275. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rogers to President Nixon1 2
Subject:
- Post-Apollo Space Cooperation with the Europeans and Launch Assurances
I am pleased to report that substantial progress has been made in carrying out your directives as set forth in Dr. Kissinger’s memorandum of August 18, 1971 [71127] with regard to space cooperation with the nations of Western Europe.
In a letter of September 1, 1971 from Under Secretary Johnson to Minister Lefevre, Chairman of the European Space Conference, (Attachment 1) we sought to reassure Europeans on launch assistance by offering on a reimbursable basis to launch all European satellites for peaceful purposes which are consistent with our international obligations. After extensive consultations among ESC members Lefevre replied on December 23, 1971 (Attachment 2) transmitting detailed descriptions of a regional European communications satellite system and inquiring whether the United States would be prepared to support this program when it is officially submitted to INTELSAT. We are now studying the proposed system carefully to determine whether we can regard it as being compatible with INTELSAT.
The technical discussions which you directed NASA to continue with the Europeans for exploration of possible areas of post-Apollo space cooperation were resumed with a meeting of NASA and European space experts in Washington from November 30 to December 3, 1971. On a no commitment basis a number of possible cooperative work tasks were defined and discussed. Both Minister Lefevre and NASA expressed satisfaction with progress [Page 2] made in identifying areas in which Europeans might wish to participate, and the Europeans have already appropriated more than $2 million for conceptual studies in these areas. Attachment 3 is NASA’s report on the meeting and its assessment of the prospects for future cooperation.
Progress during the next meeting of technical experts, planned for early February 1972 should be even greater as result of the January 5 announcement of your decision to proceed with development of the Shuttle. The prospects for substantial European contributions to the post-Apollo program are clouded, however, by residual European doubts about whether our offer of launch assistance is sufficiently adequate to permit Europe to forgo development of its own large and expensive rockets. Europe also regards the delays in reaching agreement on the joint aeronautical satellite project as an ominous sign concerning our future intentions on space cooperation.
- 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.↩
- 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.↩