On cooperation with the USA in the field of peaceful space exploration Issue presented by Comrades Shevardnadze Sokolov Stroyev Fedoseev Baklanov Luzhin Voted Comrades Gorbachev- illegible Aliev- illegible Vorotnikov- for Gromyko- illegible Zaikov- for Kunaev- for Ligachev- for Rizhkov- for Solomentsev- illegible Chebrikov- for Shevardnadze- for Sherbitsky- for No 24-21 16 86 Verified Dagalev Top Secret Resolution of the CC CPSU On cooperation with the USA in the field of peaceful space exploration 1 Agree with the views on this matter expressed in the note of Comrades E A Shevardnadze S L Sokolov N S Stroyev P N Fedoseev and O D Baklanov from July 30 1986 attached 2 Instruct the MFA of the USSR to discuss this issue with the American side in the context of coordinated preparatory work for the meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the USSR and the USA Secretary of the CC Signatures Comrade N M Luzhin Please prepare a draft decree L Zaikov August 1 1986 No 22854 0186 10240 30 07 68 Secret CC CPSU On cooperation with the USA in the field of peaceful space exploration In accordance with the request of the Central Committee of the CPSU from January 9 1986 the State Academy of Sciences of the USSR the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the USSR the Ministry of General Affairs the State Commission of the Council of Ministers of the USSR on military-industrial issues have considered the establishment of large-scale cooperation with the United States in the field of peaceful space exploration and consider it advisable to carry out the following measures Invite the American side to resume cooperation in space in areas such as space physics space meteorology space biology and medicine the improvement of satellite search and rescue systems and other areas of mutual interest In the area of crewed flights proposals could be considered for the mutual installation of scientific and technical equipment for research in the field of extraterrestrial astronomy biology and medicine and technology on Soviet spacecraft target modules and space stations and crewed US spacecraft In Mars exploration a form of such cooperation can be the exchange of information and the coordination of research programs planned for the near future in the USSR the ‘Phobos’ and ‘Mars’ projects and in the USA the ‘Mars Orbiter’ project with the involvement of the European Space Agency France Japan and other countries As a long-term objective for the second half of the nineties the development of a joint project for the delivery of samples of Martian soil to Earth using un-crewed stations and other means of Soviet and American rocket and space technology could be proposed The mentioned coordinated and collaborative exploration of Mars could be seen as a preparatory stage for a possible crewed mission to Mars in the future However at present it is inadvisable to suggest joint development of such a project given its extreme complexity labor intensity and high cost It also seems appropriate to support the recommendation of the US Senate regarding declaring 1992 the International Year of Space Within the framework of this International Year a program of events could be held at the international and national levels bearing in mind that 1992 marks the seventy-fifth anniversary of the October Revolution and the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America We are presenting the draft resolution on this issue to the Central Committee of the CPSU We ask for your consideration Attachment mr 4 0215 I secret Signatures E Shevardnadze S Sokolov Y Maslyukov A Aleksandrov O Baklanov Secret CC CPSU On cooperation with the USA in the field of peaceful space exploration Comrades E A Shevardnadze S L Sokolov N S Stroyev P N Fedoseev and O D Baklanov in accordance with the instructions from January 9 1986 have considered the issue of cooperation with the United States in the field of peaceful exploration of outer space and are reporting on the advisability of inviting the American side through the USSR Foreign Ministry in the context of preparation for the meeting of foreign ministers to resume this cooperation in such areas as space physics meteorology biology and medicine search and rescue systems as well as in other areas of mutual interest At the same time the intention is to suggest work on the mutual installation of scientific and technological equipment on crewed space stations and spacecraft for the coordination of scientific research projects on the planet Mars currently envisaged by national programs for the second half of the 90s including the delivery of Martian soil Joint exploration of Mars could be seen as a preparatory stage for a possible crewed mission to Mars in the future It also stipulates support for the recommendation of the US Senate regarding the declaration of 1992 as the International Year of Space and to carry out a corresponding program of events at the international and national levels within the framework of the International Year The draft resolution of the CPSU Central Committee is attached Deputy Head of the Defense Industry for the CC CPSU Signature N Luzhin Translated by Sarah Dunn for the National Security Archive