Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Volume III, National Security Policy; Arms Control and Disarmament, Microfiche Supplement

445. Memorandum for Killian¹

Washington, March 26, 1959

SUBJECT

• Recommendations by Panels on High Altitude Detection and Seismic Improvement

The following recommendations were made by the Panel on High Altitude Detection:

1. We recommend that direct responsibility be assigned for continuing detailed engineering study of the nuclear space test detection system including laboratory development of instrumentation. We should like to emphasize that this need is independent of any pending decisions on the status of the nuclear test program.

2. We recommend that more detailed measurements of space radiations should be incorporated in the satellite and space-probe schedule than are now planned.

3. We recommend that a study be undertaken to consider the detection system (including satellites) required to obtain information on Soviet space tests for intelligence purposes if such tests are legal.

4. We recommend that a brief study be initiated immediately to analyze the compatibility of the missiles and pay-loads considered in this report.

The following principal recommendations are drawn from the reports of the Panel on Seismic Improvement:

1. Steps should be taken to initiate a research program in seismology directed toward the fundamental problems involved in the detection and identification of underground tests. While this program should make use of existing private, university, and government laboratories, it should be viewed as a single package, centrally directed and funded and reviewed by an appropriate advisory committee of scientists.

2. Steps should be taken to initiate a “system development” program, including development of new equipment, actual field trials of significant elements of the system and the planning of operational procedures. Responsibility for “system development” should be assigned to a single, central laboratory.

3. An experimental test program should be undertaken immediately to obtain data under different environmental conditions and to test theories on the possibilities of concealment. While many of these tests can be carried out with HE, complete evaluation probably cannot be made without nuclear explosions.

1. Source: Recommendations by the Panel on High Altitude Detection and the Panel on Seismic Improvement. Secret. 2 pp. Eisenhower Library, White House Office Files, Additional Records of the Office of the Special Assistant for Science and Technology, Disarmament-Nuclear-Hi-Alt. Misc.