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Ronald Reagan and the Space Frontier pp 57–70Cite as

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SIG (Space) Gets Started

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Abstract

The SIG (Space) had its first meeting in September 1982. Staff support was provided by Air Force Col. Gil Rye, National Security Council director for space programs, who had an ambitious agenda for reforming U.S. space efforts. The group chose three topics for initial study: space launch policy, a possible space station, and remote sensing (observing the Earth from orbit). By December, at Rye’s initiative SIG (Space) also began an effort to develop a comprehensive national space strategy.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    “Reagan Policy Expected to Aid Space Station Definition Work,” AWST, July 12, 1982, 25–26; William H. Gregory, “Better than Nothing,” AWST, July 12, 1982, 13: Brown is quoted in the same publication, July 19, 1982, 17; R. Jeffrey Smith, “Squabbling over the Space Policy,” Science, July 23, 1982, 331.

  2. 2.

    U.S. House of Representatives, “National Space Policy,” Hearing before the Subcommittee of Space Science and Applications, August 4, 1982, 15–17.

  3. 3.

    Ibid., 24.

  4. 4.

    R. Jeffrey Smith, “Squabbling Over the Space Policy,” Science, July 23, 1982, 331.

  5. 5.

    Memorandum from Gilbert Rye to William Clark, “Relationship with OSTP re Space Policy,” marked “Sensitive,” July 9, 1982, Box 30, Subject Files, Executive Secretariat, National Security Council, RRL.

  6. 6.

    Memorandum from Gilbert Rye to William Clark, “Senior Interagency Group for Space,” July 14, 1982, Box 30, Subject Files, Executive Secretariat, National Security Council, RRL.

  7. 7.

    “Minutes, Senior Interagency Group for Space – SIG (Space),” September 23, 1982; memorandum from Gilbert Rye to William Clark, “Background for First SIG (Space) Meeting,” September 17, 1982; memorandum from John McMahon to Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, “First SIG (Space) Meeting,” October 1, 1982, all in Box 30, Subject Files, Executive Secretariat, National Security Council, RRL; memorandum from Director, Intelligence Community Staff to Deputy Director of Central Intelligence, “First SIG (Space) Meeting,” September 17, 1982, Document CIA-RDP84B00049R000501280003-8, CREST.

  8. 8.

    The Terms of Reference and the three white papers are attached to Memorandum from Robert McFarlane to SIG (Space) Members, “First IG (Space Meeting),” September 28, 1982, CIA-RDP84M00127R000200030028-4, CREST.

  9. 9.

    Memorandum from Director, Intelligence Community Staff to Deputy Director of Central Intelligence, “IG (Space) Meeting, 1 October 1982,” October 16, 1982, Document CIA-RDP84 M00127R000200030028-4, CREST.

  10. 10.

    Memorandum from David Stockman to William Clark, “SIG (Space) Meeting,” September 20, 1982, Box 30, Subject Files, Executive Secretariat, National Security Council, RRL.

  11. 11.

    Martin Anderson, Revolution (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1988), 289. Personal communication from Gil Rye to author, March 7, 2017.

  12. 12.

    Memorandum from Gil Rye to William Clark, “American Attitudes Toward Space,” November 2, 1982 and memorandum from Bud McFarlane to Judge Clark, October 23, 1982, both in NSSD 13-82 File, Executive Secretariat, National Security Council, RRL; memorandum from (author redacted) to Deputy Director of Central Intelligence, “Your Meeting with Judge Clark on 10 November,” November 9, 1982, CIA-RDP83M00914R000800160002-9, CREST.

  13. 13.

    Memorandum from William Clark to the Vice President and members of SIG (Space), “National Space Strategy,” December 15, 1982, CIA-RDP85M00363R001202700026-6, CREST.

  14. 14.

    A copy of NSSD 13-82 can be found at https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/sites/default/files/archives/reference/scanned-nssds/nssd13-82.pdf. Portions of the directive remain classified.

  15. 15.

    Memorandum from Gil Rye to William Clark, “Weekly Report,” January 7, 1983, NSSD 13-82 Files, Executive Secretariat, National Security Council, RRL.

  16. 16.

    Memorandum from Gil Rye to William Clark, “Politico-Economic Dimensions of the U.S. Space Program,” January 13, 1983, NSSD 13-82 File, Executive Secretariat, National Security Council, RRL.

  17. 17.

    Memorandum from William Clark to Members, Senior Interagency Group for Space, “SIG (Space) Meeting,” March 22, 1983, CIA-RDP85M00364R000400550065-0, CREST.

  18. 18.

    Talking Points for SIG (Space) Meeting, March 25, 1983, NSSD 13-82 File, Executive Secretariat, National Security Council, RRL; Minutes, Senior Interagency Group for Space, March 28, 1983, White House Situation Room, CIA-RDP85M00364R001101630035-5, CREST.

  19. 19.

    Memorandum from Gil Rye to Robert McFarlane, “IG (Space) Meeting – May 3, 1983,” NSSD 13-82 File, Executive Secretariat, National Security Council, RRL.

  20. 20.

    Memorandum from Gil Rye to Robert McFarlane, “First Draft of the National Space Strategy Report (NSSD 13-82),” July 12, 1983, NSSD 13-82 File, Executive Secretariat, National Security Council; memorandum from William Clark to Members, Senior Interagency Group for Space, “Schedule for National Space Strategy,” Box 30, Subject Files, Executive Secretariat, National Security Council, June 6, 1983, both in RRL.

  21. 21.

    Memorandum from Gil Rye to Robert McFarlane, “First Draft of the National Space Strategy Report (NSSD 13-82),” July 12, 1983, NSSD 13-82 File, Executive Secretariat, National Security Council, RRL.

  22. 22.

    Ibid and Intelligence Community Staff, “Talking Points for DCI Meeting with Judge Clark on 6 July 1983,” CIA-RDP85M00363R001102510003-3, CREST.

  23. 23.

    Memorandum from Robert Kimmitt, Executive Secretary, National Security Council to SIG (Space) Member Agencies, “Third SIG (Space) Meeting,” August 10, 1983, CIA-RDP85M00364R000400550053-3, CREST.

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  1. Space Policy Institute, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA

    John M. Logsdon

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  1. John M. Logsdon
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Logsdon, J.M. (2019). SIG (Space) Gets Started. In: Ronald Reagan and the Space Frontier. Palgrave Studies in the History of Science and Technology. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98962-4_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98962-4_5

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