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-(8)NATIONALRECONNAISSANCEOFFICE

WASHINGTON. 0.0

THE NRO STAFF 22 October 1975

NOTE FOR DR. WADE, OSD(ISA)

SUBJECT: Point Paper on DOD/NASA Interface

Here is a retooled Point Paper for your use in discussing

with Ambassador Ellsworth. I think it is more olgone that

you desired.

HAROLD S. COYLE, JR.

Lt Colonel, USAF

Deputy Director

for Plans and Policy

1 Attachment

Point Paper

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•POINT PAPER

ON

DOD/NASA INTERFACE

Following is an overview of the Space Policy Committee and

the Program Review Board.

BACKGROUND

The NSC Space Policy Committee is to provide overall national

space policy recommendations for the compatible operation

of the so-called military and civil oriented space programs.

The Committee was established as a standing committee of the

Under Secretaries Committee with the Under Secretary of State

for Political Affairs acting as Chairman. The Assistant

Secretary of Defense, International Security Affairs and the

Director, National Reconnaissance Office are the DOD principals.

The Program Review Board is to provide a reasonable management of technology and of acquired data between the so-called

military and civil oriented space programs. The Board was

established by agreement between the DOD, NASA and CIA. The

Director of Defense Research and Engineering, the Deputy

Administrator of NASA, the Director, National Reconnaissance

Office and the Deputy Director of CIA for Science and Technology

are the principals. The Board is supported by two working

committees, one for technology oversight and one for data

management oversight.

- The Space Policy Committee is expected to set a broad framework of philosophy so that the technically oriented Program

Review Board can adjudicate problems.

- For the last several years there has been fragmented policy

with regard to U.S. space operations. The State Department

internally has been divided in its perception of the uses of

space. The DOD has had difficulty in the past in bringing

focus to space policy matters, especially the technical and

policy interface.

NASA has undertaken significant steps in both technology and

operational fields to bring its programs closer to the military oriented reconnaissance activities.

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In our view, both the Policy Committee and the Program Review

Board will serve to keep the NASA activities above board and

reviewed in terms of their impact on the military programs.

THE SPACE POLICY COMMITTEE 

The Committee has had two working group meetings. The first

meeting raised several issues. Principal among these were

a desire by OMB to conduct a cost analysis of the civil

versus military imaging programs and second a desire on the

part of NSC to examine the prospect of a single national

imaging system. The second meeting was held for the purpose

of criticizing an outline which was promulgated. by State and

for assigning inputs to the various member agencies.

The issues are extremely unfocused at this time. The working

group chairman intends to distribute all the various inputs

and receive personal comment on these prior to another working

group meeting. The swing issue surfaced thus far is the socalled "fact of issue. At this time, the United States

Government does not acknowledge the satellite reconnaissance

program openly. The Defense Department position is to retain

the current policy, although it would be of some benefit to

the civil agencies to reverse the policy. The original

thrusts of a cost study to examine a potential single imaging

system have been downplayed. It remains to be seen how the

issues sort themselves out.

We expect no final conclusion to the initial study before

the end of the year. However, the Chairman of the Committee,

Mr. Sisco, desires a meeting of the principals soon.

PROGRAM REVIEW BOARD 

The Program Review Board principals have held one meeting

although its committees have met frequently to address the

SEASAT satellite. The SEASAT sensors will provide good

ocean reconnaissance information. The Technology Committee

ascertained that the side-looking radar and other sensors

would not compromise existing state-of-the-art technology.

As a result of the Program Review Board meeting, the Data

Committee is examining the consequences of unconstrained

data acquisition and dissemination. It is expected that

the findings and unresolved issues will be forwarded to the

NSC for further study.

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In our view, there needs to be a good interface between the

politically oriented Space Policy Committee and the technically oriented Program Review Board. When policy is required

the Program Review Board mechanism should be in a position to

simplify the issues in a technical sense so that the Space

Policy Committee can properly address the issue.

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