International Cooperation in Space, 1969–1972
258. Memorandum From the President’s Science Adviser (David) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
Prior to another round of talks, David communicated to Kissinger his concerns about negative factors of space cooperation with the Europeans.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 393, Subject Files, Space Programs, 1971. Sensitive; Eyes Only. A copy was sent to Flanigan.
259. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rogers to President Nixon
Rogers highlighted the political issue of European insistence on assurances for launching of their regional telecommunications satellites if they gave up their own launcher program. Rogers asked Nixon if the basic Department of State position to engage the Europeans in the U.S. program was in accordance with his views.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SP 10 US. Confidential. No drafting information appears on the letter. A typed notation on the memorandum reads: “Guidance provided in memo from Mr. Kissinger to Secretary dated August 18, 1971.” In a March 18 memorandum to Pollack, Rein objected to a draft of this memorandum on the grounds that it did not adequately frame the issues for the President. “The real question,” Rein stated, “is the extent to which the President is willing to permit our negotiating position in any Qseries negotiations’ on launch guarantees to threaten conflict with out Intelsat obligations or endanger the economic viability of the Intelsat system.” (Ibid.)
260. Memorandum From Robert M. Behr of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
Behr updated Kissinger on the question of European cooperation in the post-Apollo program prior to a meeting with the President’s Science Adviser David. He also recommended that Kissinger advise the President not to take a position at this time.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 393, Subject Files, Space Programs, 1971. Confidential. Sent for information. Tab A is Document 259.
261. Memorandum for the Record
Extract of a memorandum of a discussion between the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger and the President’s Science Adviser David on post-Apollo program cooperation with the Europeans.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 270, Agency Files, OST, Vol. III. Secret. No drafting information appears on the memorandum.
262. Memorandum From Robert M. Behr of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
Behr described Rogers’ March 23 memorandum to the President and explained the nature of Secretary of State Rogers’ nervousness over the on-going negotiations with the European Space Conference. Behr also suggested that Kissinger provide guidance to Rogers.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 393, Subject Files, Space Programs, 1971. Confidential. Sent for action. A copy was sent to Sonnefeldt. Tab B is Document 259. Tab C was attached but not published. For the guidance as sent to Rogers, see Document 270. There is no indication that Kissinger saw the memorandum. A notation on the front page of the memorandum reads: “OBE”
263. Summary of Discussions
Minutes of Kissinger’s meeting with officials from NASA, OST, NSC, and other White House staff on post-Apollo space cooperation with the Europeans.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 393, Subject Files, Space Programs, 1971. Confidential. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room.Behr prepared talking points for Kissinger for this meeting. (Ibid.)
264. Memorandum From the Director of the Bureau of Scientific and Technological Affairs (Pollack) to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Johnson)
Pollack provided Johnson with talking points for an upcoming White House meeting on the post-Apollo program.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SP 10 US. Limited Official Use. Drafted by Pollack and cleared with James D. Phillips (EUR/RPE). Attached but not published was a compilation of Presidential public views on European cooperation.
265. Airgram A-420 From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State
Assessing U.S.-USSR space cooperation in the historical context, the Embassy concluded that the Soviets were after specific technical information and were not interested in genuine cooperation.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SP 10 US. Confidential. Drafted by William N. Harben, scientific officer at the Embassy on May 20, cleared by DCM Boris H. Klossen, and approved by Lewis W. Bowden of the Economic section.
266. Information Memorandum From the Director of the Bureau of Scientific and Technological Affairs (Pollack) to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Johnson)
Pollack’s assessment of NASA memoranda, prepared at Kissinger’s request, on Technology Transfers in the Post-Apollo Program and Alternatives to Post-Apollo European Participation.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SP 10 US. Confidential. Tab A, “Introduction to NSA Presentation” and Tab C, “Alternatives to Post-Apollo Participation” were attached but not published. Pollack suggested that Johnson read the “Conclusions” printed on page 7 of Tab B. Page 7 of the attached Tab B is published. According to a handwritten notation on a subsequent June 5 briefing memorandum Pollack sent to Johnson (Document 267), the meeting scheduled for June 7 was postponed until August 9.
267. Briefing Memorandum From the Director of the Bureau of International Scientific and Technological Affairs (Pollack) to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Johnson)
Pollack provided a report on the status of the post-Apollo program negotiations in advance of a Johnson meeting with Kissinger.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SP 10 US. Confidential. Tab A is Document 259. Tab B is attached but not published. Tab C is Document 264. Tab D was attached but not published. The NASA report of June 2, dated June 1, Tab E, is summarized and extracted in Document 266.
268. Memorandum From the President’s Science Adviser (David) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), and the President’s Assistant (Flanigan)
David indicated that he was opposed to European participation in the development of a space transportation system and favored separating the issue of launch facilities from that of space cooperation.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 393, Subject Files, Space Programs, 1971. No classification marking. The summary of the NSA paper was attached but not published.
269. Memorandum From Michael Guhin of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
Guhin provided briefing materials for Kissinger on a meeting with key U.S. officials to agree on guidelines for further discussions with the Europeans on post-Apollo space cooperation.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 393, Subject Files, Space Programs, 1971. Confidential. Sent for action. A copy was sent to Sonnenfeldt. An informal account, prepared by Low, of the meeting that took place at 11:30 a.m. on August 9 is printed in Logsdon (ed.), Exploring the Universe, Vol. II, External Relations, Document I-21. Also attached but not published were talking points for Kissinger.
270. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to Secretary of State Rogers
Kissinger informed Rogers that the President confirmed his support for international space cooperation in general and especially with the Europeans, but concluded that there was an insufficient basis for a final decision on Europe’s participation in the Space Transportation System.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SP 10 US. Confidential.
271. Letter From the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Johnson) to the Chairman of the European Space Conference (Lefevre)
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.
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.
272. Memorandum of Conversation
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.
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.
273. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary (Eliot) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
The Department reminded Kissinger of the potential foreign policy benefits of a joint space docking agreement with the Soviet Union.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SP 1-1 US-USSR. Secret. Drafted by Curtis W. Kamman (EUR/SOV). James Carson signed for Eliot. A copy was sent to Fletcher. A report of the NASA Delegation to Moscow, November 5, is printed in Logsdon (ed.), Exploring the Universe, Vol. II, External Relations, Document I-45.
274. Transcript of a Conversation between the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Johnson) and the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Fletcher)
Fletcher reported on his conversation with President Nixon concerning the space shuttle and the foreign policy benefits vs. the cost of international cooperation.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SP 10 US. No classification marking. Fletcher and Low met with the President and the President’s Assistant for Domestic Affairs Ehrlichman at the Western White House in San Clemente, California on January 5, from 10:01 to 10:35 a.m. (Ibid., Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Central Files, President’s Daily Diary) On November 29 Nixon sent Flanigan a memorandum asking: “Is there still no feasible way to get multi-national participation in some of our future space flights?” Nixon stated he knew there were technical problems, but it was “a pet idea of mine and I would like to press it.” The full text of the conversation is in Document I-23, Logsdon (ed.), Exploring the Universe, Vol. II, External Relations.
275. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rogers to President Nixon
Rogers provided the President with an update on the status of negotiations with the Europeans on both the post-Apollo program and the proposed European communication satellite system.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SP 10 EUR. No classification marking. Drafted by Robert T. Webber (SCI/SAM), and Frank J. Haendler (EUR/RPE); concurred in by Abraham Katz (EUR/RPE) and Frutkin. Also printed as Document I-26 in Logsdon (ed.), Exploring the Universe, Vol. II, External Relations. Johnson’s September 1, 1971, letter to Lefevre is Document 269. Attached but not published were Lefevre’s December 23, 1971, letter to Johnson and the January 11, 1972, NASA Report on Technical Discussions with the European Space Conference.
276. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to Secretary of State Rogers
Kissinger elaborated upon negotiating parameters for future discussions with the Europeans on cooperation in a post-Apollo program.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 249, Agency Files, NASA, Vol. II. Limited Official Use.
277. Information Memorandum From the Director of the Bureau of Scientific and Technological Affairs (Pollack) to Secretary of State Rogers
Pollack alerted Rogers that cooperation with the Europeans in the post-Apollo program was endangered because the White House staff was skeptical that European participation in the development of hardware for the space shuttle and other elements was desirable.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SP 10 US. Confidential. Drafted by Pollack. Copies were sent to U. Alexis Johnson, Samuels, and Hillenbrand. In a separate March 17 memorandum to Flanigan, March 17, the Executive Secretary of NASA, outlined in detail the NASA position on European participation. Printed in Logsdon (ed.), Exploring the Universe, Vol. II, External Relations, as Document I-25.
278. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the Department of State (Eliot) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
The Department informed Kissinger of its requirements for US-USSR technical discussions to ensure that a viable agreement on a joint space docking mission would be ready by the May 1972 summit.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SP 1-1, US-USSR. Secret. Drafted by O. E. Anderson (NASA); concurred in by Jack Matlock, Director of the Office of Soviet Union Affairs and Richard T. Davies; and cleared in draft by Webber (SCI/SAM). Parker Borg signed for Eliot. A typewritten notation on the memorandum reads: “Memo from Gen. Haig to Mr. Eliot received 4/3/72.” A report of the NASA delegation to Moscow, April 4-6, is printed in Logsdon (ed.), Exploring the Universe, Vol. II, External Relations, Document I-46. Attached but not published were the draft principles. On April 3 Haig sent a memorandum to Eliot, approving Low’s statement in Moscow of draft principles for a possible U.S.-Soviet space docking mission, but with the understanding that it would not commit the United States to such a mission. (Ibid.)
279. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rogers to President Nixon
Rogers called President Nixon’s attention to the negative attitudes developing within the U.S. Government toward European participation in the post-Apollo program, and the need for prompt U.S. decisions.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SP 10 US. Limited Official Use. Drafted by Pollard and Packard.
280. Memorandum From the President’s Science Adviser (David) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) and the President’s Assistant (Flanigan)
David commented on points made by Rogers in his April 29 memorandum to the President. He suggested that the U.S. Government could accept the Europeans if their role was limited to RAM and Sortie payload modules; eaving open the possibility of participation in the Space Tug would only create “false hopes.”
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 393, Subject Files, Space Programs, 1972. No classification marking. Rogers’ memorandum is Document 279.
281. Telegram 4915 From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State
The Embassy transmitted the agreed draft text of a US-USSR agreement on space, scheduled for signature on May 24.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SP 1-1 US-USSR. Confidential; Immediate, Exdis. The May 17 memorandum from Kissinger to Nixon, recommending that the President sign such a statement during the Moscow summit is printed in Logsdon (ed.), Exploring the Universe, Vol. II, External Relations, Document I-47. The agreement is printed in Department of State Bulletin, June 26, 1972, pp. 924-925.
282. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to Secretary of State Rogers and the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Fletcher)
Kissinger transmitted President Nixon’s decisions on the extent of European participation in the post-Apollo program.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SP 10 US. Confidential; Noforn. The text of Fletcher’s May 5 memorandum is printed in Logsdon (ed.), Exploring the Universe, Vol. II, External Relations, Document I-27. Rogers’ memorandum is Document 279. In transmitting these two memoranda to Kissinger, John B. Walsh of the NSC staff disagreed with David’s recommendation that discussions concerning European participation in Shuttle tasks should be terminated on the basis of cost and management complications. Walsh thought the tasks were simple and represented minimal fulfillment of implied U.S. commitments. (Ibid., Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 393, Subject Files, Space Programs, 1972)
283. Information Memorandum From the Director of the Bureau of Scientific and Technological Affairs (Pollack) to Acting Secretary of State Irwin
Pollack reported that President Nixon’s response on European cooperation in the post-Apollo program met the Department’s “essential” request and had provided guidance for a meeting with European Space Conference representatives in June.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SP 10 US. Confidential. Drafted by Pollack and Packard and concurred in by Katz. Tab A is Document 282 and Tab B is Document 279.
284. Information Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Stoessel) to Acting Secretary of State Irwin
Stoessel reported that the Europeans had been unable to reach a decision on cooperation in the post-Apollo program.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SP 10 US. Limited Official Use. Drafted by Alexander T. Liebowitz (EUR/RPE), cleared with Webber and in EUR. The statement is published in the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, Vol. 8, p. 1508. Attached but not published is telegram 182573.
285. Information Memorandum From the Director of the Bureau of Scientific and Technological Affairs (Pollack) to Secretary of State Rogers
Pollack reported that the impasse between the Germans and the French had been broken, and an agreement within the European Space Conference on participation in the post-Apollo program was a real possibility.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SP 10 US. Unclassified. Drafted by Pollack. Copies were sent to U. Alexis Johnson and Stoessel.
286. Translation of a Letter From the Chairman of the European Space Conference (Lefevre) to Secretary of State Rogers
Lefevre announced that the Europeans had agreed to develop the space shuttle’s sortie within a common European framework.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SP 10 US. No classification marking. A notation on the letter indicates that Lefevre signed the original.