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1111111111111PMarch 1962

31101101A1W1111 FOR DR. CHARTS

11084111CT: n *atom

The following is a combo abatement of the states of the NRP

(satellite) projects as of 12 ifillzdt:

a. Project HOB. The last of the scheduled hutches for 1018 was

accomplished en t March ant Lame sed as-orbit operettas was Tarr

close to nominaL Telemetry indicates that approximate/4/ six thousand

feet of film wee imposed during the first day's operation. All of the

programmed and conimauded functicsui, with the exception of recovery,

were accomplished according to plan. The vehicle was not recovered

doe to a maltunctioa of the vehicle timer (sub-system 8 - command and

control). All of the vehicle on-orbit as reorieitation functions were

performed except the pitch-down and retro thrust firing sequence.

Another attempt at re-entry was made 24 hours later by use of the backup programmer, with all functiaas being accomplished except pitch-down

and spin-up. This failure was due to depletion of control ps. The

vehicle entered a awe orbit and is estimated to decay in Novemb er 1963.

The heat shield is attached and the batteries are dead; therefore the

capsule could re-eater intact. The parachute will not deploy. An impact

will damage bat probably mot destroy the capsule.

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C. Proisct 201. The Ant 1111100t veldals OM) hcasoplated

the initial ready rim and has bees mated to the payload Vehicle. The

first Bight payload is mated with the payload vehicle and undergoisg tests

at Vandenberg. The flight tee vehicle (2401) is progressing toward an

April flight readiness date which will not be earlier than 9 ApriL Mated

tests of the flightvehicle, Agana, and payload have revealed some

2

7.!
electrical incompatibility which laws up as noise is the system, resulting

in erroneous commands being accepted by the payload programmer. Action

is underway to identify end.lsolate the source of the noise. The maid

flight vehicle (2402) has completed Air Force acceptance and arrived at

VA FB. The payload vehicle is now scheduled for delivery from G. E. on

This results in a late May launch date. The two new stations,

Annette, are completed and will be operational for the first

launch.

d. Pro ect 35. P-35 pre-launch activities will be conducted in a

secure fashion. A post-launch release will announce the launch of a

satellite vehicle carrying classified test components. No additional

information will be released, and the mower to all queries will be

"No comment. " All payload data will remain is 'a secure channel throughout the entire operation. There are four launches planned in this program.

The operational limitations have been identified as: (a) sun-to-sensor

angle; (b) power variation versus sun angle; (c) ground illumination

versus laimch time; and (d) orbital plane precession. P-35 will satisfy

the program objectives of daily cloud cover of the area of interest for

90-120 days. it is possible that the May or June ITF-5 exercise could

affect the payload. Recentty, there was a structural failure during the

vibration test; however, a fix has been determined. The fiist P-35 launch

is scheduled for 11 May 1962, with the possibility of slippage due to
Ma •

111111101111-

slippage of tbetallalmach which precedes 1 0-35. •

ARGON. There are two ARGON payloads in a R-19 day status.

A-5 has been moved up from September 1962 to May 1962, replacing a

previously scheduled CORONI-M flight, in accordance with USES

recommendations. A total of 4 ARGON vehiclesare scheduled with

2 spare payloads available for possible later utilization. The Autemetrics

data handling equipment is being trausbwred to the Army Map Service

in order to accomplish the exploitation of the product in a government

facility.

CORONA. The CORONA M-1 flight launched is February of

1962 resulted in a satisfactory mission. However, the auxiliary frame

camera did not operate. The failure was due to the flim drying out as a

result of the nitrogen-purging of the vehicle payload section at R-2 days.

This resulted la film tension increasing from 2 lbs to 10 lbs pretesting

the racing release of the film transport system. Intermittent activation

of the release mechanism for M-2 sad subsequent will remove this •

4
problem. The last me-assemblies for U[-l6, are nearing completion.

Dismissal of flak assenety personnel will begin on 1 April with the last

systems 0111-16) being delfts:ell ibsit the and of huge. (Psykad deliveries

are at the rate at one every to days.) This win complete the COROKA

program. Additional payloads, if required, should be ordered prior to

1 April, M-2 is scheduled for 17 April 1962 and 11-3 scheduled 25 April

1962.

11.11D (Omitted her. slaw covered in detail in memo for

the President. )

LANYARD. There are five easeiras in various stages of

assembly' that will be used with a THORAD/AGIKA D to provide coverage

of specific targets at resolutions of from 4.5 to 5.5 feet at altitudes of

from 110-130 N. M. The first of these payloads is scheduled for launch

January 1963 with all five to be launched by June 1963. If additional

LANYARD payloads are desired, it is necessary to order the glass by

1 April 1962 for a July 1963 launch. The specifications for this system

have been agreed to by the associate contractors, and there is high

confidence that the January 1963 date will be met.

I. POPPY. The two successful POPPY satellites have provided a

considerable quantity of RUNT information in the 8CLigifrequency bands.

The payload which was launched in January as part of the composite

payload satellite launched at AMR failed to achieve orbit. The next launch

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in currently planned for 21 April on a Scout booster from PM an the

Nary solar radiation flight, MA At the premed time a launch pad

availability conflict admits between the s1-4 flight and the planned P-35

flght.

'a44/

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