REVIEW OF OFFICIAL INFORMATION IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN CONCERNING US SATELLITE RECONNAISSANCE PROGRAM (SAMOS)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP66R00638R000100150018-8
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 26, 2001
• Sequence Number: 18
• Content Type: REPORT

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OSD DECLASSIFICATION/RELEASE INSTRUCTIONS ON FILE
REVIEW OF OFFICIAL INFORMATION IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN
CONCERNING US SATELLITE RECONNAISSANCE PROGRAM (SAMOS)
PART I
The following information concerning the SAMOS reconnaissance project
has been officially released or acknowledged, and is a matter of public
record. This information has been summarized from an extensive re-
view of unclassified, official US Government documents, official press
releases and public speeches of highly-placed Government officials, both
military and civilian; and encompasses the period from 1959 to the
present.
A. Organization and Management.
1. Original development of satellite reconnaissance program
beyond study stage was identified as Air Force Weapons System 117L.
Program was transferred to Advanced Research Projects Agency in 1958,
wherein WS-117L was broken into components called Discoverer, SAMOS,
and MIDAS. These three projects were transferred back to the Air
Force in November, 1959.
2. The unique management structure established for the SAMOS
project in September, 1960 i. e., Secretary of the Air Force (Dr. Charyk)
direct to field office (General Greer) at El Segundo, California, has been
released. Key personnel of present management ve been identified.
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3. Prime contractor, associates and major sub-contractors
have been identified.
B. Nature, Importance and Priority of Program.
1. SAMOS has been identified as a reconnaissance satellite
project of highest priority and importance to the United States being
developed to provide the US with a world-wide surveillance capability.
C. Level of Effort.
1. Program funding for Fiscal Years prior to FY 63 are a
matter of public record. (Example - FY 60, $160M; FY 61, $273. 8M;
FY 62, $276M,) Year-by-year level of effort, therefore, can be ascer-
tained up to FY 63.
D. Estimate of Operational Date.
1. While no specific estimate of operational date has been released,
the following quote from Page 35, DOD Appropriations Bill 61, Senate
lepcirt #1550, 10 June 1960, is significant. "...At the funding level
ret ommended in the budget, it is reported that an operational capability
will accrue late in calendar year 1963. The additional $83, 800, 000
recommended herein will make it possible to reduce the risks now inherent
in the program by increasing substantially the number of research and
2.
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"development launches and by accelerating the program so that an
operational capability could be achieved by as much as a full year
earlier... "
E. Technical Details.
1. Vehicle.
a. Atlas/Agena configuration.
b. Many details of booster and second stage have been
released, such as weights, thrust, guidance, manufacturer, etc.
c. Additional details of basic Agena vehicle have been
published since it is also utilized in the Discoverer Program.
d. Discoverer Program has been identified as contributing
directly to SAMOS through component testing.
2. Facilities.
a. Tracking and data read-out stations have been identified
although not as to individual station capability. (Vandenberg California;
New Boston, New Hampshire; Kodiak, Alaska; Kaena Point, Hawaii.)
b. Satellite Test Center (STC), Sunnyvale, California, is
known as tracking and control center.
c. Recent construction of additional satellite tracking sta-
tions at Thule, Greenland and Annette Island, Alaska, while not publi-
cized, are known.
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3. Technical Approach and Objective.
a. That both photographic and electro-magnetic recon-
naissance capability is being developed in SAMOS has been repeatedly
stated.
b. Electronic read-out of data from orbiting vehicle has
been acknowledged.
c. Objective has been stated "To place vehicle in 94-
minute polar orbit which will enable the system to view the entire
surface of the earth. " Further, that orbit will be as nearly circular
as possible.
F. Launches.
1. The initial three launches of SAMOS vehicles were identi-
fied as such, and publicly announced. They were:
a. SAMOS I, 11 October 1960.' Did not achieve orbit.
b. SAMOS U, 31 January 1961. Launch was successful
and confirmation of orbit was made to the press. Orbital parameters
were furnished and have been continuously reported in unclassified
Satellite Situation Reports since that time. It is currently in the United
Nations Registry.
c. SAMOS III, 9 September 1961. Unsuccessful - Exploded
on the pad.
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4.
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2. In each of the above cases, a fact sheet containing con-
ridsrable information regarding. vehicle and proposed launch was fur-
nished to press agencies, examples of which are inclosed. (Inclo-
sure 1)
3. Subsequent launches have not been identified other than by
vehicle configuration (Atlas/Agena).
G. Results.
1. No statement has been officially released indicating whether
or not there have been any results obtained from any satellite recon-
naissance flight.
5.
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