This statement is based upon my assessment of the risks and uncertainties
which will confront the NRO as we
approach the Shuttle era. It represents an approach to maintaining an
assured capability of operating NRP
satellites when they are required to meet national requirements.
Attachment
Proposed Statement of Policy on NRP Expendable Launch Vehicle Backup to
Space Shuttle
Satellite reconnaissance products are of such great national
importance that the NRO must
maintain continuously a high level of assurance of being able to
provide the President and other senior officials with this key
intelligence data. As the Space Shuttle becomes the basic booster,
the United States cannot be placed in a position of having a
catastrophic single point failure mode with respect to the
continuity of overhead reconnaissance.
During the period of transition to the Shuttle the reliability of the
Shuttle will be a major, but gradually diminishing, factor in
determining requirements for expendable Shuttle backup launch
vehicles. In contrast, Shuttle vulnerability and operational and
logistic restrictions will continue indefinitely to influence the
need for backup boosters.
An additional requirement for expendable boosters in the Shuttle era
arises out of the need to provide a quick reaction capability during
crises. In crisis periods the importance of overhead reconnaissance
would increase, yet our primary reconnaissance vehicles and launch
vehicles (Shuttle) might be neutralized.
Therefore, as a matter of policy, the NRO must extend beyond the Shuttle transition period
its consideration of the requirement for expendable launch vehicles
to back up the Shuttle. Until the Shuttle can provide a very high
probability of successful launch, with consideration being given to
all the factors above, there will be a continuing need for Shuttle
backup. The need will be driven by the priority and urgency of
individual missions and will vary by mission.
The resources to be devoted to Shuttle backup will be determined
through trade-offs between costs and prioritized requirements. The
NRO must provide the maximum
assurance of continuity of essential intelligence data at minimum
cost. The Shuttle will bring about a fundamental change in the
environment in which expendable launch vehicles are procured and
operated. Therefore, it will be essential to develop innovative
approaches in order to reduce costs.
