OSP'S NRO QUARTERLY REPORT ON NRP SATELLITE SYSTEMS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP72R00410R000100110004-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 17
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 19, 2003
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: October 20, 1969
• Content Type: MF

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M:EMOR;%-NDUM FOR: Director., CIA Reconnaissance Programs
SUBJECT : OSP's NRO Quarterly Report on NRP
Satellite systems
Attached for yot r consolidation into an overa. 1 CIA Recon.-
naissance Report is OSP's NRO Quarterly Progress Report. Two
additional copies are attached for Dr. McLucas and General Berg,,
and one copy each of CORONA is atta hed for
forwarding to SAFSP.
._ .
'-----'_Director of Special Projects
Attachments: a/s
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 SUBJECT: OSP's NRO Quarterly Report on NRP Satellite Systems
Distrihution:
Cys 1 thru r - D/Recon(w/att)
S - D/OSP(w/att)
6 - DD/OSP(w/att)
7 - EO /OSP(w/att)
8 - C /]'AD/OSP(w /att)
9 - C/D&AD/OSP(w/D&11.D att)
10 - D/PRS/OSP(w/C att)
11 PD/
12 - RB 'OSP(w/att)
13 - RB/DD/S&T(w/att)t/
14 - PPT-;B Chrono File
DD/S&T /OSP/PAD / ?PBB ,
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QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT
SATELLITE SYSTEMS
1 July 1909 through 30 Stp em1er 1960,
A. J-1 System Status
1. Miss on 1052 (J-46): The last J-1 Payload was
successfully launched 22 September 1969. n iginally sc -%: auled
for 17 September, the launch date was slipped due to problems
in the vehicle command box and booster hydraulic system. The
slope programmer failed to start on Revs. ?' and 38, otherwise
all systems functioned normally.
2. The first and second recovery vel ides were
successfully recovered via aircraft on 29 September and
7 October 1969 i 3spectively. No significant 1 roblems were
ev4dent on either half of the mission. Preliminary evaluation
of the processed film from the first recovery indicated that it
was a normal J-.. mission take. An MIP of 8, was assigned.
'A Y
B. J'_3 System Status
1. Mission 1107 (CR 7) was successful ly launched on
23 July 1969. PET stated "The general image quality of the a.ft-
loo'._ing camera recu u is comparable to what was expected from
that instrument considering the operational aspects of the mission;
i. e. , altitude (100 NM vs. 85 nominal for J-3's) launch time and
the measured quality of the lens." The mission received an MIP
rating of 95. At Rev. 1 KODI, during the firs: operation, the
forward-1noking `nstrument (No. 115) f?.iled. The aft-looking
instrument continued to function normally. The DISIC Subsystem
operated satisfactorily until Rev. 282, at which time the system
jammed. %
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2. A thorough examination of all. available data resulted
in the probable determination of'the failure mode experienced
by the forward-looking camera; however, the actual cause is
still uncertai.:_i. Two possible causes have been hypothesized:
a. Film restriction or filn.. velocity reduction
at the shuttle input.
b. Film restilctio~ at the supply cassette.
As the actual cause of failure is unknown, no corrective action
is being taker. at this time. However, if future events provide
mcz e definiti\ e data currCction action will be considered.
3. Ei; aluation indicates that the most probable cause of
the DI SIC stwl.l. was a drag on both the stelh: r and terrain films.
Several areas are being investigated by Fa.rchild Camera ----.d
Lockheed' personnel. Their recommendati )ns are due '~;? mid-
October 1969.
C. Ultra Thin Base Film Usage in the Cp Camera item
1. CR-8 qualificatLh test. have ben completed. These
included,POGO vibration (3. 5 G's), acoust: c, and simulated
shock. All UTB film modifications were successfully qualified.'-
,Minor hardway e problems and questionable workmanship items
were noted. Corrective actions have been implemented for CR-9
and all successive systems.
2. The thermal/vacuum tests (des, ribed in the last
Quarterly) are. completed. Estimated rel.e?ase date of final
report is 15 October 1969.
3. The next UTB flight will be CR-11 (Mission 1109)
scheduled for 18 i,`ebruary 1970. The Dr. Aschenbrenner Grid
Test will be conducted on this system during environmental
testing. Based on acceptable results in future testing the
system will use a full load, 48, 000 feet, of TJTB film.
4. Al'hough it has con- ilete", its original acceptance
level vibration, CR-9 is currently being prepared for another
vibration test to ensure that corrective action has been success-
ful. See: I. C. 1. above. The vibration levels for this test are
being reviewed.
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 E. . ITEK, Bo ton, will refurbish CR-8 after its qualification
starting in early December 1969. The system will be returned'to AP
in September 1970. General Electric will refurbish the SRV's during
,the same time span.
5. Test of a low R.H. UTB film roll will be conducted
at the Boston ITEK facility. After drying of the roll, the film
;will be forwarded'to E. K. for respooling at normal tensions and
concurrent monitoring of static discharge. Upon return to
ITEK, a series of Dr. A.sc:'::enbrenner Grid Tests and evaluation
,of resnitant data will be accom7.5lisheci using CR-8. These tests
will determine: the effectiveness of utilizing; pre-dried film in
operational endeavors.
D. Proposals and Future Changes
1. CR--14 and subsequent systems will utilize . 040 inch
glass filters in the primary position. CR-8 refurbishment will
inrlude change to glass filters and is theref: re included in the
subsequent ca~~-egory. Additionally, it is planned to use a
.037 inch glass filter in the alternate filter po..,i:tion. This will
allow a small 'ocus adjustment luring on-orbit operations.
Film evaluate n of the A portion will allow selection of the better
focus during the B portion.
2. Srlices: The ultrasonic splice testing at AP is completed.
The test repol t will be released 20 October 1969.
F. A new CO. IONA flight schedule has uee:. approved. One flight
during the remainder of C. Y. 1969, four flights for C. Y. 1970, and five
flights for C. Y. 1971, The last CORONA flight is scheduled for November
1971.
G. To utilize more effectively Government
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NRO combined. Direction of
Photographic Reconnaissance Systems Office. Field direction to
N 1 CORONA ontractors is maintained by the West Coast NRO
project office present ty located at the A/P, with temporary office space
1 in building No. ~in the LMSC complex in S
unnyvale.
NRO
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Missions Cometed This Quarter
Mission No.
110,7
1052
Booster No.
69-038
68-300
Agena No.
1652
1653
Payload No.
CR--7
J-46
Instrument No,
314/315
216 /217
S. I. No,
SIN-11
D-110/111
Film. Type (Mair lnstrurlc-ts)
340.4 3404
Flight Date
24 July 69 22 Sept b9
Feet Payload F.own
32, 600 feet 32, 600 feet
Feet Payload R:covered
16, 570 feet 32, 600 feet
Recovery Date-
2 Aug 69
29 Sept 69
12 Aug 69
7 Oct 69
1. Missions Planned For Next Quarter
Date:- 26 November 1969
Mission 1108
Payload CR-9
J. Meetings and Briefings
1. PET rieeting for Mission 1107 was 'ield at NPIC
3-5 September 1969.
2. Special engineering review for Mission 1052 was
conducted by the SPD (Gen. King) at VAFB on 10 September.
The normal R meeting on this mission was conducted on
1- September a,. VAFB.
3. Missi.,n 1052 PET meeting.will be convened at NPIC
28-29 October 1969.
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MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, CIA Reconnaissance: Programs
SUBJECT OSP's NRO Quarterly Report o,i NRP SATELLITE
SYSTEMS
Attached for your consolidation into an overall CIA
Reconnaissance Report is OSP's NRO Quarterly Progress
Report. Two additional copies are attached for Dr. Flax
and General Berg, and one copy each of CORONA
is attached for forwarding to SAFSP.
Attachments: a/s
M7 w
c a tram aut9:n~;.a
tleyagral?a3 and
~OCiaS:itlt'.ll.'1
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Distribution:
Cys 1 thru
7
of
18 - D/Recon(w/att)
8
of
18 - D/OSP(w/att)
9
of
18 - DD/OSP(w/att)
10
of
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QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT
SATELLITE SYSTEMS
1 January 1969 through 31 March 1969
I. CORONA PROGRAM
A. J-l System Status
1. Open Items From Last Quarter
a? Agena Battery Failure - During Mission 1049
two batteries in the Agena power supply failed. The
most probable cause was internal battery failure. To
preclude the recurrence of this failure, more stringent
controls are being used during activation and final
checkout of the batteries.
b. Main Instrument Out-Of-Focus - The
imagery from J-50 was described as being "generally
out-of-focus. " The Payload Evaluation Team attributed
the anomaly to the higher. than normal temperature.
Action taken was to tighten controls concerning thermal
coating surface, stricter launch window limits, and
review of asce
t t
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emperatures.
2. J-43 Flight Summary
a. On 19 March 1969 J-43 (Mission 1050) was
successfully launched. On. Rev 22 T/M data indicated
that the Agena attitude control system was malfunctioning.
The failure mode produced a yaw rotation of approximately
one-half degree per second. The failure was attributed
to a malfunctioning vr.lve. Abnormally high consur.lptior.
of control gas required that the Mission be shortened
to four days. Successful recovery of both buckets was
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b. In the event of a failure of the primary
attitude control module the lifeboat system aligns
the vehicle with the earth's magnetic field by use
of a separate pneumatic control system.
c. Selected portions of the Mission past
Rev 22 were usable to some extent. These will
be duplicated and distributed to the users.
However, only fifteen percent or 990 cycles were
obtained before the malfunction occurred. This
significantly reduced the requirements satisfactorily
covered by Mission 1050.
B. J-3 System Status
1. CR-6 Summary
On 5 February 1969 CR-6 (Mission 1106) was success-
fully launched. Two important firsts were accomplished on
the Mission -- successful operation of the Digital Shift
Register Command System (DSR) and satisfactory performance
of the first non-gold thermal coating.
Immediately prior to the flight an extensive commanding
exercise was conducted. The exercise involved Vandenberg
AFB tracking station sending RF commands to a receiver /DSR /
TM transmitter breadboard installed in a contractor facility
at VAFB; the breadboard "looked'' to the tracking station like
an in-flight system. The exercise included all of the tracking
station /Satellite Test Center (STC) communications and T/M
verifications interfaces. The exercise confirmed confidence
in the DSR Command System.
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By the end of the first day of Mission 1106 the only
serious problem remaining with the Satellite Control Facility
was some inadequately debugged software in the Auggie
System (Auggie is a digital printout of selected T/M data
points). This deficiency caused bad data printouts at STC
for certain system parameters and contributed to our failure
to detect two wrong loads. The Auggie problem was fully
corrected for all stations by Rev 38.
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During the Mission several DSR anomalies
occurred. They are described below;
a. Two loads were wrong due to a DSR
shifting malfunction. The result was that all
operates on Rev 9 were moved south by
approximately 26 degrees; for Re,, 22 the
operates were moved south by approximately
40 degrees. Further testing is being performed
to define actual failure mode and recommend
corrective action.
b. One load was wrong due to an
improper procedure. On Rev 57 at the prime
command station the command load was sent,
but no verification was obtained. At the back-
up station, after verification was made, the
execute command was sent. After the pass,
T /M showed an erroneous word in the output
register, resulting in the shifting of all operates
26 degrees south.
This mode is normal when the load command
and execute command are sent at two different
stations and a T/M off brush occurs between the
stations. A change in procedure has been made
to preclude the recurrence of this problem.
c. One load was wrong because of a human
error; however, the denied area operation was
correct because of a fortunate brush sequencing.
d. Two loads could not be verified, and,
therefore, the emergency back-up command system
was enabled. The first occurrence was Rev 4 before
all stations had had actual experience with the DSR.
Immediate action was taken to adjust their command
verification voltage levels, and no recurrence of
this problem occurred.
The second case occurred on Rev 85; Guam's
STC Computer contact was lost during pass. The
action taken was to begin DSR loading as early as
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possible in pass. In addition, the tracking stations
practiced procedures for fast voice readback during
post recovery exercises.
In spite of the problems encountered during
Mission 1106, the flight is considered a successful
demonstration of the DSR System.
CR-6 was the first system to use the Mystic
aluminized tape instead of the gold thermal surface.
The new surface produced temperatures that were
both uniform and predictable.
Four subsystems failed during the flight --
the automatic V/H control, the automatic exposure
control, the aft-looking instrument, and the payload
tape recorder. These are described below:
(1) The V/H programmer failed to start
after launch. Proper V/H match was maintained
during the major portion of the mission by real
time commands. The cause was reasoned to
be an open circuit supplying current to an
oscillator in the programmer. Additional
cyclic testing and inspection of programmers
will be made in future systems.
(2) The automatic aperture control
(switch programmer) failed on Rev 22. The
proper aperture setting was maintained by
real time commanding with no serious
exposure errors.
Failure analysis indicated that a relay
failed to operate. This relay has a failure rate
of 0. 4 per 1000. Normal inspection and testing
will continue pending review of failure reports
on the switch programmer.
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(3) The aft-looking instrument failed
on Rev 105, approximately half way through
the SO-121 (color film) and approximately
86 percent through the total mission.
It is believed that a mylar splice
failed. Flight requirements necessitated a
mixed roll of 3404/SO-121. Mylar splices
were required because permacel splices
would have activated the Material Change
Detector (MCD) at each splice. Possible
corrective action is being reviewed.
(4) The "B" SRV recoverable tape
recorder failed. The vendor's failure report
stated that an oscillator failed. These
recorders were refurbished and the first such
to be utilized during a mission. During
refurbishment the oscillator was not replaced.
In future refurbishments this will be done.
2. Proposals and Future Changes
a. Glass Filters - CR-14 and up will use
glass filters.
b. Splices - A/P has started a series of
ultrasonic splice tests. The first series of tests
will be completed by May 1969.
c. A constant tension device is being
incorporated in future J-3 systems. This mod
should reduce tension transients during operation.
d. Itek is conducting special UTB test as
outlined by the UTB Task Team.
C. There exist only two J-1 systems; one of these will be
launched by the end of fiscal year 1969; the last one will be launched
in September 1969. Eight J-3 systems remain in house; one of the
above J-3 systems will be used in July 1969. Itek will deliver the
last three J-3 systems by end of the fiscal year. The last CORONA
flight is presently scheduled for May 1971.
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D. Deliveries to A/P
743R/744R
825/826
- February 1969
- February 1969
2. Main Instrument Delivery
S/N - IR 328/329 - March 1969
E. Missions Completed This Quarter
Mission No.
Booster No.
Agena No.
Payload No.
Instrument No.
SI No.
DISIC No.
DRCG No.
Film Type
Flight Date
Feet Payload Flown
Feet Payload Recovered
Recovery Dates
1106 1050
519 541
1650 1651
CR-6 J-43
312 /313 210/211
-- Dl13/114
6
627 611
3404 SO-230
5 February 1969 19 March 1969
29394/3404 32606/SO-230
2000/SO-121
29394/3404 24877/SO-230
911/SO-121
9/14 February 1969 21/22 March 1969
F. Missions Planned For Next Ouarter
Date
Mission
Payload
G. Meetings
14 May 1969
10 51
J-44
2. UTB Task Team met at A/P on 4 February 1969.
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3. Brigadier General Edward T. Podufaly was
given a CORONA Briefing and a tour of the A/P Facility
on 24 March 1969. General Podufaly is Commander of
the Army Topographic Command which has recently
been activated and assumes Topographic Command
functions.
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