Exploring the Unknown - NASA's History Office

Dear John:
This is in response to Herman Pollack’s letter to Dr. Fletcher of August 2, 1974 forwarding
the remote sensing policy report prepared by the State Department’s Advisory
Committee on Science and Foreign Affairs. The report, in our judgment, is a welcome
contribution to the on-going discussions of policy alternatives in this important area of
space activity. There are, however, a number of points arising out of the report which we
suggest be brought to the attention of the Advisory Committee.
Page 2—The Advisory Committee’s assumption that the cost and technical sophistication
of the appropriate data analysis is generally beyond the reach of developing countries
does not accord with our developing country experiences. In effect, through one
device or another (U.S. or other aid), use of the data is in fact being made. We estimate,
for example, that 19 African countries are directly or indirectly involved with the analysis
of earth sources imagery of their territory.
Page 3 and 17—We suggest the report reflect a distinction between ERS data themselves,
which the U.S. makes freely available, and analyses of these data, which could be
held proprietary as desired. This distinction could apply to all potential ERS data users—
governmental and private, domestic and foreign.
Page 5—It is important to note that Article I of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty provides
that outer space shall be free for exploration and use by all States without discrimination
of any kind. The “open skies” principle, therefore, can be considered a “cornerstone” of
international as well as U.S. policy; no further international political commitment (discussed
on page 1) is necessary.
Page 6—In view of the overall developments at the February-March 1974 U.N.
Remote Sensing Working Group meetings, as well as the recent positions taken at the U.N.
by the representatives of Canada and Sweden, we find it difficult to draw the conclusion
that there is increased advocacy in the U.N. of restrictions on either the acquisition or dissemination
of ERS data. Such advocacy continues to have a very narrow base (the USSR
and France plus Argentina, Brazil and Mexico).
Pages 14 and 16—We believe the most effective means of enhancing international
participation in U.S. earth resources programs and acceptance of the “open skies” concept
is through the establishment of additional foreign ERTS data acquisition ground stations.
To date such facilities have been established in Canada and Brazil. This spring an
agreement providing for a similar facility was signed with Italy. Discussions are currently
underway with a number of countries including Iran, Venezuela and the Federal Republic
of Germany. Foreign governmental agencies establishing a ground station sign a memorandum
of understanding with NASA which includes an open data dissemination provision;
they are, in effect, ratifying the “open skies” principle.
Page 16—The Advisory Committee should know that a U.S. offer to provide (sell) to
an agreed international distribution center a master copy of all ERTS imagery was made
to the U.N. in January 1973. We understand that the FAO is currently studying the feasibility
of establishing a world-wide ERS data storage, processing and dissemination center
which could utilize the U.S.-offered imagery.
We hope the above comments prove useful and would welcome the opportunity to further
discuss NASA’s remote sensing activities with members of the Advisory Committee.
Sincerely,
[James V. Zimmerman]
[for] Arnold W. Frutkin
Assistant Administrator
for International Affairs
cc: Dr. James C. Fletcher
EXPLORING THE UNKNOWN 263
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