BACKGROUND PAPER FOR INFORMATION OF CIA OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES ON THE PARTIAL USE OF NRP ASSETS FOR CIVIL APPLICATIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T01137A000300020001-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 29
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 4, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Content Type: REPORT

I- v Al 0- ~-7 P7 7
LA~IP4-111 '-" ~
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/04: CIA-RDP80T01137A000300020001-5
Background Paper for Information of CIA
Oversight Committees on the Partial
Use of NRP Assets for Civil
Applications
The attached paper indicates a long series of activities
within the Executive Branch to use National Reconnaissance
Program (NRP) assets for civil agency applications. Over
the years these activities have involved the Bureau of the
Budget/Office of Management and Budget, the President's
Science Advisor and the former Office of Science and
Technology, the Department of Defense and the Central
Intelligence Agency who operate and use the bulk of the
data furnished by the NRP, and several civilian agencies.
The Director of Central Intelligence has exercised his
statutory responsibilities in connection with these efforts.
These activities are based on the obvious opportunities
to conserve U.S. resources on the one hand and to separate
scientific and technical capabilities from the intelligence
purposes for which they were developed and make them
available, insofar as possible, for additional purposes -
in this case, civil applications.
The results, we believe, are impressive. While
Mapping, Charting and Geodesy (MC$G) activities, beginning
with the military and to a lesser degree civilian MCF;G,
are quite vast, the remainder of civil applications has
not yet developed to its full potential. However, there is
 an 0MB study now under consideration to extend civilian MC&G
use of NRP assets. Also, there is current activity to make
NRP products more available to the civil agencies based on
a recent Presidential decision to selectively decontrol
certain NRP products.
This development has not been without its difficulties.
The tough security compartmentations of reconnaissance
activity for several years has been a handicap to making
the product available for full U.S. civil benefit.
Professionals in the civil agencies could not "publish" in
their fields. Distributions of NRP material could not be
widely made throughout the civil agencies field echelons.
The non-interference with intelligence missions did not
allow all the coverage desired. And, very importantly, the
NRP systems are designed for intelligence purposes in terms
of scale and resolution. Further, they do not emphasize
all the characteristics, such as other parts of the spectrum,
required for all civil uses.
A further comment for the benefit of those who read
this would be that insofar as U.S. resources or costs are
concerned a few points should be kept in mind in considering
civil use of NRP assets. 44i-e- satellites are n11 orbit,
rly a dd1o ?.{r//.y,.,?f I yt'/:; t j
the U.S.^^~?` ^F the as they circle the globe. Also,
"engineering passes" supportive of the intelligence
cS e_ pA.3, eS
mission use film over the U.S. Thus, insofar as t
satisfy civil purposes, the cost is minimal as most of it
 would be spent in any event for the NRP intelligence
mission. The expense in film used over the U.S. for
non-engineering passes (civil use) is only slightly more
as the system expense is already provided.
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/04: CIA-RDP80T01137A000300020001-5
I
The NRP and the MC$G Community
The 1950's saw the development of the NRP manifested
in the U-2 aircraft overflights beginning in 1956 and sub-
sequent successful CORONA satellite mission in 1960. The
Army's Engineers were very much involved at an early date
with the use of NRP products in their MC$G activity. In
1960 they established a division in AMS to use U-2 photo-
graphy and later satellite photography. A budget was pro-
vided for a series of ARGON satellite missions occurring
in the early 1960's (flown under DISCOVERER cover and
{
administered like CORONA). Zhey ontracted with
for support in exploitation. Army
RFD funds established a Project 25 which employed ARGON
satellite imagery (DAFF) of Africa.
The original ARGON imagery was targeted at the Soviet
Union for the purpose of obtaining exact geodetic fixes
and an extension of datum planes throughout the USSR. The
proper basic orientation was military MC$G. Nonetheless
it was apparent that some civilian MC$G needs could also
be met by the NRP. The Bureau of the Budget issued a staff
report, dated June 30, 1962, titled "Survey of the Federal
Domestic Cartographic Activities, Requirements, and Organiza-
tion," - listing 36 federal agencies which were significant
producers or users of domestic maps and charts. Included
were the USGS, C&GS, Census, Forestry Service, Stabilization
25X1
25X1
 and Conservation Service, Agriculture Soil Conservation
Service, TVA and AID.
Following this 1962 BOB staff report and with military
MC&G clearly an established user of NRP, the BOB in 1965
again entered the picture by requesting a DoD study of the
application of NRP imagery to civil agencies' MC&G, -
including the security aspects. A report was submitted
entitled "Study for BOB of Potential Applications of DOD
MC$G Data, Systems Techniques and Equipment to the Work of
the Civil Mapping Agencies," December 1965. The report was
SECRET with one volume TK-controlled. Following this study,
the USGS obtained a budget for establishment of a TK
facility at Reston for its use of NRP imagery and use by
other civil agencies.
During this 1950's $ 1960's MC&G activity, it became
clear that there were rather extensive civil uses for NRP
imagery in a variety of fields extending beyond classic
MC&G. To examine these and provide for them, the President's
Science Advisor called upon the DCI, Deputy Secretary of
Defense and the civil agencies to join in this effort.
The effort became known as ARGO and is the subject of the
next section of this background paper which constitutes
the major substantive exposition of a variety of the civil
applications.
 A quick perspective of mapping coverage provided by
the NRP can be seen in these figures: (both military and
civil) (am not sure this is practical or wise at this point,
particularly as we would involve data of other agencies.)
Following the consolidation of the Department of
Defense Mapping activities into the Defense Mapping Agency
(DMA) an 0MB directed Federal Mapping Task Force, established
in 1972, reported in.1973 regarding consolidation and
coordination among the civil agencies mapping functions.
They also made recommendations regarding the increased use
of NRP material.
 Policy
This section on policy could be very long and detailed
if it covered all policies relevant to all NRP activities
and possible civil applications thereof. Suffice it to say
here that the activities of the NSAM 156 Committee through-
out the 1960's is a very involved experience in the foreign
policy and security aspects of satellite reconnaissance,
including a complex investigation in 1966 of the policy
implications of NASA's systems upon the NRP. This 1966
review was undertaken at the request of Shultz (Director,
BoB and Hornig (Director, OST) to Rusk (Secretary of State).
H OWCV&f' 0
This sectionAwill be limited to reference -te-selected
policy matters which should be kept in mind in the civil
applications field.
Concern with "domestic affairs": Four restrictions appear
in the National Security Act of 1947. They concern police,
subpoena, law enforcement and internal security. A fifth
area seems to have been added^- "domestic affairs" - and
one reads and hears legislative suggestions such as 'add
one word foreign to legislation involving intelligence
activities' and finds great concern on this point in such
documents as the DCI's nomination hearings. Certainly,
there must be a way to consider reconnaissance systems as
available for civil applications. These systems are
commonly "owned", represent great expense, and should be
at the service of civil applications to the extent that
 sources and methods are protected where necessary and intel-
ligence priorities are met. Certainly, we, in the foreign
intelligence field, are familiar and would agree with any
U.S. interests by whatever intelligence technique. However,
M cL(nn .'te I
that should not preclude the application of these,,systems
to civil functions, where possible, under civil agency
requirements.
"Competition" between NASA and NRP:
A "grey" area seems to exist between these two programs
in terms of both present and future systems. That area
involves "economic intelligence" and "civil applications."
This situation has many analogies in all areas of intelligence.
It would seem that any civil collection program-? con-
tribute "overt" data to intelligence and any "covert" or
34o.+~d~ Id4s-.t Jet -.'{~9 .r %~
"clandestine" program .eet- ,,contribute their data to civil
programs. The probability of a "system mix" involving just
civil applications requirements and the two collectors
might be one early order of business for any new intelligence
community and civil agency interface.
2., CI CoWd.+7 f'~ ?~` L?~o.bli,'~+`t3 Jl.taJS tNi~~+=.J
Intelligence Community PolicyAon Civil Applications:
There might be need to assure a single point of NRP
contact on civil applications (one office or one officer).
This would include the civil agencies' contact respon-
sibility on requirements - also, on state-of-the-art matters
 asd th NASA1involving both scientific and tehcnical assistance
and protection of sources and methods. Any NASA-NRP "systems
mix on civil requirements" should be included. It would
also help policy coordination if the same office/officer had
cognizance of space policy matters, such as NSAM 156, NSSM
72 and relevant proposals and issues from whatever quarter.
 BACKGROUND PAPER ON USE OF
NRP ASSETS IN CIVIL APPLICATIONS
(Developed for use in support of the DCI especially as he
may deal with Congress and the public in this area of civil
applications)
Introduction
The development of the4tJRP)in the 1950's to meet
national air and space intelligence reconnaissance needs
A~-
n~_= i to use these capabilities
has been paralleled by a r
for military and civilian mapping and, eventually (mid-1960's),
also support other civil applications represented by the
functions of several U.S. civilian agencies.
Early in this NRP development, the Corps of Engineers
began the examination and application of the NRP's air
and satellite imagery for MC$G purposes. By 1965, in response
to a Bureau of the Budget request, the Department of Defense
o-id wa~J.d/,r.,..,r/$y4 /tn sfWAPcuss#ts,
prepared a study of U.S. civil agency MC$G activities.. As
a result of this study the Department of Interior, U.S.
Geological Survey, budgeted for and received funds to obtain
a facility for common use of NRP imagery by the civil
agencies. From this early MC&G activity using NRP imagery
came an expanded interest in additional uses of the imagery
for civil applications in general.
 I
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/04: CIA-RDP80T01137A000300020001-5
To meet this general civil applications need by
further defining it and preparing appropriate procedures
the President's Science Advisor in 1966 requested the DCI, 11-
Deputy Secretary of Defense and vil agencies to examine
the question. The result was an in-depth study, called ARGO,
showing extensive detailed civil applications' potential for
NRP NRP i.1 Also, there was provision A in 19681 of an ARGO
Steering Committee, chaired by the Office of Science and
Technology under the President's Science Advisor, which
brought the intelligence community together with the civil
agencies. The ARGO committee continued until the abolition
of the President's Science Advisor's office in 1973 and
A very significant number of'
t4on occurred under the ARGO committee's auspices and a
review of this work will constitute the major portion of
this background paper. During 1973 and 1974 planning has
been going on to establish a new relationship between the
NRP, NASA and the civilian agencies, replacing and improving
the earlier ARGO committee arrangement and providing for
the NRP and NASA systems interface.
 Throughout this period, there have been many policy
problems. These include international aspects of space
policy, security of systems, and some problems of conflict
between security and maximum use. Much of the policy
involves the international implications of U.S. use of
space for intelligence reconnaissance, primarily in terms
of potential Soviet posture and, increasingly, other
foreign national interests. In 1962, President Kennedy,
in NSAM 156, requested the Department of State to organize
a committee of themselves, and representatives of Defense,
DCI, NASA and ACDA to make recommendations. The 156
Committee reported and NSC Action 2454 on space policy was
approved. Since then the 156 Committee has taken certain
actions and recently has again been faced with requests for
policy recommendations. Whether the form of 156 Committee
will continue to be employed or another form set up is a
current (April 1974) question. Meanwhile, on November 23,
1973 the President declared "the fact of " U.S. satellite
reconnaissance would be removed from its special controls
and held at the SECRET level. This decision included
decontrolling some of the products and information and should
further ease the use of NRP materials by the civil agencies.
 ^
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/04: CIA-RDP80T01137A000300020001-5
The current situation can be described briefly as
follows: Based on the foregoing historical sketch of the
use of NRP assets in MC$G activity and related civil applica-
tions and the development of U.S. space policy, it is now
apparent that new arrangements involving the NRP and the
civil agencies are in order. This is important as questions
involving NRP future systems mix are raised and the pro-
vision therein for civil applications is considered, -new
determinations of requirements for civil applications are
developed,- a new interface, succeeding the ARGO committee,
is prepared, - a new potential increased use of NRP is made
possible by the recent (Nov. '73) decontrol of "the fact of"
U.S. satellite reconnaissance and concurrent partial pro-
duct decontrol,- reviews and clarification of the use of
intelligence assets including the NRP are made, particularly
as they may affect the non-intelligence sectors, and the
examination of the way in which the NRP and NASA contribute
to meeting civil applications draws closer. Important
throughout this period will be a thorough understanding of
these factors by all concerned in the Executive Branch and
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/04: CIA-RDP80T01137A000300020001-5
A Major Examination of NRP Products and Civil Applications -
Project ARGO
In November 1966, the Special Assistant to the President
for Science and Technology took action to begin a formal
study of the use of classified photography by civilian
agencies. With the approval of the Director of Central
Intelligence and the Secretary of Defense, and in concert
with the Departments of Agriculture, Interior, and Commerce,
the Agency for International Development, and the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration, a plan was developed
and "Project ARGO" began in July 1967. The objectives of
the study were to evaluate the information content of the
existing photography as it would apply to various physical
resource surveys and to determine whether it could be used
to meet some current needs of the civilian agencies; also,
to develop within the civilian agencies a cadre of people
who would understand the photography and exploitation tech-
niques and who could then assist their agency in making
use of the photography and in planning for future systems
and applications; and last - to determine whether the
existing systems could yield information of operational
value to AID about the less developed countries.
The study was performed by a team of scientists and
engineers from the participating agencies representing the
disciplinary interests of Agriculture, Geology, Hydrology,
Geography, Marine Sciences, Map Products, and Engineering.
 Advice and technical assistance were provided by the CIA and
DoD through NPIC, DIA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and
Army Map Service. The U.S. Army Engineer Topographic
Laboratories served as contract monitor
which provided fully cleared
office and laboratory facilities, technical support, and
consulting services to the participants. Administrative
coordination was provided by a steering committee, composed
of the senior members of each agency team and chaired by
the Office of Science and Technology.
The project extended over eight months during which a
total of 2,178 satellite photographs were used. This photo-
graphy was acquired by four reconnaissance satellite systems
using six camera systems which included the KH-4 panoramic
and index cameras, the KH-5 camera, the KH-7 strip and index
covered South American areas where AID had special interest,
and areas in the United States where good collateral data
was available. In South America,specifically, one area
consisted of about 30,000 square miles that included parts
of Chile, Peru, and Boliva. A second area consisted of
about 20,000 square miles of eastern Boliva, and a third
area consisted of some 70,000 square miles, mainly the
estuary of the Rio de la Plata in Argentina and Uruguay.
 Using KH-4 panoramic and KH-7 strip photography of
the South American areas, the ARGO investigators performed
detailed empirical analyses with each participant inter-
preting the imagery for specific information relating to
his discipline. Using the KH-5 and index photography from
the KH-4 and KH-7, erformed a regional study 25X1
for the entire 1.2 million square mile area. Attachment 1
lists the sites in the United States which were the subject
of direct disciplinary or operational interest. On the
basis of comparisons with data from other sources, assess-
ments were made in regard to the accuracy, completness,
and usefulness of the information derived from the satellite
photography. A synopsis of the results is provided in
Attachment 2.
 The study results were not directly synergistic since
the participants evaluated the photography from the
perspective of their special interests and experience.
Other limitations were that the photography was from sys-
tems designed for intelligence purposes and not necessarily
optimized for the resource disciplines, either from the
standpoint of spectral capability, format, resolution,
or the frequency and timing of coverage. Secondly, the
participants were selected for their training and experience
in their various disciplines and not for their knowledge
of satellite systems technology. Third, the team members
had incomplete access to cost information and were not
expected to derive alternative system costs. Thus, their
conclusions about utility are subject to qualification in
terms of a full cost benefit analysis.
There were a number of topics about which most of the
investigators were in agreement. There was general agree-
ment that the intelligence systems could be useful to
CIVIunN
current agency operations. The participants were careful
to qualify this conclusion, however, by noting that the
degree of this utility will depend on the cost of
exploitation and on the limitations that security classifi-
cation might place on the handling of the information. In
regard to the cost, it was generally assumed that the bulk
 of the system operation costs would be borne by the intel-
ligence community but it was recognized that exploitation
costs would have to be defined and considered for each
potential application. Opinions about security limita-
tion varied according to the applications envisaged and
the current operating procedure of the agency. Where current
procedure makes wide distribution of the photography
itself - as in the ASCS ? or example - security poses a
serious problem unless the agency procedures can be modified.
On the other hand, where only a few people need access to
the photography or where only derived information is
distributed, security may be no problem at all.
Most of the investigators found that color enhances
the value of the photography to a considerable extent.
In general, the team was not prepared to make
categorical statements about the value of various levels
of resolution. Many of the investigators were impressed
by the vast area synoptic view provided by mosaics using
the low resolution index cameras and its value as a basis
for regional planning for the identification of areas for
which more detailed information might be desired. At
the same time, most of the specific applications that were
identified by the team made use of the higher resolution
KH-4 and KH-7 systems
 The investigators were generally reluctant to give up what
they considered a major advantage of satellite photography -
large area coverage. Although the KH-7 gave more detailed
information because of its higher resolution, most authors
considered the KH-4, which is a panormaic camera with large
area coverage, to be a better system for most of their
purposes.
Most investigators discussed how the timeliness and
frequency of coverage affected its usefulness and expressed
opinions which varied widely according to the particular
application and interest. Some interests were served by
exploiting the photography already on hand. Most required
new coverage targeted for particular areas and at particular
times. Many required repetitive coverage and timeliness.
For example, the geographer felt he could use the imagery
presently on hand as a data base with which to compare
future worldwide coverage for the study of long term effects.
The hydrologist can use existing photography for delineating
flood plains, but wanted repetitive coverage six times
annually for snow cover determination and flood forecasting,
and on-demand coverage for flood damage surveys. All
natural disaster evaluations require timely on-demand coverage,
but the geologists can use one-time KH-4 coverage for the
study of the world's fault system as an aid to the understanding
 of earthquake mechanisms. The point was made that "Agriculture
is dynamic in that plant and soil conditions are constantly
changing." Crop acreage, yield estimates and estimates of
stress would require scheduling of coverage during specific
periods of the growing season. For forestry applications
such as land use dynamics and timber depletion, annual
coverage would be desired, but for forest inventories,
coverage every five years would suffice. Oceanographic
studies, such as those involving polar sea ice, may require
only one time coverage for water balance studies but
perhaps weekly coverage for optimum sea ice monitoring.
Coverage for chart revision may only be needed at five or
tea year intervals.
All authors considered the TK systems to be only a
portion of the complete family of tools needed to perform
a task or to provide information at some required level of
specificity. They point out that the satellite materials
should not be expected to solve all problems nor to replace
the need for alternate sources of information.
 TOP - /?AFF
PHA - SUMMARY OF AREAS AND SUBJECTS INVESTIGATED
2. Sierra Nevada Mt.. Range
Flat Head Lake
3. Phoenix, Arizona Area
4. Merced County, California
5. Cape Cod, Mass.,
State of Rhode Island
New England
Grand Canyon
Petrified Forest
Montgomery Co., Maryland
Lower Rio Grande Valley
7. Inyo County, California
Boulder County, Colorado
North Central North Dakota
Sitgreaves National Forest
King and Snohomish Co., Wash.
Land use trends, hydro studies, comparisons
of conventional and satellite photos, land
use planning, forestry.
Snow studies, seasonal comparisons cloud
structure, runoff estimates.
Resolution/distortion, acreage measurement
Crop acreage measurement, conventional/U-2
comparisons
Area studies and sensor comparisons, forestry
Soil, forestry
Resolution/soils
Geology
Forestry
Sensor comparisons, forestry
Flood analysis
N. W. Territories of Canada
Red Sea
Grand Exuma Island, Bahamas
Northern Coast of Spain
Elliott Bay Shoreline
Seattle Area, Washington
Cultural Features
11
Geography
Land use, land patterns, agriculture use
Urban dynamics, water and land pollution,
archeology.
Ocean surface features
Ice and current flow direction
Current phenomena
Water depth and penetration
Usefulness of color photos
Hydrographic chart revision
Sensor comparison
T?P SECRET RUFF/DAFF
10. Taiwan, La Paz,
Lake Milluni, Altiplano,
Achachicala, Chuquiaquillo
S. W. Utah
Palisade, Colorado
Washington, D. C.
Santa Cruz
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/04: CIA-RDP80T01137A000300020001-5
TOP SECRET RUFF/DAFF
The Information Content of the Photography
The papers presented in this report have been prepared by engineers and
scientists who studied the classified satellite and aircraft photography from the
standpoint of seven different resource disciplines. Although the investigators
all started from a common source, they viewed the information content and the
potential usefulness from the perspective of their special interests and experi-
ence. Their results are therefore not directly synergistic and any attempt to
summarize them presents some difficulties. However, the authors have made some
rather explicit points about the uses and limitations of the photography and for
the reader who will not be able to read more than just this summary, it seems
important to bring these to his attention. For the reader who can afford to spend
additional time, a condensation of each author's paper follows this synopsis.
For those who wish to follow and understand the analyses in detail, the complete
papers and the supporting photography and overlays appear in Volumes II, III and
IV.
photography as applied to nis background. In general, as a first step in his
evaluation, each author selected categories of information which his experience
indicated were of general or special interest to his agency's operations or to
his discipline, and for each category evaluated the ability of the current
photography to provide all or part of this information.
All authors considered the TK systems to be only a portion of the complete
HBweyer,_thes?o llowwg?abstreact-s-are~representat.ia e-e+the~inf 0-ma4ion~es i ies
expected to solve all problems nor to replace the need for alternate sources of
~aphy.as-dese-rwibed"tij-tkFe CR> ~"tnvesEVgat~r
SyNOflIS of . RESUc.rc /~Tl/ ~N/fl" I
Agriculture (Plants and Soils)
Wne of the current panchromatic photography has sufficient
information content to be useful for determining plant disease or insect infesta-
tion. t All evaluated photography shows vegetative patterns and land use
features. Coverage at the appropriate time of the year can show detailed patterns
such as differences between standing crops and bare fields. In regard to crop
yield, KH-7 can distinguish windrows of harvested crops and
t3= parameters like this may be useful in making crop yield predictions. No
conclusions about standing crop identification or differentiation between standing
crops were drawn from the study of the TK photography since timely coverage was
not available which would permit collateral verification of species. However,
other experiments have shown
that it is possible to differentiate between some standing crops of different species.
Page 20 of 95 Pages
Copy ii of 30 Copies
TOP SECRET RUFF/DAFF
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/04: CIA-RDP80T01137A000300020001-5
TOP SECRET RUFF/DAFF
Agriculture (Crop and Land Use Measurements)
use of mathematical rectification makes it possible
to obtain the required accuracy for crop acreage measurement in the U. S. with
the KH-7 strip, although its li ted area coverage limits its usefulness for
the purpose. tt_ r.t 99MR the KH-4 panoramic photography, again through the
use of mathematical rectification, can provide 1% accuracies which meet domestic
requirements for fields of 20 acres or more in size. In foreign areas, where
less collateral data is available and fields are not always so favorably shaped
for measurement purposes, accuracies of about 5% can be expected for fields of
20 acres or more.
Agriculture (Forestry)
stinguishing commercial forest land from non-commercial
forest land is generally beyond the capabilities of all but the KH-7 strip photo-
graphy, but tilt the separation of vegetative areas from non-vegetated areas can
be accomplished even with the index photography. Forests can be distinguished
from other vegetation with KH-7 strip and KH-4 panoramic photography. The best
resolution of KH-7 strip approaches the minimum required for interpreting components
of stand description data. Wildlife management tasks are generally not feasible
with any current systems.
Agriculture (Limitations and New Development)
Severe erosion is easily observed on the TK photo-
graphy, but moderate and slight erosion is difficult to detect; the same situation
is true for salinity. o4gricultura1 information obtained from
the KH-4 panoramic photography can be used to good advantage by the planner to
delineate areas for development and to permit the concentration of field sampling
in selected areas. .
Map Products
7 index frame photographs from the KH-4, 7
and the KH-5 photographs have little or no value in the geodetic sense in the
United States. However, -in some areas of thel world where
____
round con
ol or
o
tr
little o uo g
to establish an extensive network of photogrammetric control which has a air
internal relative accuracy and can provide provisional control.
memxza~ ,qaps at various scales are currently being, compiled using
the satellite photography, and planimetric and topographic maps prepared by the USGS,
Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management, etc., could be revised and updated
with base materials provided by satellite photography.
he geologic information extractable from the DAFF and
index photography is so small in amount and so generalized that this photography
has little value as a primary source of data. however, flCeo.
the KH-4 panoramic and KH-7 strip photography provides good information for the
-12-
Page.21 of 95 Pages
Copy i4 of 30 Copies
TOP SECRET RUFF/DAFF
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/04: CIA-RDP80T01137A000300020001-5
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/04: CIA-RDP80T01137A000300020001-5
TOP SECRET RUFF/DAFF
geologic understanding of landforms, drainage patterns, anomalies, and physiography
and would be useful if aircraft coverage were not available, or for worldwide
examinations of special geologic features such as fault systems.
KH-7 strip photographs compare favorably in information content with aircraft
photography but that KH-7 has no real advantage in width of coverage; and that
KH-4 panoramic trades something like 25-30% of the geologic information content
of conventional photography for much more coverage. Because of this combination,
KH-4 panoramic more useful to geologists than the other TK systems.
400- ^ I$ CONSIDERED
TOP SECRET RUFF/DAFF
T/,e
AKH-4 panoramic photo-
graphy can be used for broad water resource planning, for cartographic delineation
of flood plains and, when supplemented with KH-7 strip, for some aspects of de-
tailed water resource development and conservation planning. /Kowever, 9110 space photography cannot in all cases compete with aerial photography,
if available,and cannot replace the need for field investigations or detailed
water-resource development and conservation. SM;ZM ;,1L1(-4 has sufficient
resolution for sea ice reconnaissance and 11M a combination of KH-~
could be used for snow coverage measurements, flood prediction and water management.
MMNMWM All existing photography provides usable information for cloud
formation studies.
Geography and Cultural Features -
he KH-4 panoramic photography can be used for preliminary
engineering surveys and route selection, and S the KH-7 strip photography could
assist in determining possible hi hway river crossings and selecting possible
dam sites. kg= 'Yo varying degrees, all TK photography has some
utility in cartography and in contributions to the physiographic description of
the earth's surface. The KH-4 panoramic photography is excellent for thematic
mapping and provides good information for land use dynamics and determination
of climatic zones by inference. In contrast, the index and DAFF photographs have
only marginal utility for thematic mapping, and essentially no utility for urban
analysis, air and land pollution studies or determination of climatic zones.
Oceanography and Hydrography
=t is not practical to perform marine biology and
chemical oceanography studies with any of the current systems. The DAFF and
index photography is not useful for marine geology studies, for measuring near
shore or subsurface currents, for determining length and direction of wave -
pagation, or for subsurface topographic contouring. However, ^H-4
panoramic and KH-7 strip can measure ice coverage and ice movement, and a YG ToSSrnLY
these systems could a}'~ in studies of ocean water currents
and wave motion. 4lCH-7 strip has sufficient resolution
to be used for revising nautical charts of harbors and other coastal areas.
Regional Studies
fie six geoscience overlays (drainage, engineering
geology, vegetation, surficial materials, surface configuration and landforms, and
Page 22 of 95 Pages
Copy Iq of 30 Copies
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/04: CIA-RDP80T01137A000300020001-5
TOP SECRET RUFF/DAFF
climatology) prepared for a 1.2 million square mile area from DAFF, Index-4 and -7
photography were, in many cases, superior in overall detail to published small-
scale geologic maps, USAF Operational Navigation Charts, and National Intelligence
Survey reports. DAFF photography provided marginal information and was used
primarily as a gap filler for areas not covered by the index materials. The
very general information resulting from regional studies is greatly enhanced by
ground truth and sampling with higher resolution photography.
Potential Agency Uses
Having determined the information content, each author considered specific
ways in which this information might be used by their agencies. Highlighted below
are those which seem to merit special attention for additional study.
Foreign Crop Acreage Measurement for Department of Agriculture
1'reresults of the ARGO studies and of other related experiments WERE lfprvED
to the Department of Agriculture's need for data about foreign crop yields and
0010 the following conclusion &AS pRAWN?
"There is a difference in utility for domestic as opposed to foreign applica-
tions even though the same information reo'aired? In most cases, if not all,
this basic difference is the amount of available ground truth and detail required
in the U. S. versus the limited ground truth and the importance of.less detailed
information in foreign countries. Along with detail goes accuracy of measurements.
In the U. S. we have accuracy requirements of ? 1% on some crop acreage measure-
ments. However,where we do not have acreage control programs the accuracy of our
own data is considerably less. In most foreign countries accuracy on the order of
10% would surpass anything presently available in agricultural statistics. Iverson's
results indicate that such accuracy is possible with the KH-.4 system... The USDA
has a vital interest in foreign agriculture. Each year the Secretary of Agriculture
has the responsibility of acreage allotments to U. S. farmers for certain crops.
Most of these crops are involved in our export market. Information about the
worldwide situation for these crops and especially about our major competitors
would be invaluable data. The ability to make identification of these crops with
some degree of reliability is critical to the assessment of regional agriculture
production. The ARGO authors were able to differentiate easily between standing
crops and plowed fields. In addition, on some of the photography they were able
to detect textural and tonal differences between different standing crops. Other
work done by USDA from Gemini photos substantiates this capability... With regard
to identifying what those crops are, there is a distinct difference between being
able to identify species from the photography alone and being able to.identify
species on the photography using collateral data... The major food crops of the
world, their geographic distribution, their harvesting methods, their climatological
requirements for planting, sprouting, full growth, and harvesting are all known
parameters. Using these collateral data, the current satellite photography permits
us to monitor this evolution, to measure the acreage and predict to within a certain
degree of accuracy the potential yield. A statistically valid sampling procedure
for these countries could be employed to reduce the data handling to manageable
Page 23 of 95 Pages
Copy 19 of 30 Copies
TOP SECRET RUFF/DAFF
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/04: CIA-RDP80T01137A000300020001-5
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/04 : CIA-RDP80TO1137A000300020001-5
TOP SECRET RUFF/DAFF
From the findings ppf tthe AR inv stio tors and frpmhe results of work
!A . e//ww. cdm A SIM w 5 PR~1 W ~t
done elsewhere, S7"' about t ti$ pho ography's potential utility
to AID for agricultural assessments, population estimates and as a base for fiscal
estimates and tax assessment formulae.
"The ARGO study shows that acreage measurement of areas under cultivation is
feasible from satellite photographs, provided a small amount of additional infor-
mation obtained directly from the ground is available. The technique has been
refined to a point where some degree of differentiation between crops is feasible,
permitting selective measurements by crops. The degree of accuracy of acreage
measurement required in the U. S. is not essential for AID purposes in less
developed countries. As noted in a recent analysis by USDA's Economic Research
Service, present inaccuracies in LDC [less developed countries] crop estimates
often exceed 30%, so there is little question that satellite photography such as
KH-4 and KH-7 can provide significant improvements. What is insufficiently known
at this point is the amount of supplemental 'ground truth' information required
to achieve a stated level of accuracy in crop and acreage estimates."
2. Population Estimates
"Based on tests over U. S. areas, remarkable demographic estimates have been
obtained from aerial photographs augmented by limited ground sample information.
These estimates have covered a variety of dwellings and urban configurations.
They have included estimates of net population size, changes in population size
due to migration and changes due to the birth and death process. All are of
interest to AID. The full extent to which satellite photography and photointer-
pretation techniques may be used in the LDC's remains to be determined; but
vast improvements in demographic estimates can be expected. This would constitute
a major breakthrough in an area of vital concern to AID and other donor organiza-
tions, as was underscored by the President's Science Advisory Committee's report
of May 1967 on the World Food Supply which states that "There are not recent
censuses for many Asian, African, and Latin American countries... (For example]
'Pakistan's population, according to one estimate, was undercounted by nearly
8 million (7.6 percent of total population) in the census of 1961... Of even
greater significance to a study of..the future relationship of population and
..food supply is the rate at which the population is growing. Unfortunately,
estimates of present growth rates for much of the world are of doubtful reli-
ability or are simply not available..."
3. Tax Base Information
"Satellite photography, covering very large regions, or in some cases, entire
countries, constitutes unique source material for arriving at fiscal estimates of
income under various tax assessment formulae. Whereas individual properties, except
for very large holdings, could not be positively identified on such photography,
areal measurements of current land use can be extracted. Applying assessment
.criteria to the various classifications of current land use would permit national
estimates of potential revenue to be computed quickly. Since few or none of
Page 24 of 95 Pages
Copy fill of 30 Copies
TOP SECRET RUFF/GAFF
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/04: CIA-RDP80T01137A000300020001-5
TOP SECRET.RUFF/DAFF'
the LDC's are covered completely by aerial photography, there are no means of
developing, realistically, estimates on revenues that could accrue from a
national real estate tax program. Such evaluations would, furthermore, locate
areas of greatest potential income from real estate taxation which could be
realized by initiating a bona fide fiscal cadastral survey employing large-scale
aerial photography at which time individual property ownership would be determined
and land recordation accomplished."
X-I 4/AS RECO#sme O mar'
4 For each of these areas a "live problem" be studied
to more precisely define the accuracy with which these tasks could be accomplished.
Snow Coverage Measurement
_fnow coverage in the mountain areas is presently
measured by the Soil Conservation Service, the U. S. Weather Bureau and the Forest
Service by means of ground measurement and some aircraft photography. "These tech-
niques are costly and time consuming; more accurate data are desirable for flood
and water yield forecasting. By using KH-4 pan photography it should
be possible to gather this needed information on a rapid and timely basis." As
an example of this application the authors referred to the problem faced by Cali-
fornia during the late spring of 1967. "Late storms had deposited record snow
depths and water equivalents for so late in the year. Daily forecasts of snow
melt and long range outlooks of total water-remaining in the snow pack were called ..
for... Very limited data were available and daily or even weekly ground surveil-
lance was almost impossible to obtain. So, very rough estimates had to be made
based on very sparse data. As a consequence, a considerable amount of water was
wasted by being released to run to the sea which could have been stored if more
accurate data had been in the hands of the forecasters..."
Another example refers to the problem often faced in the plains areas of the
Midwest when a heavy mantle of snow is deposited. "Limited- observations of snow
depth and water equivalent hamper the preparation of adequate river forecasts-
in cases where rains combine with rapid warming to melt the snow in a very short
period of time. This snow melt water contributes materially to the total runoff
and has many times resulted in disastrous local flooding which is largely un-
predicted. Good high resolution photography over large areas which would be
available from space vehicles could provide information to assist the flood fore-
caster in his evaluation." At the same time the authors caution that "a careful
study which compared efficiency, costs, etc., of space systems photography to high
altitude airplane photography must be undertaken prior to making any decision about
the merits of obtaining such information from satellites."
Domestic Forest Survey for the Department of Agriculture
~s a data source, the KH-4 and KH-7 system imagery
does not measure up to the conventional aerial photography currently being usedr
at Separating forests from other major vegetation is~,~,Po able but moderately
difficult with KH-4. Fii photography and air-
craft imagery can supplement each other to give more effective use in forestry
applications. As an example, 11 - the nation wide forest inventory program,which
is conducted by the Department of Agriculture), "if KH-4 panoramic
Co ucb ,w,T&RIALL/ -GN'NGE
-16-
Page 25 of 95 Pages
Copy 0 of 30 Copies
TOP SECRET RUFF/DAFF
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/04: CIA-RDP80T01137A000300020001-5
TOP SECRET RUFF/DAFF
imagery were made available on an annual basisi
The land use base could be updated and trends easily identi-
fied. Most timber depletion could be pinpointed and efficient sampling procedures
developed."
Water Resource Planning ReGAADeD
iS
he KH-4 panoramic photography as being a
good data base for water resource development flans such as those developed by
the Soil Conservation erice, the Bureau of Reclamation or the Corps of Engineers.
he Gcartographic delineation of flood plains, as is frequently
done by the U. S. Geological Survey, the Soil Conservation Service and the Corps
of Engineers is one of tie immediate uses to which existing KH-4 pan
material could be put.
Other Applications
Se/&RNL ~N~FSri~aT~RS
A number of other uses are also mentioned. ,
-W agree that the KH-4 panoramic and higher resolution systems would be
useful for sea ice studies, monitoring and forecasting. The hydrologists conclude
that one-time coverage of all ice areas would provide data for more accurate deter-
mination of the global water balance, and weekly coverage would provide data on
sea ice conditions and forecasting which is of great interest for commercial oper-
ations.
"i. M_bwddm Fne low resolution of current weather satellites
precludes their use ffr detailed study of cloud structure and small storm systems.
Ti-, _96-RIVER rTalent-Keyhole photography could open up wide vistas in these
studies a. This data should be exploited as soon as possible. WAS REGDMHE.UDED
the use o ho opraphy4for provisional geodetic
control of developing countries #su "geodetic control data
cannot be obtained in any other manner in an acceptable time frame."
?tisting KH-7 strip imagery could find practical use
in the revision of shoreline and land features of the U. S. Coast and Geodetic
Survey charts.
'fidhi~.. 1 KH-4 panoramic supplemented by KH-7 strip coverage
would be useful for urban analysis, land use analysis and transportation studies.
t..dex photography can be used for
regional studies involving landforms, general-land use and drainage. '-'~w4 1 i~' 56acflAL
Df r-. r -- 7 concur on the usefulness of ~NUEs1i~70~
DAFF, index and KH-4 panoramic
base.
Page 26 of 95 Pages
Copy It? of 30 Copies
TOP SECRET RUFF/DAFF