Space and Telecommunications
133. Memorandum From the Deputy Assistant to the President for Economic Affairs (Gorog) to President Ford
The memorandum recommended naming the first space shuttle “Enterprise” as a response to appeals by supporters of the television show “Star Trek.”
Source: Ford Library, Presidential Handwriting File, Subject File, Box 34, Outer Space. No classification marking. Ford initialed his approval. The September 7 document reporting the reactions of White House staff is attached to the memorandum. The decision in favor of “Enterprise” was announced on September 9, one day after the meeting with NASA officials.
134. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft) to Members of the Special Task Group on Telecommunications Security
Scowcroft ordered several Executive Office staff agencies to create a Task Group for studying a possible governmental reorganization to facilitate the security of private sector telecommunications.
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Subject Files, Box 1, Communications (2). Top Secret; Sensitive. Sent to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Counsel to the President, the Assistant to the President for Domestic Affairs, and the Director of the Office of Telecommunications Policy.
135. Letter From the Director of Central Intelligence Bush to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (Lynn)
Bush discussed the need for continued access to expendable launch vehicles after the Space Shuttle became operational, and of the opportunities the Shuttle presented to enhance U.S. space-based intelligence collection capabilities.
Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Job 79M00467A, Executive Registry Files (OPI 10), Space Policy Interface 64 010176–311276. Top Secret; Codeword.
136. Letter From the Director of Defense Research and Engineering, Department of Defense (Currie) to the Director of Central Intelligence and Chair of the Committee on Foreign Intelligence Bush
Currie outlined the conclusions of a panel convened to determine the extent to which expendable launch vehicles would be required during the initial operating years of the Space Shuttle.
Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Job 79M00467A, Executive Registry Files (OPI 10), Space Policy Interface 64 010176–311276. Top Secret; Codeword. NSDM 333 is published as Document 128.
137. Memorandum From the Deputy Chief of the Office of Assistant Director (Smith) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft)
Smith summarized a report on U.S. anti-satellite capabilities.
Source: Ford Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files, Box 66, NSDM 333 (3). Top Secret; Codeword. Sent for action. Sent through David Elliott. The tabs were not found.
138. Memorandum NSC–U/DM–140 From the National Security Council Under Secretaries Committee to President Ford
The memorandum transmitted the report and recommendations of the Standing Committee on Space Policy concerning remote earth imagery policy.
Source: Ford Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files, Box 66, NSDM 333 (6). Top Secret. Forwarded by Poats, Acting Staff Director, to the Department of Defense, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, the Director of Central Intelligence, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Undersecretary of Commerce, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the National Reconnaissance Officer. Copies were sent to the Undersecretary of the Interior, the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the Director of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. Only the summary to the 17-page report is published.
139. Memorandum From David Elliott of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft)
Elliott relayed to Scowcroft information about President Ford’s interest in potential military applications of the space shuttle and use of intelligence satellite data for civil purposes.
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential File of NSC Logged Documents, Box 47, 7606173. Secret. Scowcroft initialed the memorandum.
140. Action Memorandum From the Director of the Policy Planning Staff (Lord), the Legal Adviser (Leigh), and the Special Assistant to the Under Secretary for Security Assistance (Lewis) to Under Secretary for Political Affairs (Habib)
Habib approved the memorandum’s recommendation to convene a meeting with television industry representatives to reconsider the U.S. position concerning direct broadcast satellites.
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 59, L/OA Files: Lot 99 D 369, Box 12, Space—Direct Broadcast Satellites (DBS) 1976. Limited Official Use. Drafted by Gathright and Hirschfeld. A stamped notation on the memorandum indicates Habib saw it on December 8. Habib approved a meeting for December 14 at 10:30. Attached but not published is a November 15 detailed review of U.S. policy concerning direct broadcast television satellite issues. No record of the meeting was found.
141. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft) to President Ford
Scowcroft summarized the report of a panel of NSC technical consultants concerning U.S. anti-satellite capabilities.
Source: Ford Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files, Box 66, NSDM 333 (2). Top Secret; Codeword. Sent for information. The full report, dated October 1976, with a covering memorandum dated December 15, 1976, sent from Scowcroft to the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Director of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and the Director of Central Intelligence is in the Central Intelligence Agency, Job 79M00467A, Executive Registry Subject Files (OPI 10), Space Policy Interface 64 010176–311276.
142. Talking Points for Meeting with Vice President Rockefeller on Telecommunications Security
The document provided a status report of key issues concerning telecommunications security to be discussed with Rockefeller.
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Subject Files, Box 1, Communications (2). Top Secret.