

This memorandum records certain basic policy for the planning 

of the MOL program, incorporating discussions on 21 March between 

ODDR&E and USAF. 

General Policy 

The primary objectives of the program are experimental: to 

obtain authoritative data, in an economical way, on the possible contributions of man to the performance of military missions in space, 

and to obtain data on man's performance sufficient to form a basis for 

design and evaluation of manned systems. 

No requirement to develop an operational system will interfere 

with the requirements imposed by the experiments to be performed; 

costs and schedules will be defined by the needs of the experimental 

program. 

Experiments will be performed on orbit only after prior tests 

on the ground and, if necessary, in aircraft, adequately define and 

justify orbital tests. 

Granted that an orbital flight is justified by its primary experimental purposes, such secondary experiments as are desirably and 

conveniently carried along may also be conducted. 

Experimental Areas 

Missions of military interest include observation of the earth 

and earthbound events, and detection of an interaction with other 

space vehicles, both cooperative and uncooperative. Observation of 

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litiliat.k 

and control of the environment, as it may influence the performance 

of military missions, defines a third general domain of experimental 

interest. 

Experiments of general scientific interest will be included to 

the degree that this is possible without interference with the primary 

military experiments. Consideration will be given to the possibility 

that flights beyond those justified by military objectives will be undertaken in the interest of basic scientific experiments. 

Functional Experiments 

The primary function of man appear to be 

Search for and selection of targets or subjects for observation, 

Precise navigation, 

Adjustment and maintenance, 

Summarization and reporting. 

Man's ability to perform in these functions can be exploited to facilitate 

experiments of all kinds. Man's ability at these functions will be 

measured in mission-related experiments of the following kinds: 

Detection, classification, identification, and, if appropriate, 

examination and tracking with instruments, of such targets as 

fixed installations at known locations 

fixed installations having varying degrees of ambiguity 

as to signature and location 

ground vehicles 

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missile launches 

explosions, including nuclear 

Observing and reporting meteorological phenomena 

Measurement of radiation in the infra-red and ultra-violet 

spectrum, of background and of selected sources such as 

thunderheads 

cold clouds, as may influence performance of 

horizon sensors 

missile plumes and explosions. 

These radiation measurements are not impossible in unmanned systems, but are much more definitive if performed by a man, since a 

man can directly and immediately, rather than merely statistically, 

associate each measurement with an event identified and classified 

by him from other data, including sensory data. 

"Housekeeping" experiments - adjustments and repairs, compiling abstracting and reporting observational data, influence of man's 

motion on critical vehicle stabilization, processing of film and records, 

and general "time and motion" analyses of mission performance. 

Psycho-physical observations to determine the influence of basic 

environmental factors. In this connection, the possible influence on 

the design of the system of experiments with centrifugal gravity will 

be examined. 

Experiments involving interaction with other space vehicles are 

likely to impose serious design constraints on the system. However, 

examination will be made of the possibilities for, and the impact of, 

experiments involving 

rendezvous 

extra vehicular activity 

u iiaut r Chi. 

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inspection 

transfer of materiel and personnel 

Basic Scientific Experiments 

Such basic scientific experiments as can be included and do not 

compromise the military-oriented experiments will be considered. 

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