NSAM 156 COMMITTEE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79B01709A002000050005-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 17, 2005
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: June 30, 1971
• Content Type: MF

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IWO' UNDER SECRETAR TA
FOR POLITICAL AF'I-AIRS
WASHINGTON
TOP SECRET
June 30, 1971
25X1A
HANDLE VTA ~~CON`I'ROL SYSTEM
MEMORANDUM FOR: Defense - Mr. David Packard
Mr. John McLucas
CIA - Mr. Richard Helms
NSA - Dr. James Fletcher
ACDA - Mr. Philip J. Farley
White House - Mr. Henry A. Kissinger
Dr. Edward David
NASC - Col. William Anders
SUBJECT: NSAM 156 Committee
I am enclosing a memorandum of June 24 from Henry
Kissinger together with a self-explanatory memorandum of
May 20 from Jim Fletcher.
To review this matter and prepare;a response for con-
sideration by the principals, a staff-level meeting will
be held on Thursday, July 8, at 10:00 a.m. in the conference
room adjacent to room 7244, the Department of State.
I would appreciate your designating>an appropriately
cleared member of. your staff to attend this meeting. The
name of your representative should be provided in advance
to Mr. W. E. Gathright (State Department telephone number
632-71009), who will serve as chairman of the meeting.
Enclosures:
No NSC Equities As stated.
NRO, NASA and State TOP SCRT!:T
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THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
25X1A
TOP SECRET/ June y24, 1971
UECEIVED
DGPARTMCNT OF STATE -- INR/RCI
The attached letter from Jim Fletcher suggests a fresh
look at our policies on earth sensing space technologies
to see if any changes are in order.
In view of our expanding programs in the area, you may
wish to convene your 156 Committee to review these
matters.
Warm regards,
The Honorable U. Alexis Johnson
Under Secretary for Political Affairs
Department of State
Washington, D. C.; 20520
Attachment
25X1A
TOP SECRET
2
JUN 211971
A- M pry
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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
WASHINGTON, D.C. .20546
Honorable Henry A. Kissinger
Assistant to the President
for National Security Affairs
The White House
Washington, D. C. 20500
Dear Dr. Kissinger:
`MAY-2 0 1971
In our letter of April 14, 1971 we requested
approval for unclassified design and procurement of an earth
terrain camera for possible use on Skylab in 1973. I
recognize that such an approach may be taken to represent a
de facto change in policy, and that you and your Committee
may not wish to take such an action without an extended review.
It does appear to me .that the national policies controlling
the deployment of earth sensing space technologies, last
examined in detail by the 156 Committee in 1966, should.be
thoughtfully reviewed again in the near future. As foreseen
in 1966, the international',.and internal environment has
evolved over the past-five 'years, the technologies related to
earth observation are advancing dramatically, and the recog-
nition of the potential values of space systems for civil
applications has-grown world-wide. It seems to me certain
that continuing civil earth and ocean surveys from space are
inevitable, first for research and later for operational
missions. We must therefore consider the overall policy .
framework within which these capabilities should be developed.
In Skylab, we propose.to carry an earth terrain camera' that
will return photography for civil earth resources survey
investigations that is expected to have a measurable ground
.resolution of between 10 and 20 meters. This quality is
better than the currently-accepted policy limitation of 20
meters that was laid down in 1966 but,. is required for selected
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geological survey investigations and for the kind of inter-
comparison studies desired by the office of Scy.ence and
Technology. ^+ i .
,The problem we face.today is one of schedule and leadt.ime.
In order to meet the engineering schedule for the Skylab
'workshop, we need to initiate lens procurement and detail
installation design no later than the end of May if we are to
meet the electrical system test scheduled for August. Delay-,
ing initiation until the fall results in higher costs and
higher risks of failure, both of which we wish to avoid. We
want to carry out our contracting on an unclassified basis;
classified contracting would cost more, would interfere with
the management of the whole rest of the unclassified Skylab
program, and would highlight undesirably the existence of a
U. S. imposed constraint on civil R&D programs.
We need appropriate authorization to proceed with unclassified
development of the earth terrain camera. We recognize that a
policy review might result in a decision not to acquire data
of the quality expected from this camera; in that case, we can
arrange its removal from Skylab prior.-to flight without
perturbing the program. On the other hand, without a procure-
ment go ahead, we would lose the option to acquire 10 to 20
meter experimental earth resources photography,as part of
Skylab.
I therefore propose to authorize the unclassified procurement
and installation design of the earth terrain camera at this
time, reserving any public announcement or commitment to flight
opera-'Lions until the policy issues have been resolved. I would'
appreci'ate your agreement with this course of action which,
though not ideal, is made necessary;, by engineering-schedules.
Sincerely,
Administrator
'James C. Fletcher
- ; '
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