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J$f'NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE 

WASHINGT'ON, D.C. 

THE NRO STAFF October 2, 1969 

NOTE FOR DR. MC LUCAS 

Attached, for your signature, is a proposed memorandum 

for the Executive Committee. The paper addresses the subject 

of guidelines for NASA earth~sensing activity, discussed 

briefly in your September 16 meeting with the Executive 

Committee. 

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.. 

William R. Yost 

Colonel, USAF 

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OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR 

__;e;( NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

MEMORANDUM FOR MR. PACKARD 

MIL HELMS 

DR. DuBRIDGE 

SUBJECT: Guidelines for NASA Earth-Sensing Activity 

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At the Semptember 16 meeting of the Executive Committee, 

we discussed the current guidelines for NASA activity in earth 

sensing. The question arose as a result of recent inquiries 

by NASA concerning\ possible experiments with the MOL/DORIAN 

Acquisition and Tracking System (ATS) and the possible role 

of NRP developed capabilities--technology and facilities--in 

NASA's development and testing of large optics. 

\ 

I have described in the paragraphs which follow, the basis 

for these guidelines, their current format, our practical experience in the review of NASA effort in this area and some 

recent action I have taken in this regard. 

The current guidelines for NASA satellite-borne earthsensing activity are based on an agreement of August 24, 1965 

between Dr. McMillan (then DNRO) and Dr. Seamans (then Associate Administrator of NASA). 

This agreement defined those NASA activities which would 

be subject to a review by the Director, NRO Staff and a small 

committee within NASA reporting to Dr. Seamans. The definitions agreed to were the~e: 

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An activity is defined as the expenditure of NASA 

research and development money with a university or 

industry, or the transfer of NASA money to another 

government agsncy for spending in this way. The activities to be brought to NRO attention are those involving ) 

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the study, design, development, fabrication, or test 

of reconnaissance-like sensors, or significant components thereof, for use in orbital systems, or studies 

of the use of such sensors in orbital systems. 

A reconnaissance-like sensor is defined to be an 

image forming sensor having an angular resolution of 

0.1 milliradian or finer, or an optical or infra red 

image forming system with a physical aperture greater 

than 30 cm. and an optical figure controlled to better 

than 1/4 wave length. 

Other possible activities of technical interest to the 

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NRP included the development or test of pointing, tracking, 

and stabilizing techniques, or systems to be used'with satellites bearing high resolution sensors, in which the pointing 

accuracy was better than 20 microradians or the unstabilized 

rate was less than 20 microradians per second. NASA activities 

in this area were also to be brought to the attention of the 

DNRO. 

As a result of a growing interest in NASA investigations 

of the potential for earth sensing from satellites and ~he 

possible application of these techniques, the NSAM 15.6 Committee 

was asked to meet, in April 1966, to review the national security 

problems raised by NASA's proposed earth-sensing program. The 

Committee reported its recommendations to the President on July 

11, 1966. Key among the recommendations were these: 

1. The NRP should be protected by continuing to consider carefully the political and security effects of proposed 

unclassified earth-sensing activities prior to their authorization. 

2. At present, and for the next several years, from 

the standpoint of political and security considerations there 

is no objection to NASA proceeding with its tentatively planned 

experimental program, complying with tJte limitation previously 

established between NASA and the NRO. 

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3. In discussion of the use of observation satellites 

for natural resources purposes, NASA should, for the next five 

years--subject to future review and possible revision of guidelines--restrict its discussion of future systems to those involving ground resolution of 10-15 feet. 

Recognizing the necessity for conducting its Earth Resources 

Survey Program in such a manner as to continue to avoid placing 

the NRO in jeopardy, NASA proposed that its program go forward 

under a special NASA-DOD coordinating and monitoring mechanism, 

governed by the specific guidelines, criteria and ground rules 

established in the McMillan-Seamans agreement of August 1965 

and endorsed by the NSAM 156 Committee in July 1966. A review 

mechanism was formally established as a NASA-DOD qommittee and 

designated the Survey Applications Coordinating Committee (SACC), 

to report directly to the Manned Space Flight Policy Committee 

whose functions were expanded to include the responsibility for 

top policy determination on matters concerning mutual participation in and support of the programs of DOD and NASA. 

The NASA-DOD SACC was to provide a detailed and continuing 

review, coordination, monitoring and control of NASA activities 

that related to the NRP. 

NASA activity in the earth-sensing area has been reviewed 

continuously since early 1966 by this Committee within these· 

general guidelines. The somewhat unrealistic restrictions imposed previously on astronomical experiments have, for practical 

review purposes~ been removed. Astronomical experiments have 

been recognized as intrinsically non-provocative to other nations 

and have been reviewed for some time in this context~ 

As a matter of practicality, the SACC has for some time 

used a ground resolution of 20 m~ters (from any altitude) rather 

than the previously defined angular resolution, as a criterion for 

defining reconnaissance-like sensor performance. 

Pursuant to the NSAM 156 Committee recommendations of July 

1966, the SACC has, in reviewing plans based on NASA documented 

needs for future earth sensing systems, used a 5 meter ground 

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resolution (from any altitude) as the criterion for sensitive 

imagery. 

NASA activity in the earth-sensing area has proceeded, 

virtually uninhibited, within this interpretation and application of the established guidelines. 

In early May of this year, I proposed to the SACC a formal 

revision to the existing guidelines which I felt would allow a 

more realistic and practical approach to controlling NASA effort 

in t 1his area. I consider the revised guidelines to be in complete accord with both the established national policy objectives and the security policy guidance of the DCI. Moreover, 

they afford the advantage of an essential early SACC involve- 1 

ment in the continuing review of NASA activity to insure the 

protection of the NRP, yet facilitate NASA's efforts in this 

area. 

Essentially, the proposal wou~d: 

1. exempt from SAGC review NASA astronomical experiments as non-earth-looking efforts, 

2. define ~he limitation of product quality in current 

NASA programs in terms of ground resolution (20 meters from any 

altitude) rather than angular resolution, 

3. confirm a 5 meter ground resolution (from any 

altitude) criterion for sensitive imagery for NASA planning of 

future earth-sensing systems, 

4. remove the limitation on optical and image-forming 

systems with a physical aperture greater than 30 centimeters 

or sensors with an optical figure controlled to better than 

1/4 wave length. 

These revised guidelines have been reviewed by the NASADOD Survey Applications Coordinating Committee and ~re being 

submitted to the MSFPC for review. I anticipate no difficulty 

in obtaining MSFPC approval of the revised guidelines and 

expect their implementation within the next few weeks. 

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The current guidelines do not impede NASA's immediate plan 

to study the applicabi,lity of the ATS and associated hardware 

to the Earth Resources Survey Program. We have agreed that 

NASA should proceed with these studies. Should NASA find it 

desirable to make use of the ATS, it will be necessary to readdress a number of policy questions. 

NASAJs planned effort in very large optics for astronomy 

can, of course, proceed within the current guidelines. 

John L. McLucas 

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