- I - LASSIFIED Authoh lg 9' 5 #11518 new- 2 a - DEPUTY UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE 13 1ch 3 i - - LES 0 9le TO - RSIB F1 were on ET Mien memes-ma June 30 1967 EUR IO Dear Dick A gas bottle from a Soviet satellite was picked up last fall in Wisconsin and shipped to Wright Patterson Air Force Base for investigation At Wright Patterson the bottle was cut into a number of pieces as part of the process of gathering intelligence data The Depart ment of State first learned of the acquisition of the gas bottle when our publiC affairs office was asked to clear a press statement on this subject for use in Dayton Ohio Subsequently we decided that the remaining pieces of the bottle should not be returned to the Soviets 1 3 The handling of_this Soviet Space fragment had many foreign policy implications A 1963 United Nations - Resolution calls for the return of foreign space objects to the government of the state of registry and Article of the recently concluded Outer Space Treaty similarly requires their return It was primarily because of the fear that interpretation of the Treaty would be affected that the decision was made not to return the remaining pieces of the fragment to the Soviets 333%7 Richard Helms Director Central Intelligence Agency '3 Washington D C SECRET GROUP 3 Downgraded at 12 year intervals not automatically declassified we saw BY 3 3 CMS 5 17 57 5 Author 9 5a - SECRET In addition the United States on a regular basis seeks'return of our own space fragments that have fallen in various countries around the world To the extent it becomes known our conduct with regard to a foreign fragment in the United States is certain to be subject to the scrutiny of governments from whom we are seeking or have sought cooperation Once the Space Treaty enters_into force actions taken within the United States Government with regard to recovered foreign space objects will have even greater foreign policy significance By mentioning these considerations I do not mean to prejudge intelligence considerations HOwever I do believe that it is essential that our obligation to return space objects and other foreign policy considerations be weighed before irrevoCable actions are taken such as the total dismemberment of the Soviet gas bottle in the recent case I propose therefore that the Depart- ment of Defense take steps to assure that the Department of State is informed of the recovery in the United States or by United States authorities anywhere or of the receipt from a third country of a space object of foreign or questionable origin and that the object is not physically altered prior to consultation with the Department of_State In order to ensure that the United States is not accused of collusion in the viola tion of the Space Treaty I also propose that the Department of State be notified should the United States be given access to such space objects by a third country I am making similar proposals to the Department of Defense and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration areas m - 319 am - I SAumo g 9 5 1 SECRET Datcz Mr Scott George will act as my staff contabt on thege'matters Sincerelzviy Foy D ohler SECRET 6 27 67                     National Security Archive    Suite 701  Gelman Library  The George Washington University    2130 H Street  NW  Washington  D C  20037    Phone  202 994‐7000  Fax  202 994‐7005  nsarchiv@gwu edu