MAPPING, CHARTING, AND GEODESY REQUIREMENTS FOR (Sanitized)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79B01709A000500030011-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 28, 2004
• Sequence Number: 11
• Publication Date: January 24, 1966
• Content Type: MF

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24 January 1966
MEMORANDUM FOR: United States Intelligence Board
SUBJECT: Mapping, Charting, and Geodesy Requirements
1, That portion of the intelligence community concerned with.
problems of mapping, charting, and geodesy is going through a revolu-
tionary period as a result of;
a, Increasing IJ> S, needs for mapping, charting,
and geodetic information ir.~ support of new weapons systems
and other changing military requirements; and
b. The receipt of large quantities of data :From
programs that can be
applied against these incre~~,sing requirements.
c, The potential for achieving a significantly
improved worldwide geodetic- system made possible by the
development of earth satellites for geodetic purposese
The collection programs conducted'. to date have provided substantially
complete coverage of the SinoaSoviet bloc and approximately nine million
square miles of terrain outside of i:he bloc that can be used to provide
DIA and NRO review(s)
completed.
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accurate cartographic detail for -small and medium scale maps and
charts. In addition to this m~.pping and charting information, it is
anticipated that the information already collected will permit by 1968
the refinement of geodetic locational data on targets in the Soviet bloc
to an error of approximately
2. Against this background of rapidly changing needs and
the acquisition of large volumes of new data, it is necessary to set
forth a new statement of requirements in support of mapping, charting,
and geodesy that must be fulfilled by satellite collection systems.
These requirements are directly related to U., S. military needs insofar
as they can be predicted for the 1970 period. The principal points of
these new requirements are;
in the Sino~Soviet bloc, bui; a solution of the problem of world-
wide geodetic accuracy requires photo coverage of a large portion
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of the world outside of the ;3ino-Soviet bloc in order to
provide the necessary data to improve the World Geodetic
System as well as relating these targets to the World
Geodetic System.
b. There is a need to acquire photography
with improved ;geyfor the production of large scale maps
for military purposes and t:c- provide the required high
relative accuracy within local areas in order to support
the operations of tactical missiles and artillery in large
hitherto unmapped portions of the world.
c. It is not ~.ntiicipated that all of the mapping
and charting information ccillected can be used during the
time period under consideration. S i n e e ,map production
is a vera,T time consuming process, it is urgent that adequate
photographic coverage be obtained well in advance of military
contingencies that may arise anywhere in the world. It will
also be necessary to update this basic map coverage from
time to time.
3. We believe that the requirements outlined above can be-met
in a timely manner by the satellite; reconnaissance systems that will be in
operation during this time period, provided that certain relatively minor
modifications a.re made in the next generation of system design now before
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the. design becomes fixed, We are not familiar with all of the problems
that may arise in connection with t;he design of advanced satellite recon-
naissance systems, but we have discussed with representatives of the
NRO a number of the design features that might be introduced for mapping
and geodesy. A number of the technical needs for mapping, charting, and
geodesy can be accomplished in x-r~ore than one -way. These various tech-
nical points and possible tradeoffs a-re discussed in greater detail in
Annex A. As mentioned above; it is our intent to state requirements in
such a way that they can be fulfilled by general purpose reconnaissance
systems provided that certain technical featLlres can be incorporated in
these systems. On the other hand., we recognize that unforeseen problems
in system design may arise which would make it' impossible for agiven -
reconnaissance system to satisfy Yooth the requirements for intelligence
reconnaissance and the requirements for mapping, charting, and geodesy.
We' have requested the NRO Staff to advise us at the earliest possible date
if such a situation should arise- in order that we might review our require
menu and make appropriate recommendations in support of a separate
system for mapping, charting9 and geodesy requirements.
4. Recommendations: It is recommended thato -
a. USIB approve the requirements set forth in
paragraph 3 of Annex A and forward this paper and Annex A
to the NRO for their use in. considering mapping, charting,.
D
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and geodesy needs at an early point in the design of satel-
lite reconnaissance systems to be flown in the 1970 period.
b. The NRO advise CO MGR at the earliest
feasible date of any unreconcilable problems that might
arise which would prevent 'the use of general purpose
intelligence reconnaissance; systems in fulfilling mapping,
charting, and geodesy requirements.
.airman
Comrnitte~e on Overhead Reconnaissance
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