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MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD 

SUBJECT: September 29, 1967, MOL Program Review Council Meeting 

The September 29, 1967, meeting of the MOL Program Review 

Council convened in Room 5D-227, Pentagon, at 8:30 A.M. Principals 

in attendance were: 

Dr. Flax 

General Ferguson 

Major General Stewart 

Major General Bleymaier 

Brigadier General Berg 

Brigadier General Martin 

Dr. Yarymovych 

Dr. Leonard 

DEPUTY DIRECTOR'S REPORT 

Funding Status 

General Bleymaier reviewed briefly the evolution of MOL Program 

costs between August 1965 and June 1967. He noted that performance and 

money are the foundation of the MOL Program, and while he has confidence 

that the technical objectives are clearly stated and attainable, he 

believes that the financial requirements need shoring up. In particular, 

the program funding does not provide for contingencies, and the financial 

requirement growth history suggests that it may be very difficult to 

accomplish the program within the planned $2.35 billion budget. Of 

immediate concern is the difference of $40 million between FY 68 program 

requirements for $48o million and the approved NOA of $440 million. 

This problem will be vigorously pursued during early October. Dr. Flax 

also stated that the FY DP should be adjusted without delay to bring 

the FY 70 and beyond financial plan up to program requirements. 

(Program Office Action) 

Actions being taken by the Systems Office to reduce contractor 

requirements in FY 68 were discussed. These consist of: 

- Letters to the contractors reaffirming the need to 

stay within established individual bogeys. 

Tighter financial control. 

Assignment of financial management officers to each 

system segment. 

- Tighter change control. 

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- Scrubbing down of contractor manpower phasing and 

requirements. 

- Putting a current level ceiling on contractor test 

operations personnel, and using SAC "blue-suitors" for the VAFB SLC-6 

acceptance check. 

Dr. Flax concurred with these actions. 

General Bleymaier said he though $40 million or $50 million 

of "risk" would hav6 to be assumed by the contractors over and above 

what they would receive in a $480 million budget. Dr. Flax stated 

that a complete assessment of the contractors actual performance and 

program fund status should be presented to Dr. Brown about December 1.* 

As a result of the Apollo safety studies, various safety 

changes will be incorporated in MOL which will affect program costs. 

The parallel development of IVS, possible incorporation of C/SPCS as 

prescribed in Annex 4 of AFSCM 70-5, and technical changes on Flights 

1 and 2 were identified as other sources of potential cost increases. 

The master summary and test flow schedules were reviewed 

briefly. Flight Vehicle #1 is 8.4 weeks behind schedule due to a Mission 

Module structural failure. The failure was caused by a change in the 

production milling procedure, and has been corrected. Flight Vehicle 

#2 is 13 weeks behind schedule, and Flight #3 9 weeks. All of these 

are considered to be transient negative slacks. 

Weight and power requirements were discussed, and the point 

was made that power continues to be a more critical problem than 

weight. 

General Bleymaier recommended that the PRC consider adopting 

the Carousel System as the Titan IIIM guidance subsystem. This guidance 

system is lighter and cheaper and can be derived from an existing production base. The presently planned Titan IIIM guidance system production 

line, on the other hand, will have been down for 3 years and will require 

reactivation to meet MOL schedule requirements. Dr. Flax noted that 

there were other considerations. For example; the production Carousel 

System is not subjected to the stringent testing required for MOL application. Dr. Leonard noted that time was critical, and a decision needed 

in the next few weeks. Dr. Flax observed that because there would be. 

a great deal of'Congressional and GAO interest if we change the ACED 

*Note: A subsequent discussion I had with Dr. Brown indicated, in view 

of overall FY 68 financial difficulties, that this assessment should take 

place by October 31. 

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contract, the Systems Office should set down the pros and cons for 

changing the guidance system. There is also some question about 

the legal propriety of changing guidance systems while retaining 

the same sole source supplier. Dr. Flax and General Stewart will 

discuss this matter with the General Counsel. 

(Systems Office Action) 

SLC-6 construction progress was reviewed briefly. It appears 

that although $3.9 million additional MCP money is required for 

SLC-6, the Corps of Engineers wants MOL to state a requirement for 

$9.0 million. Dr. Flax wants clarification of why this overstatement 

of.the requirement is necessary. (Systems Office. Action) 

Systems Office Reorganization 

General Bleymaier reviewed the new organization of the 

Systems Office and discussed the realigned functions and responsibilities of the various organizational elements. 

Cost/Schedule Planning and Control Specification 

General Bleymaier recommended that C/SPCS as prescribed 

in Annex 4 not be required for MOL contracts. General Stewart stated 

that MOL would have to include some acceptable C/SPCS as part of its 

contracts. It was agreed that no further action would be taken until 

after the Douglas C/SPCS validation is conducted in October. 

AEROSPACE TECHNICAL REPORT - DR. LEONARD 

PSAC Meeting Follow-Up Actions 

During the August 29 presentations to the PSAC, the Air Force 

was asked to investigate and report on: 

Zero "G" test techniques 

IVS Resolution 

Image Intensification 

Three Zero "G" test techniques have been considered, i.e., 

Drop Tests, Suspension Support and Oscillation. After careful study, 

none of these techniques was judged to be satisfactory. There will 

be continuing study by Aerospace on this sbuject. 

With respect to the IVS Resoluiion, as a result of the PSAC 

discussions and subseqUent analysis, an equation had been offered to 

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describe the amount of smear related to IVS resolution. Subsequent 

study yielded the conclusion that the suggested equation is inapplicable 

because accepted definitions of resolution do not apply to IVS, 

inapp

lica

ble 

because 

sensor responds to a broad spectrum of spatial frequencies relating 

to the view it senses in terms of light and content. 

On the subject of image intensification, Dr. Land had 

suggested using an electron tube or some other device for improving 

contrast when viewing through the acquisition and tracking scope. 

Further studies suggest that use of a low light level image orthicon 

may be a better approach, but further assessment is required to 

determine its impact on the baseline photographic system. 

A written.summary on these subjects is to be prepared for 

the PSAC by the end of October. 

(Systems Office Action) 

Support Module 60-DayCapability 

This agenda item was a direct result of Secretary McNamara's 

concern with whether the MOL Program baseline development would provide 

a 60-day capability on Flights 6 and 7. In response to Dr. Flax's 

specific question, it was reaffirmed that the baseline program 

provides the space, weight and power provisions to accommodate a 

60-day capability. 

As part of the discussion, it was pointed out that more 

efficient use of filve,'such as by effective cloud sensing with the 

IVS, and the ability. to use UTB type film are conditions to a 60 

day mission capability with not more'than 8 buckets. The 8 bucket 

constraint is one of space and weight. This configuration is 

compatible with 80/186 nm altitudes and 900 inclination. 

Contractor responsibilities for the support module are: 

McDonnellLDouglas - Structure 

EKC - Film assembly. 

GE - DRV 

McDonnell Douglas is planned as the integrating contractor, but Dr. 

Flax suggested it might be worthwhile to consider GE for the integration 

task. He expressed agreement with the support module schedule for 

definition, design and development. The Systems Office is to provide 

Dr. Flax, NLT December 1, with firm cost estimates and updated 

reliability information for the 60 day capability. 

(Systems Office Action) 

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Re-entry Vehicle Alternatives 

Dr. Leonard presented a discussion on the possible application 

in MOL of a new re-entry vehicle now under development consideration 

for another program. Overall characteristics, configuration, and various 

mixes of multiple re-entry vehicles were described. Included as one 

option was the use of one Mark 5 and three new re-entry vehicles. It 

was shown that four of the new RVs weigh es:entially the same as the ,

eight RVs currently planned for MOL. It was also shown that two new 

RVs would have adequate film capacity to return the total unmanned 

DORIAN film supply. It was pointed out that a configuration employing, 

three of the new RVs appears to be very attractive from an engineering 

and weight standpoint, but use of four new RVs would very probably extend 

the length of the vehicle to a point where stability problems could 

become a concern. The question of the use of the NASA Bio-satellite 

RV was raised, and the view was expressed that the bio-satellite RV 

was new, had no weight advantage, would have limited use by other 

programs, with resulting engineering sustaining costs, and had therefore been dropped from further consideration. 

The number of RVs in the unmanned configuration was addressed 

from the viewpoint of the requirement for frequency of data return. 

It was noted that the intelligence community has indicated a desire 

for a ten day interval between recoveries. The view was expressed that 

the use of the proposed new RVs in either the three or four RV 

configuration limited MOL operational flexibility. Further, the 

contract for the new RV has not been awarded and therefore the configuration, internal and external, is not completely determined. Thus 

the presumption of commonality between the new RV as designed for the 

parent program and its application in MOL is premature. A further 

complication on a decision to use the new RV in MOL is that this decision 

will have to be made before the RV is flown in the parent program. 

It was concluded that RV trade-off studies should be continued 

by the Systems Office. Dr. Flax's guidance on this subject was that 

consideration should be given to total program costs withregard to the 

number of RVs selected for use in the initial flights as compared to 

the number in subsequent flights.. The approach must avoid, for example, 

solutions which require a major expenditure to go from six RVs in the 

first two unmanned flights to eight RVs in follow-on flights. Further, 

the question of six RVs vs eight must consider RV capacity using UTB 

film. Dr. Flax directed that the RV trade-off studies continue on the 

six vs eight option at this time, postponing, for the present, examination 

of the. new proposed RV. 

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Dr. Flax directed that the 60-day unmanned studies and 

design continue with a reporting target date of 0/a 1 December. No 

fabrication or qualification is approved. 

(Systems Office Action) 

The following is a summary of the direction issued in 

regard to the proposed Support Module Phase 1A. 

1. Flight Objectives of Vehicles 6 and 7 are to: 

a. Demonstrate on-orbit operation to the limiting 

capability of on board expendables established for the baseline 

configuration, with the objective of extending the flight profile as 

far beyond 30 days as is useful. 

b. Demonstrate the operational life of subsystems 

beyond 30 days to subsystem failure or test conclusion with the view 

of obtaining maximum subsystem performance information leading to 

a 60-day capability. Limited operational capabilities are acceptable 

beyond 30 days. 

c. Employ on-orbit test results to identify those 

subsystems requiring further improvement, to insure reliable 60-day 

on-orbit operation. 

2. Conduct a trade-off study between the 6 and 8 RU 

configurations using UTB as program baseline. Examine the implications 

of EK UTB design for film drive and platen(s). These results should 

be compared with a consideration of the use of TB film on early manned 

and automatic flights (3 thru 7) with the view of determining the 

most beneficial approach for the program. 

3. Proceed with 60-day design. Fabrication and 

qualification ,are not approved. Extension of Flights 6 and 7 to 

60-day operation will be examined, but the option must be preserved 

to fly these vehicles with present baseline expendables.' 

4. Define and describe test program for flights 6 and 7: 

a. Baseline expendables. 

b. 60-day design. 

5. Define additional changes 

and the block change requirement necessary 

if the present baseline expendables design 

flights 6 and 7. 

to the baseline test program 

for the follow-on program 

approach is used for for. 

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T. STEWART 

jor General, USAF 

ice Director, MOL Program 

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6. Develop ROM costs for each of the following cases and 

compare their effect on total program costs including follow-On. 

a. Baseline expendables for Flights 6 and 7. 

b. 'Extension of baseline to 60-day capability. 

7. Develop,a rationale for 60-day design as a reasonable 

from a reliability standpoint, to be realized early. 

8. Recommend the best approach to Flights 6 and 7 

follow-on program that includes the most cost effective 

configuration. 

FOCUS SENSOR 

MOL focus sensor development was reviewed and deficiencies in 

the EK baseline sensor identified. This discussion concluded with 

the recommendation that, in addition to the present EK work, 

additional parallel work using ITEK and Hycon focus sensor designs 

should be undertaken on'a subcontract basis to EK. 

(Systems Office Action) 

EXECUTIVE SESSION 

General Martin reported that the 500' F/L balloon -borne camera 

experiment has produced good results. The photos are being evaluated 

at the AF Special Projects Processing Laboratory at this time. 

Parallel ground observations made at three locations during the 

experiment classed seeing conditions as poor. The results of this 

experiment should prove of great interest. 

A final discussion of the program financial situation for FY 68 

took place, and Dr.. Flax expressed his willingness to go forward with 

General Stewart as soon as adequate data become available to reaffirm 

the FY 68 NOA requirement. 

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objective, 

assuming a