PROJECT CORONA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85B00803R000100040060-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 17, 2006
• Sequence Number: 60
• Publication Date: August 31, 2004
• Content Type: MF

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TOP s m4,
Cox 0133
Copy .,Lof 8
29 August 19.58
122GRAN UM FORS Special Assistant to the Director
for Planning and Development
SUBJECTS Project CORONA
?
a
d on AY through him.
2. 1, .th reference to my memorandum of 29 July (COR 0461) and
your reply thoroto, it is reconraended that we now proco d to lay formal
requirements for weather studios. In this regard, it i recommonded
that Major Barnett be briefed on Project CORONA and th required tasks
b
1
.9
o
parai;raphs 20 iznd 71L.
1. The attached trip report is forwarded for your rnation and
117
any action you doom necessary. Your attention is spocific t
invited
3? will observe the next fir g at rape Canaveral
on appr mwly 14 o em or. The undersigned will, bserve the firing
following the one on 12 September. In order for bo of us to be thoroughly
familiar with missile launchings we will each observ a minimum of two
l
Atts COR 0132, Trip Report
1 - Adc1rossee
2 - Dar, REPS
3 - D0ps, DPS
4- Dir ', IPS
5 - Kiefor
6-So. }
25X1 7 ..
8 - Dir Mat, WS
NRO review(s) completed.
r a ons
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",Anhirws ea soon as it cai be arranged.
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is Wv za rnu ?.yaF.o`'V
COn 0132
Copy.-- of 8
29 August 1958
M, WW= 'OR THE RBCQRD
SQBJECTs Trip Report (CORONA. Progress Meeting)
1. The undersigned, in company with other menbere of the Headquarters
Staff, attondod the monthly progress meeting on CORONA. The trip was ex-
tended to include familiarization visits to the Lockheed Sunnyvale Plant,
the Lockheed (Stanford) RAO C Cooky(now known Missile Test
Air Force
Santa Cruz, and finally,
Base).
the progress mooting on
f 20 August-
i
,
ng o
On the morn
a. dovelo went of the CORONA load acka o was held at the Lockheed NRO 25X1
the Lockheed Pro ec
t this meeting
,
A
resented the Lockheed schedule and
p
? r , . , projected co.plntion dates of the various eystems and sub-systems involved.
of IT;EK, and finally, the represen-
He was followed by
tative from ranera ectr co tough throughout these briefings there
were indications of considerable design di.fficultieS, all contractors were
quite optimistic that all difficulties could be overcome in time to meet
the launch schedulo. A mock-up of the CORONA payload package was on display
and was very helpful to show how the various components are fitted into the
payload
stands
stay within tAll he weight aallows=o allocated and which presen4ly s
could stay
co
at 392 pounds.
b. The morning of 21 August was devoted to the progress report
of the WS 117?L program. Duo to seating limitation, only three of the
Headquarters party could be accommodated.
o. On the afternoon of 21 August, we visited the research facili-
ties at Palo Alto where we looked over the :S 117-L vehicle and pertinent
facilities at that location. ,; also visited the lar o Lockheed facility
at where most production will be done. At Lockheed 25X1
is installing an environmental test chamber which should be operational
within the next couple of weekks.
SE,RET
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ul u~rur.ff.
2
d. We next wont to the Lockheed Toot Site near Santa Cruz. It
is at an extremely remote site located in very rough country overlooking
the Pacific Ocean. This site is designed for static testing and chock-out,
e. On 22 August we traveled to Vandenburg AFB to look over the
facilities that will be used to fire our,vohiclo. The launch pads are
practically complete and should accommodate the firing soh?dule as presently
laid down. There is some rehabilitation and modification required to some
buildings that Lockheed is to use, but hero again (providing the work is
started coon) this should not cause any program slippage.
f. Certain technical, logistical, contractual and security items
were discussed and will presumably be enlarged upon by representatives of
those sections who were present.
2. Operational control procedures between Project Headquarters and
the Control Center at Palo Alto wore discussed in some detail with Col.
Sheppard from MW and Lt. Col. Matheson, who is the newly assigned commander
of the Palo Alto Control Center.
a. The Palo Alto Control Center will have operational control
of all firings at Vandenburg and will be responsible for coordination of
all activities concerned during the countdown, while in orbit, ar;d for
triggering all facets of recovery. Any operational control p~p?oduros,
and/or directives which emanate from Project Headquarters regarding launch
schedules, delays or cancellations must be transmitted to the Palo Alto
Control Center for compliance,, with possibly an info copy to 131W. This
twill require establishment of a Project communications link at Palo Alto
which should be operational on approximately 1 March 1959, providing the
present firing schedule remains valid.
b. Col. Sheppard stated that weather and atmospheric condition
forecast requirements for launch, recovery and monitoring o orbit have been
placed on the proper agencies. This is a requirement co:nmo~Ito all satellite
launchings and will be common to all, launchings from VandenWr . However,
he has not placed a requirement for cloud. cover forecasting oiIclimatological
studies for the target areas, as he had boon given to undorst d that this
could be provided by Project Headquarters. It is emphasized that the various
weather factors involved will make timing of launch a much more difficult
decision than presently applies to CHALICE operations, even though almost the
same eat of conditions must be considered. Due to the relatively more criti
cal effect that launch and recovery area weather will have on the complete
success of a COIWNA sortie, it is apparent that the period during which all
the various factors will be favorable will, be considerably less frequent.
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-3to
c. Regarding operational control procedures between tho Palo
Alto control Contnr or BXD and Project Headquarters, it had boon tentatively
agreed that Col. Sheppard for MID and the Operations Section of Project Head-
quarters would initially propsuro separate proposals. After this, there will
be a meeting between Col. Sheppard and Operations to resolve any differences
as may effect one activity or the other. Offhand, it is expected that the
operational control massages Mich will emanate from Hear: uartors will be
less numerous and in loss detail. than the present ~series.
d. Arrangements are being made with the Air Force and the Navy
for physical recovery of the exposed film, 25X1
Arrangements regarding handling and dolivery, of
the exposed film from the recovering unit to the processing site must be
worked out. As the recovered capsule with the exposed unprocessed take
will probably be delivered to the processor without opening, its size may
dictate that it come back by military air. However the technicalities
involved should be resolved with Lockheed end ITHK.
3. Col. Sheppard mentioned on several occasions his opinion that Project
Headquarters should have some one individual become thoroughly familiar with
launchings and the difficulties which occur during countdown. He felt that
this individual should witness at least two launchings from Cape Canaveral
and the first one or two launchings from Vandenburg. He statod his opinion
as being based on the fact that there are usually numerous technical diffi-
culties which occur during countdown, but are usually correctable, sometimeo
at a calculated risk. He felt that with this person being aware of the
difficultios which do arise during countdown and with the calculated risks
which are introduced by unproven corrections, that this individual will be
in a better position to properly advise Project Headquarters regarding the
probability of the successful launch, orbit and recovery. His main concern
in this respect was that during countdown and in the face of what appears
to be serious difficulties that a launching would not prematurely be cancelled.
o
4. As presently planned, the reconnaissance satellite will have an orbit
time of 88 minutes. In order to obtain maximum terrain coverage of the USSR,
Lockheed is desiring to launch, on a 163? orbit. During one day's operation,
the vehicle will make seven photographic orbits over the USSR. The perigee
of the orbit is expected to be approximately 140 miles over the target area.
This will afford an approxiznate'.280 mile photographic strip on each orbit.
This will give photographic coverage of approximately one third of the target
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area each day as succeeding orbits will be approximately COO mil?a apart
at 50? north latitude. `.here is some question as to whether range safety
will permit a 1630 launching at Vandenburg as this brings the launching
close to they populated areas of southern Californiab If the.163? launching
is not porcnieaable, it is intoned that it-bo a 180 launching. This coma
promise would reduce the photographic coverage to some degree, the exact
amount of which bao not boon calculated this time.
zl~ 5. In order to resolve the various operational aspects involved, the
following matters should be dealt with as soon as possible.
a. The formal requirement should be laid on Atia to produce
climatological cloud cover studies of the USSR. This study should be
directed toward determination of the incidence when it can be expected
the greatest percentage of the USSR would be lose than 25~ cloud covered
at maximum sun angle time. The results of these studies can be used as
a general guide for determining what months of the year are most favorable
forphotography, both with respect to cloud cover as well as acceptable sun
angle. This requirement can be laid on AT:'S as a requirement from, CHALICE
Headquarters. This study could serve as a basis for possibly revising tin
present firing schedule which runs consecutively fro a March through Ngvember
1959.
b. Operational control procodures should be developed betwoen
NO, Palo Alto control Center and Project Headquarters. A draft of these
procedures and message formats are in work and will be'coordinated with
Col. Sheppard and L/C Matheson.
c. Communications link should be established in the Palo Alto
control center to be operational approximately two weeks prior to the first
scheduled launching.
d. A Project policy should be developed setting forth the minimum
amount of acceptable photography which would be sufficient to justify the
satellite launching. In this respect, a chart showing predicted orbit paths
over the USSR is being drawn up. These paths will be projected over the
present target map to portray the numbor and rolativo importance of targets
which will fall within the predicted photographic strips. mien received,
the climatological cloud cover study can further be applied to this to give
a general idea of approximately how many targets can be covered on a given
sortie, using both a one and a t'o day in-orbit time.
D/DCX
2 .. Dc air, DPS
D~ re
Deputy Director Opera ions
7. V
k }~ 4~ x a~ .+
Lis D&P, BPS
25X1 5 . * Ref Ar
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