Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–1, Documents on Global Issues, 1969–1972

271. Letter From the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Johnson) to the Chairman of the European Space Conference (Lefevre)¹ ²

Washington, September 1, 1971.

Dear Minister Lefevre:

This letter is in response to yours of March 3, 1971 concerning possible European participation in post-Apollo space programs It sets out our current views on the matters of consequence which were involved in our discussions this past February and in September, 1970. It overtakes my letter to you of October 2, 1970.

I regret that it has not been possible to respond to you earlier. We felt that our mutual interests would be served best if we took sufficient time to review our position carefully in the light of your letter and of events since our discussions in February. As I stated during those discussions, our ultimate views on most of these matters remain contingent on choices yet to be made in Europe as to the measure and character of European participation and on further development of our own plans for post-Apollo programs.

Since we have understood that the matter of greatest concern to the European Space Conference is the availability of launchers for European satellite projects, we have reviewed our position so as to meet the concerns expressed in your letter and during our earlier discussions. Our new position in this regard, described in the numbered paragraphs below, is not conditioned on European participation in post-Apollo programs. I believe it should provide a basis for confidence in Europe in the availability of US launch assistance. Specifically:

(1) We recognize the concern of the European Space Conference with regard to the availability of launch assistance for European payloads. In this respect, US launch assistance will be avail-able for those satellite projects which are for peaceful purposes and are consistent with obligations under relevant international agreements and arrangements, subject only to the following:

(a) With respect to satellites intended to provide international public telecommunications services, when the definitive arrangements for INTELSAT come into force the US will provide appropriate launch assistance for those satellite systems on which INTELSAT makes a favorable recommendation in accordance with Article XIV of‘its definitive arrangements. If launch assistance is requested in the absence of a favorable recommendation by INTELSAT, we expect that we would provide launch assistance for those systems which we had supported within INTELSAT so long as the country or international entity requesting the assistance considers in good faith that it has met its relevant obligations under Article XIV of the definitive arrangements. In those cases where requests for launch assistance are maintained in the absence of a favorable INTELSAT recommendation and the US had not supported the proposed system, the United States would reach a decision on such a request after taking into account the degree to which the proposed system would be modified in the light of the factors which were the basis for the lack of support within INTELSAT.

(b) With respect to future operational satellite applications which do not have broad international acceptance, we would hope to be able to work with you in seeking such acceptance, and would favorably consider requests for launch assistance when broad international acceptance has been obtained.

(2) Such launch assistance would be available, consistent with US laws, either from US launch sites (through the acquisition of US launch services on a ‘cooperative or reimbursable basis) or from foreign launch sites (by purchase of an appropriate US launch vehicle). It would not be conditioned on participation in post-Apollo programs. In the case of launchings from foreign sites the US would require assurance that the launch vehicles would not be made available to third parties without prior agreement of the US.

(3) With respect to European proposals for satellites intended to provide international public telecommunications services, we are prepared to consult with the European Space Conference in advance so as to advise the Conference whether we would support such proposals within INTELSAT. In this connection we have undertaken a preliminary analysis of the acceptability of European space segment facilities for international public telecommunication services separate from those of INTELSAT, in terms of the conditions established by Article XIV, and find that the “Example of a Possible Operational System of European Communication Satellites”, which was presented during our discussions in February, would appear to cause measurable, but not significant, economic harm to INTELSAT. Thus, if this specific proposal were submitted for our consideration, we would expect to support it in INTELSAT.

(4) With respect to the financial conditions for reimbursable launch services from US launch sites, European users would be charged on the same basis as comparable non-US Government domestic users.

(5) With respect to the priority and scheduling for launching European payloads at US launch sites, we would deal with these launchings on the same basis as our own. Each launching would be treated in terms of its own requirements and as an individual case. When we know when a payload will become available and what its launch window requirements will be, we would schedule it for that time. We expect that conflicts would rarely arise, if at all. If there should be a conflict, we would consult with all interested parties in order to arrive at an equitable solution. On the basis of our experience in scheduling launchings, we would not expect any loss of time because of such a conflict to be significant.

The United States is considering the timing and manner of public release of this position. Accordingly, it is requested that there be no public disclosure of this position without prior agreement with us.

With regard to post-Apollo cooperation, as you know, the United States has not yet taken final decisions with respect to its post-Apollo space programs, nor can we predict with assurance when such decisions will be taken.

With respect to the more detailed questions on post-Apollo collaboration posed, in your letter of March 3, 1971 and in our earlier discussions in September 1970 and February 1971, our views remain broadly as we put them to you in my letter of October 2, 1970 and in our meetings of last September and February. We would much prefer to continue the consideration of such questions in the context of specific possibilities for collaboration rather than in the abstract.

The relationship we are seeking with Europe with respect to post-Apollo space programs would, we believe, be well served if we can jointly consider the possibilities for collaboration in the context of a broader examination of the content and purposes of the space programs of the late 1970s and 1980s

Accordingly, we suggest broadening your earlier suggestion for a joint expert group to conduct technical discussions. The purpose of these discussions will include the definition of possible cooperative relationships between Europe and the U.S. in a program of development of the Space Transportation System, but would be broadened to include an exchange of views regarding the con-tent of space activities in which Europe might wish to participate in the post-Apollo era. The technical questions relevant to such participation, including the remaining questions raised in your letter of March 3 would be examined as well. The joint group would carry on its activities with no commitment on either side. The US representation would be led by Charles W. Mathews, Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Manned Space Flight, NASA.

This group could most usefully commence its work after the end of September when the results of NASA’s current technical studies of space transportation systems become available.

I trust, Mr. Minister, that this summary of our present views is a helpful response to the matters raised in your letter of March 3. I am pleased to confirm our continuing interest in cooperating with interested European nations in the further exploration and use of space.

Sincerely,

U. Alexis Johnson

1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SP 10 US. Limited Official Use. Drafted by Packard and cleared by Pollack and Edward L. Peck, Johnson’s Special Assistant. Johnson’s letter is Document 271.
2. Meeting participants discussed the European reactions to Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Johnson’s September 1 letter to Chairman Lefevre concerning the post-Apollo program.