If you have no objection, I will release the draft to Colonel

Morrison for his use.

1

RUSSELL A. BERG • -

Brigadier General, USAF

I NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE

WASHINGTON, O.C.

THE NRO STAPP October 17, 1968

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MEMORANDUM FOR DR. FLAX •

SUBJECT: Response to Acting Secretary Baird's Letter to Mr. Nitse

Following my discussion with you on Tuesday, I prepared the

attached draft response (Tab A) to Secretary Baird'a letter (Tab B).

I have coordinated the response with Mr. Palley and have discussed its content with Colonel Morrison from Mr. Horwitz' office.

Colonel Morrison is, as I mentioned, the OSD action officer on the

Navy letter. Mr. Palley concurs in the response and Colonel

Morrison is prepared to use the draft in the preparation of a response

for Mr. Nitse's signature. Colonel Morrison will add to the draft any

particular discussion related to the general Navy roles and missions

questions posed in Secretary Baird's letter.

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MEMORANDUM FOR GENERAL EEDRICIC, AFRDS

SUBJECT: Advanced Configuration Reusable Spacecraft Study

. .•

This responds to your Secret memorandum, same subject, dated '•

August 7; 1968.

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There are no active studies underway in the NRO which relate to . • •

mission requirements for reusable spacecraft. In the past there have

been a few cursory examinations, usually in response to unsolicited .

contractor propokals. None of these seems to have been well enough .

documented to be of valus to your study. • • •

• We would be remiss, however, it we did not point out that each of .•

the examinations, and our current view, provides us with a negative • • • ••

outlook on the potential of reusable spacecraft for the mission of the .

Naticnal Reconnaissance Program. Development trends are strongly

toward longer-lived systems, with much lower launch rates. These •

•

lower launch rates cause the period of amortisation of development

costs to be unattractively long for even the most optimistic reusable • • ..

. • concepts we have seen. in the future we believe it will be practical

to develop a readout photo satellite which will provide responsiveness ,

and economy through long life. •

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Reconnaissance in the event at Soviet interference d cold •

These considerations have muted our interest in reusable, maneuvering • .

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. Our experience with space studies of the kind you propose shows

that the SAMSO plans staff and its contractors, unless restricted in

advance, will make excursions into the area of earth-sensing imageforming satellites. This is in spite of the fact that key SAMSO officials are fully informed . of the restrictions applied to such studies by

the Secretary of Defense. The lack of self-imposed discipline leads

to complex security problems, which usually come to our notice after

a study has been completed, printed, and distributed.

We request and will appreciate your assistance in making study

plans available to us at their inception, as in this case. In addition,

the following arrangement should be put into effect on this and subsequest studies:

The SAMSO plans staff should be notified that by direction of

the OSD it will not engage in studies of earth-sensing image-forming

satellites without the personal approval of the Assistant Secretary of

the Air Force. Research and Development.

Contractor work statements for studies will be coordinated

with SAFSP prior to being issued. •

3. The firit draft of contractor and SAMSO study reports will be

coordinated with SAFSP prior to being published or issued.

I assure you that our SAFSS and SAFSP reviews will be condiicted •

promptly and will be limited to a security policy analysis. I am confident that by following these simple steps we will eliminate much, and

perhaps all, of the difficulty we are now having in

Brigadier General, USAF

Director

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