Maren 1 1962 Dear Mr Chairman On February twenty second last I wrote you that 1 was instructing Appropriate officers of this Government to prepare concrate proposals for immediate projects of common action in the exploration of space ‘I now pre— went such proponale to you The exploration of space is a broad and varied activity and the possibilities for cooperation are many In euggest ing the possible first stept which are set out below 1 do not intend to limit our mutual consideration of desirable cooperative activities On the contrary I will welcome your concrete suggestions along these or other lines 1 Porhape we could render no greater service to man« xind through our space programe than by the Joint establish mont of an early operational weather satellite aystem Such a ayetem would be designed to provide global weather data for prompt use by any nation To initiate this service 1 propose that the United States and the Soviet Union each Inunch a eatellie to photograph cloud cover and provide other agreed meteorological services for all nations The two satellites would be placed in near—polar orbits in planes #pproximately perpendicular to each other thus providing regular coverage of sll areas This immensely valuable data would then be disseminated through normal interna tional meteorological channels and would make a signiticant contribution to the research and service programs now under study by the World Meteorological Organisation in response to Resolution 1721 XVI adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 20 1961 2 It would be of great interest to those responsible for the conduct of our respective apace programs if they could obtain operational tracking services from each other‘s % F this field with Minister Gromyko and that Mr Gromyko has expressed some interest Our technical representatives might now discuse specific possibilities in thie field 5 Given our common interest in manned space fights and in insuring man‘s ability to survive in space and return antaly 1 propose that we pool our offorte and exchange our knowledge in the field of space medicine where future re— search can be purssed in cooperation with scientists from various countries Beyond thase specific projects we are prepared now to discurs broader cooperation in the still more challenging projecte which must be undertaken in the exploration of outer space The tasks are so challenging the corte so great and the risks to the brave men who engage in space exploration so grave that we must in all good conscience try every possibility of sharing thase tasks and conte and of minimizing these risks Leaders of the United States «pace program have developed detailed plane for an orderly sequence of manned and unmanned flights for exploration of space and the planets Out of discussion of these plans and of your oun for undertaking the tasks of this decade would undoubtediy emerge possibilities for substantive scientific and technical cooperation in manned and unmanned «pace investigations Some possibilities are not yet pre cisely identifiable but should become clear as the space programs of our two countries proceed in the case of others it may be possible to start plansing together now For example we might cooperate in unmanned explora— tion of the lunar surface or we might commence now the mutual defialtion of stepe to be taken in sequence for an exhaustive scientific investigation of the planets Mare or Yens including consideration of the possible utility of manned Alight in such programe When a proper sequence for experiments has been determined we might share responsibility for the necensary profecte All data would be made freely available 5 4 territories Accordingly 1 propose that each of our countries establish and operate a radio tracking station to provide tracking services to ths other usilising equip— ment which we would each provide to the other Thus the United States would provide the technical equipment for a tracking station to be established in the Soviet Union and to be operated by Soviet technicians The United States would in turn establish and operate a radio tracking station utilising Seviet equipment Each country would train the other‘s technicians in the operation of ite equipment would utilize the station located on its territory to provide track» Ing services to he oter and would atford such access as may be necessary to accommodate modifications and maintenance of equipment from time to time 3 in the field of the earth sciences the precise character of the earth‘s magnatic field is central to many scientific problems 1 propose therefore that we cooperate in mapping the ourth‘s magnetic field in apace by utilising two satellites one in a near earth orbit and the second in a more distant orbit The United States would Inunch one of thase satellites while the Soviet Union would launch the other The data would be exchanged throughout the world scientific community and opportunities for correlation of supporting data obtained I on the ground would be arranged 4 In the field of experimental communications by satel— Mite the United States has already undertaken arrangements to test and demonstrate the feasibility of intercontinental transmiesione A number of countries are constracting sqsipment suitable for participation in such testing I would welcome the Soviet Unions jolning in this cooperative effort which will be a stop toward meeting the objective contained in United Nations General Assembly Resolation 1721 XV that communications by means of satellites should be avail— able to the nations of the world as soon as practicable on a global and non—discriminatory baste — note also that Secretary Rusk has broached the subject of conperation in € « 1 believe it is both appropriate and desirable that we take full cognizance of the scientific and other contributions which other states the world over might be able to make fn much programe As agreements are reached between us on any parts of these or similar programs 1 propose hat we report them to the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space The Committee offers a variety of additiona1 opportunities for joint cooperative afforts within the framework of ite mandate as set forth in General Assembly Resolutions 1472 XIV and 1721 KVD I am designating technical representatives who will be pre— pared to meet and discuss with your representatives our dens and yours in a spielt of practical cooperation In arder to accomplish this at an early date 1 suggest that the representatives of our two countries who will be coming to New York to take part in the United Nations Outer Space Committee ment privately to discuss the proposals set forth in this letter Sincerly Asl Cit Ta rey Hie Excelleney Nikitm 8 Khrushchev Chairman of the Council of Minteters of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Moscow