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46+-NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE 

WASHIN GTON, D.C. 

THE NRO STAFF 

November 12, 1969 

MEMORANDUM FOL COLONEL YOST 

SUBJECT: Itek 12" Brief to NASA 

On the surface there are no basic problems with Itek's 

request to present their proposal for NASA's use of the 

12" SI. Closer scrutiny raises some very fundamental 

questions that must be answered before the NRO goes much 

further in the disposition of it technology--ether 

obsolete or that which is barelyioff the drawing boards. 

Until the basic problems are solved I would emphatically 

urge that the Itek request be DISAPPROVED. 

Bill Williamson was in on the 10th of November and 

drew a picture on this order--the overall objective is a 

real time readout program on the order of or whatever goes, but in a synchronous orbit. Rather than have 

NASA develop a low resolution system, it is felt that it 

would be more productive to let the NRO develop a high 

resolution system that could meet NASA requirements in 

five years or so from synchronous orbit. In the meantime, 

modified CORONA vehicles (two or three) could be used to 

initiate the program for U.S. earth resources. The 12" 

camera would be used on these vehicles and possibly for 

moon application, or about five or six SI's in their total 

buy. 

The fundamental questions that must be answered are: 

a. Are you going to permit NRO contracts to 

prepare unsolicited proposals for NRP technology as they 

see needs to exist? This is an issue we have fought with 

fair success. If it is to be permitted, where is the line 

drawn--both from a security and management point of view. 

PERCHERON DORIAN UPWARD 

CORONA HEXAGON 

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If Itek is permitted to submit their unsolicited proposal, we shall have established a precedence that 

will haunt us continually in the future, regardless of 

what words have been used as background material. 

RECOMMENDATION: 

If NASA is genuinely interested in the SI camera, 

they should request the material. 

If it is in the NRO's interest that NASA use or 

consider the 12" system, the NRO, not the contractor, 

should attempt to interest NASA. 

b. What is to be the NRO's policy, or perhaps it 

is better to say, what is to be the Administrations' 

policy in the degree of cooperation between the NRO and 

NASA for the development of systems? Is there a long term 

plan for the conversion of NRO systems for domestic or civilian applications? If this is the case, what systems 

for what application in the longest possible definition? 

If it is known now that will have eventual NASA 

application, should that application be considered at this 

time? 

RECOMMENDATION: 

A total plan must be adopted to cover all aspects 

of systems or technology to be shared between NASA and 

the NRO. It is neither efficient nor practical to develop 

piecemeal ad hoc solutions to the question of joint system 

utilization. If NASA is to be given CORONA systems, and 

if those systems are to incorporate the HEXAGON SI camera 

and eventually be replaced by type technology 

developed by the NRO, we had best decide our path now for 

the total program. The question of the SI proposal becomes 

inconsequential except that it could lead us to the path 

of commitment against our will, or without reasonable 

control. 

There is too the fact that if the NRO and NASA are 

able to fully cooperate on a future endeavor, the job of 

protecting the NRO's security environment will be most 

difficult with planning and control. If the job is to be 

done on an ad hoc basis, the role of the NRO--or a DOD 

SECRET endeavor, if that is what lies ahead (not recommended) 

--would be neigh impossible. 

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c. If the NRO is to provide technology, how is 

it to be done? Do we operate joint facilities? Are they 

white, black or gray? Are they our cover? Are we their 

cover? Do we surface equipment? Do they redesign or 

reinvent equipment? Is NASA to use or limit themselves 

to our contractors? Who has priority? Could we fly their 

missions for them--is a charter realignment in order? 

CONCLUSIONS: 

In the past the NRO has been burned by attempts to 

surface NRP technology; i.e., PERCHERON, UPWARD...now 

perhaps DORIAN ATS, etal. While it appears that this is 

a simple task, it is not--and under optimum conditions--

it is risky, but probably not impossible. There are real 

benefits to be enjoyed by the nation if it can be done, and 

a terrible loss to the nation if not done properly. Before 

any more attempts are made to piecemeal the technology of 

the NRO, either with or without our consent, a total study 

must be made of the long-term goal or plan and a philosophy, 

policy or modus operandi adopted. 

The 12" is a method of triggering the entire question; 

therefore, no action should be taken until such a policy 

has been formally adopted, and positively no action should 

be taken to satisfy a contractor's desire to "expand his 

market." 

C4tain, USAF 

Dep Asst for Security 

DORIAN UPWARD 

CORONA HEXAGON PERCHERON 

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