ORBITAL/TERRESTRIAL STUDY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78B04747A001600050005-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 13, 2001
• Sequence Number: 5
• Content Type: STUDY

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the following personnel should be contacted:
1. In order to determine what instrumentation is necessary
JECT: Orbital/Terrestrial Study
2. Areas of particular interest would be obtained from TID,
PID, and PAG.
3. Correlation of all of the above areas will be made and from
data available the following 4ould be initiated:
a. Microdensitometer edge traces by estover
AFB or TID of NPIC s,
b. Refinement or revision of E. V. curves. 25X1A
4+. From accumulation of the above data the following is expected:
a. A change to or verificatior/of ramps (V/H settings) used
to obtain photography for the various systems.
b. Statistical data which will allow revision of the E. V.
curves for photography other than the present high altitude photography.
c. Accumulation of data indicating the correlation of the
system's transfer function in respect to resolution targets and measured
ground imagery. ~y Wft, R9&b
d. A useful key which would help in the photointerpretation
procedures when physical dimensions are measured on film under varying
25X1A
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DECLASS R
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SUBJECT: Orbital/Terrestrial Study
1. In order to determine what instrumentation is necessary
the following personnel should be contacted:
2. Areas of particular interest whould be obtained from TID
PID, and PAG.
3. Correlation of all of the above areas will. be made and from
25X1A
dataavailable the following whould be initiated:
a. Microdensitomet.er edge traces by
A , or TID of N'IC a r
b. Refinement or revision of
E. V. curves. 25X1A
4. From accumulation of the above data the following is expected
a. A change to or verificatiorbf ramps (V/H settings) used
curves for photography other than the present high altitude photography.
a. Accumulation of data indicating the correlation of the
system's transfer function in respect to resolution targets and measured
grourd imagery.
d. A useful key which would help in the photointerpretation
pro kedures when physical dimensions are measured on film under varying
en M 4M%3901/08/07: CIA-RD
to obtain photography for the various systems.
b. Statistical data which will allow revision of the E. V.
25X1A
 Approved For Release t 04G #$/( 7 IAr~f P $ 04747A0016,00050005-5
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RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
I. Introduction
It is the purpose of this study to provide answers to resolution,
acuity and ground truth problems which cannot be fully resolved from a
laboratory procedure. During the progress of the various systems develop-
ment, it has been the standard procedure to test the camera under controlled
laboratory conditions. This provided statistics for determining the
characteristics of the camera for known environmental conditions; however,
extensive operational.correlation of environmental and ground parameters
c~ r~c. ent'f ea~c~
has not been made. It is proposed that a- e e-Rbe -made for determining
the operational capabilities of the camera systems by evaluating photography
wi4Fk rCsret i
andrelating this. to specific data gathered from gound stations at the
instant of photographic exposure. This program will incorporate ground
stations, high altitude and orbital correlation for photographic" evaluation
of a number of missions. Essentially, the KH-4 system will be used Cafe
C0%fTra#ern -p r-a v t.j 4
the 112-A Pr~ a- 1 prow de high altitude photography ,-the same
camera type as used in the orbital system. In photographing ground targets
ith both of these systems, data will be collected to
determine the effect of ambient, high altitude and orbital environmental
conditions on the camera systems. his program would _ provide'criteri
by which photographic quality for varying operational conditions could be
predicted with great accuracy, It Uould also provide data for determining
film/camera capabilities, exposure .(requirements and processing procedure s
2.1. Purpose. Primarily, this program will provide data for determining
d
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i Lions In addit,ion,
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I. 14trodu6tion
Xi would be flown/in conjunction with programmed orbital missions.
Problems in resolution, acuity and ground truth cannot be fully
solved through laboratory testing. During the progress of the various
the 112-A configuration (same camera-type as in the orbital system).
and planned
A study is y proposed to evaluate the present operation capability of
the KH-4 System by relating its photography to specific ground data
gathered at ground stations at time of exposure. The program would be
based on a number of high-altitude missions with the C"'Camera used with
systems development, it has been standard procedure to test, camera'
under controlled laboratory conditions. This provided statistics on a
camera's characteristics in known environments; however, extensive
correlation of operational factors -- actual environmental and ground
n the proposed program, through fa~-a
photographing ground targets in domestic areas with both KH-4 and 112A
Systems, data will be collected and correlated on the effect of ambient,
high altitude and orbital environmental conditions on the systems.
.Data Collected a"r; n~ +ho rr - would provide criteria` for 6z C!!'C,- l
predicting image quality of both camera systems, under varying
the
R-IM c conditions. It will be possible to compare A modulation
transfer function of the orbital system with that of essentially the same
type of photography taken through 90% of the earth's atmosphere.
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an analysis of this`data will enable the prediction of-image quality under
varying ambient and atmospheric conditions., Tar bo+' `tz-A 8~ ~ a f sYS~er-.ws.
2.2. Scope. This program will a~be divided into two phases,
operational and support.
2.2.1. 1e `eration ase:willinclude the following:
2.2.1.1. Orbital photography- ~ d over- areas with the
KH-4 camera system.
2.2.1.2. flights usin the 112-A configuration to obtain photo-
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graphy of the same areas~~through of the earth's atmospher
2.2.1.3. Ambient data determined om?in tlrumentation at ground
f ~ 7 FL(Cf7 &A-r? I j r^lrera
stationsi,photographed by the orbital and fJlghts.
2.2.2. -T-?e pha N - W -nooprorate the" following pro's?ed'tarn's
2.2.2.1. Evaluation of all photography taken of the ground
stations by a group of photornterpreters.
4VNe e va k, a0ru '
2.2.2.2. Correlation of ground station data withAthe photography.
-ate
2.2.2.3. Analyses of the program.r-esulting in the ,establisb &it of
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tha criteria for assessor.t;Ir these and smilar missions.
2.2.3. It is anticipated that sufficient information cannot be obtained
Kt? from one concurrent attempt to obtain all of this data. Thin program
should be carried on until sufficient trends are established and accurate
prediction of the results of subsequent missions are made and are proven
valid.
REQUIREMENTS ry-6l.
3.1. Orbital Photo rahy. The programmed exposure of film over
Lest areas shall be made in the normal course of the KH-4 mission.
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To accomplish this it
,,necessary
kAow yth -6 the time and exact geographic
JIF%
location of the vehicle be ka M.. These factors will enable the planning of
uee=
is or comparison o the film from most of the previous k H--
missions
3.1.2. Camera calibrations and other statistics (such as slit width,
ramp setting, etc ) shall be recorded as a prior of the related data.
3.1.3. Orbital parameters such as temperatures, geographic location,
altitude and attitude will also be provided.
-.. Z ius~iat a-_oti J1CcLGeC1
- --. - _~z. necessitate correlation of,
the "Camera Calibration Log" and e phmeral data with any additional infor-
mation that can be obtained from the
processing and film-handling.
3.2.2. Camera calibration and other statistics(such as slit width and
.tt_ used in. the orbital vehicle.
3.2.1. Eastman Kodak film )+104 (so 132 shall beused.to--correspond
camera configuration is required? correlat systems c pability-
-appropriat&ly recorded.
3.2.3. A flight log shall be ke t i
p , temperature weather conditions,
ground velocity, attitude, course and "Z" time
deviations w-i1 be
scan rate shall be included in the report.
underflightsg the same time over the, 'a"'r"e a, Go nczyyfed
3.1.1? U Eastman Kodak film 4444o+ (SO 132) should be use
Company in regard to - I,-25XlA
3.2. High Altitude Photora.h is.a U-2 vehicle with a 112-A
3.2.4. Altitude of the photography will be recorded at the beginning
and termination of photographic paass,andwill be taken from 65,000 feet MSL.
3.2.! . iatz'~fre.c a` a~ ski l~ w~ l
A '~''P~'o.?x,~~r.a~c, }-n~?F o~ thy, ~ri~r~~ ~ veFcic(a...
3 .2.6 ?4d should be V`avuLi lable ~pp~w'o
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/flight log;,, camera data lo6j;and processing data reports)
3.3. Ground Stations. These would include appropriate areas along the
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flight path of the orbital vehicle which are,access,ble for set-up of
appropriate instrumentation and' ver bf objects of interest can be 3.3.1. Ambient data will be collected one hour prior to, during, and
one hour after the scheduled operational photographic missions. This data
tUf w V-10* nee e4s rs l be t,r.,~?ed 4-,
will include,,the following:
Spectral Reflectance
b. Sun angle
(1) . "Z" time
(2). /ate
(3) ,Geographic/Location
c. Gray s caleEquivalent of IT argets
d. Light intensity
e. Altitude
f. Barometric .14essure
G. 'temperature
h. Humidity
i. Atmospheric Conditions (raze, smoke, %1loud cover,
cloud type and wind velocity).
j. Dimensions (object sizes and shapes).
3.3.2. Densely populated areas provide a fy`
great variety ofsizes and
shapes,
Other measurements taken from roads, sidewalks, vehicles or
other appropriate objects can be made at any convenient time and incorporated
into the report. lbli ~r~-ar'y rnsta.ro, could vex b. vseoC /y
3.3.3. Sparsely populated and ppen areas can be used to determine
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low-contrast functions of the camera systemsjin addition to examinati,.af
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3.3.4. Areas to be designated for these surveys will be determined
at the earliest possible-,moment so that correlation of controlled con-
ditions can be made with the orbital photography. Photography taken on the
ground of buildings, roads, etc., will be used to supplement target
identification whenever possible.
a.._pno j-act--as extensive-as this.
or other service-_tis support. The number of instruments and -t,
m?mber o- personnel necessary may also impose limitations the
/fi~tt)! tea' F`
availability of commercial companies-that would .indicate an interest in
ground test areas such as densely populated, sparsely populated and open
areas, it may be more desirable to determine the availability- .f Air Force
~?o? ll field data accumulated as-Wr
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nnt__:under this project will become government ~ i -. property and w_- --not
be reproduced without-;fie consent of the project monitor.
all photography, fr
subjective evaluation by the photointerpretation teams.-
NPIC personnel.
3-4. 1,?round target areas
s_,
3.4. Photointer retation. A subjective evaluation of orbital and high --
altitude photography will be made by-an-effort cleared Air Force, Army and
-i,the actual measurements obtained rom the same objects in the field. Two
3.4.2. Measurements -will be made for images on he film % ;d compared
measurements should be made; one by the photointerpretation teams with avail-
25X1A - able equipment, and the other using Comparator or similar instrument.
B
oth measurements can e scaled and compar'i n made to the actual measurements
of the objects. X
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4. Conclusion
This study will provide data for an evaluation of operational photo-
graphy with sufficient collateral from hggh altitude photography and "ground
truth" values to determine with great accuracy the present capability of the
KH-4 system. In addition, it will be possible to produce valid conclusions
concerning the modulation transfer function of this system from orbital
photography and compare it to essentially the same type of photography taken
cx~ aG
through of the earth's atmosphp-re As._a--outgrowh of this study it is
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conceivable.-~~.~.-t-w~tr~c~~~-r
ced to determine '-factors #teh a tr~i' um ace~pfab e r~ -an le,t opt imum:__
.Processing 1 oce4ures. C 1.Y1P1^a .c ~i +i me 4-' r' C2_ ~l ~pv~
c,-& 4,'c- ?j y/ Tres e a c v r c/e i e/ 1
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m nt.aned camera/fi1m capability. `7e es!froC.S
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