WO AIIPROVEITFOR 

RELEe■SE 1 JULY 2015 

• 

OFFICE OP THE SECRETARY 

)EPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

• WASHINGTON 

• 

MAR 14 1966 

Dear Chairman Rivers: 

The following information is provided in response to your lettexy 

of March 1 concerning the determination of the launch site for the 

Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL). 

Because polar orbits are required, the TITAN IIIC MOL launches 

can be easily performed by flying south from Vandenberg Air Force 

Base. Flying due south from Cape Kennedy would result in the 

trajectory passing directly over. southern Florida, and this would be 

totally unacceptable from range safety considerations. It is 

possible to go into pdlar orbit from Cape Kennedy by launching to the 

east and then making a "dog leg" maneuver to the south. This has 

been done on some previous TIROS (meteorological satellite) shots, 

each time requiring range safety exceptions and State Department 

approval. It is not possible to perform this maneuver without overflying Cuba and the Isthmus of Panama. The probabilities of impact 

and fatality are one hundred times greater in this situation than 

from polar launches from Vandenberg. In the. case of.NASA launches 

the concern is primarily one of danger to life and property. In the 

'case of the MOL launch we would, in addition, be very concerned with 

the probability of impact and recovery of any portion of the 

classified payload on foreign territory. 

Of primary importance is the loss in payload capacity that 

results from this "dog leg" maneuver to avoid southern, Florida. 

- Depending on the type of maneuver performed, the TITAN IIIC could 

lift 2,000 to 5,000 pounds less than the 30,000 pounds it delivers 

:"to polar orbit from Vandenberg. With this loss in payload we would, 

,:,1:#e unable to carry the military missionhquipment required and pro-, 

`, vide for flights of adequate duration. 

The TITAN III facility from, which MOL will be launched at 

Vandenberg Air Force Base will contain a single pad withthe necessary 

supporting equipment. Construction will cost $31 million (which 

includes the purchase of land), and the TITAN III Associated Ground' 

Equipment (AGE) will cost $79 million. In this connection, it should 

be noted that modification of Eastern Test Range facilities for the 

7-segment TITAN III launches would cost $71 million. However, current 

plans do not require 7-segment launches from the Eastern Test Range.: 

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RkLFASEJjULY 2015 

The TITAN III facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base, which will be 

capable of supporting other programs using the TITAN III class space 

booster as well as MOL, is part of the programmed and planned expansion 

of Vandenberg launch facilities involving the acquisition of the 

SUDDEN RANCH area. Four million dollars has been appropriated for the 

'purpose of acquiring this property. 

We would be pleased to provide you with more detail of the progress 

we have made on the MOL Program within the last year. It would be more 

informative to you if we can conduct the briefing at the SPECIAL ACCESS 

level. Consequently, we would prefer to brief only those Committee 

Members who in the past have received special briefings of this sort, 

and Mr. Blandford of your Committee Staff who has also received these 

briefings. My Legislative Liaison people are in touch with Mk..Baandford, 

and if you feel that such a briefing would be beneficial to you and the 

Committee, my people will be very happy to make the arrangements. 

. I hope the information included in this letter will be helpful and. 

if I can be 'of further assistance, please give me a call. 

Sincerely, 

alci,Le.ece