Febnuary 29 1964 CONFIDENTIAL M EMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT This good report from the Adrnl niatrato r of NASJ _ i a tn response to your equest made in November to study and report on poa•ible projects for subttantive cooperation with the Soviet Union on outer space The report represents a cona-ens le among NASA State Defense CIA the Science Advisor and the Exec uti ve Secretary of the Space Counell ln brief the report con taln t gutdeltne• t o govern negotiations with the Soviet Union that have a reasonable ehanee of -eueceaa yet protect our national tntereate It proposes a g radua ted approach -c alculated to develop mutual col fidenc exchange information and lay the foundation for- consultative pla nnlng of apeclftc projects ·Careful consideration ha e been glvon to cW tivating favorable Congres atonal and public attitud••· Tho o p ecifio proposals now being eonsldere-d all relat e to a joint program of unmanned flighl projeets to support a m anned lunar landing No immediate public action ls-t'ecommendcd becauee we are in need cf Soviet performance en pr«Hient agreements We will continue to sh ow intereet thl6ough the existing Dryden-Blagonravov channel in -obtaining poaltive Soviet answer to the propotal• tor cooperation already made by Pre•tdent Kennedy and by you MeatnVbJ le we will watch the perfoi-mance of the Soviet Union under ext sting agreements The Admlnletrator h keeping this program under his continuing pe taonal review and c learly understands your intorost ln it - He will keep -you advised of prog -e as and may call upon you for further initiative sometime around the fba t of May1 by then the Sovi-et Union will hav-e had ample opportunity 'to make clear it• intentions at Tab A Attached is a National Security Attio n Memo u ndum to r your signature glvlng you r general endo eemeni to the report and re commendations Signed and Approvel d _ __ Disapproved --- McOeorge Bundy Sp ak to m•- - te 5-11-11 NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION OFFICE OF THE ADMINISTRATOR A The President The White House Washi gton D c Dear Mr President WASHINGTON 25 0 C APR 30 1964 Your National Security Action Memorandum No 285 eridorsing our report on cooperation with the USSR on outer space matters 9alled for further recom mendations appropriate to the Soviet attitude as of May 1 There has been no Soviet response to our initiative at the United Nations and progress under the cur rent agreement has been limited thus far to Soviet parti6ipation in joint tests with the passive co ­ munications satellite ECHO II Dr Dryden expects how ever to have further bilateral discussions with Academician Blagonravov in Geneva when they are both there for the United Nations' space committee meet ings'--lfrom May 22 through June 12 We request ap proval therefore to· defer any further recommendations to you until the latter part of June You also asked that the members of the Space Council be· briefed on our report Such a briefi lg was held on April 10 DECI ASSIFIED Authority E O 116G2 SEC 5 A and D ' -11-Ko By 1 NARS Date Respectfully yours GROUP 4 Downg raded at 3 year inte rva ls dec lassified after 12 years Front 0 v May 4 1964 MEMORANDUM FOR MR BUNDY Mac -- It appears reasonable to give NASA a little more time to test the Soviets 1 intentions by further conversation If however the next round of conversation is fruitless NASA should be requested to develop some specific action proposal that would represent a new initiative on our part At the last meeting of the Space Council Harriman indicated that he was not especially wedded to the idea of enforcing on the terms of previous agreements and would be quite willing to consider entirely new initiatives in the space field