MISSION INFORMATION POTENTIAL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78B04558A001800130009-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Sequence Number: 9
• Content Type: CABLE

Approved For Release 2008/05/01: CIA-RDP78BO4558AO01800130009-0
T 0 P R E T 021904Z
rain ) W ZI
OUT514 I'S
0882 S
CS
ACL
CORONA M/J
CFr
p~
SUBJECT: MISSION INFORMATION POTENTIAL p
r~r
1. RECONNAISSANCE PHOTOGRAPHIC MISSIONS ARE FLOWN TO RECORD'
INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION. THE DETERMINATION OF WHETHER OR NOT
THIS HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY ACCOMPLISHED ON ANY GIVEN MISSION,
AND THE DEGREE TO WHICH IT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED, IS A VERY
CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC, AND MAY VARY SHARPLY DEPENDING ON THE USER,
HIS EXPERIENCE AND EXPECTATIONS. NONETHELESS, IT IS FELT THAT
SOME SUBJECTIVE MEASURE FOR DETERMINING "SUCCESS" IS REQUIRED.
NOW THAT SEVERAL CORONA MISSIONS HAVE BEEN VIEWED AND WE HAVE
ESTABLISHED CERTAIN FEASIBLE EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS PHOTOGRAPHIC
:25X1
SYSTEM9 HAS ADOPTED A SET OF ARBITRARY VALUES TO EXPRESS 25X1
THE RELATIVE DEGREE OF "SUCCESS" OF EACH MISSION. THESE ARBITRARY
VALUES ARE NOT LIMITED TO TERMINAL VALUE, BUT CAN BE EXPANDED
AS THE SYSTEM IMPROVES. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY ARE NOT BASED ON
100, BUT MAY GO BEYOND 100 AS NEEDED. IN ESSENCE, THESE VALUES
WHEN PLOTTED AS A GRAPH GIVE A GRAPHIC PICTURE OF: (1) APPARENT
INDIVIDUAL MISSION INFORMATION POTENTIAL, (2) THE RELATIVE -SUCCESS-
OR INFORMATION POTENTIAL OF ONE MISSION TO ANOTHER.
2. THESE VALUES ARE DETERMINED SUBJECTIVELY, AND REFLECT
THE BEST APPARENT PHOTOGRAPHIC QUALITY FOUND WITHIN THE MISSION,
EVEN THOUGH IT MAY BE LIMITED TO A FEW FRAMES. IN OTHER WORDS,
lOP SECRET
Excluded 1125X1 etlc
Excluded ff
downgrading and
deciassiticatlon
Approved For Release 2008/05/01: CIA-RDP78BO4558AO01800130009-0
 Approved For Release 2008/05/01: CIA-RDP78BO4558AO01800130009-0
a,
THIS IS CONSIDERED THE MAXIMUM POTENTIAL OF THE MISSION IN
QUESTION - HENCE THE MISSION'S INFORMATION POTENTIAL (NIP). THE
NIP DOES NOT INDICATE THE SUCCESS OF THE MISSION IN TARGETS
COVERED.
3. ON SUBSEQUENT
CABLES THE NIP FOR "M" AND "J"
EFFORTS WILL BE INCLUDED UNDER "REMARKS". IT MUST BE REALIZED THAT
THE NIP VALUE ASSIGNED AT THE TIME OF THEQ 42 IS THE
EVALUATION OF AN EXPERIENCED ANALYST BASED UPON A VERY QUICK
REVIEW OF THE MISSION. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT UPON DETAILED STUDY
THIS VALUE WOULD NEED ADJUSTMENT, ALTHOUGH TO DATE THE INITIAL
NIP VALUE HAS REMAINED VALID.
ENUMERATED BELOW ARE NIP VALUES AND ASSOCIATED DATA FOR PRIOR
MISSIONS:
MISSION
CAMERA TYPE
FILM TYPE
NIP
9009
(SEE NOTE)
1
1188
20
9013
2
1188
30
9017
2
SO 130
45
9019
2
SO 130
45
9023
3
SO 132
65
9022
3
SO 132
65
9025
3
SO 132
55
9028
2
SO 130
50
9029
3
SO 130
70
SO 132
75
Approved For Release 2008/05/01: CIA-RDP78BO4558AO01800130009-0
 Approved For Release 2008/05/01: CIA-RDP78BO4558AO01800130009-0
9031 4 SO 132 70
9832 4 SO 132 85
9035 4 SO 132 75
9037 4 SO 132 80
9038 4 SO 132 85
9039 4 SO 132 85
9940 4 SO 132 75
4041 4 SO 132 85
9044 4 SO 132 85
9043 4 SO 132 85
9045 4 S0 132 80
9047 4 SO 132 80
9048 4 SO 132 80
9050 4 SO 132 80 (12 FILTER)
85 (21 FILTER)
9051 4 SO 132 80
9053 4 SO 132 90
9054 4 SO 132 80
NOTE: 1 C
2 C PRIME
3 C TRIPLE PRIME
4 C TRIPLE PRIME SQUARED.
T 0 P S E C R E T
END OF MESSAGE
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Approved For Release 2008/05/01: CIA-RDP78BO4558AO01800130009-0