NIMA Sponsors Historical Imagery Declassification Conference America’s Eyes: What We Were Seeing
The National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) recently co-
sponsored with the University of Maryland University College
(UMUC) a Historical Imagery Declassification (HID) Conference.
The event was held on Sept. 20, 2002, at the UMUC Inn and
Conference Center in Adelphi, Md.
NIMA is leading a U.S. Government effort to declassify and
release to the public a variety of historical information
about our nation’s Intelligence Systems. The Agency’s
mechanism is the Historical Imagery Declassification (HID)
Program. The HID Program has three goals: promote the
spirit of open governance, demonstrate results of taxpayer
investment in national security and ensure that
researchers — from environmentalists to historians — have
access to useful and unique sources of information.
The HID Conference, “America’s Eyes: What We Were Seeing,”
was the capstone of a NIMA-led effort with other
Intelligence, Department of Defense and civil organizations
to review and declassify Keyhole (KH) imagery from the KH-7
surveillance imaging system and KH-9 mapping system. It
marked the official transfer of the original satellite
imagery from NIMA to the National Archives and Records
Administration (NARA), as stipulated by Executive Order
(EO) 12951. Signed on February 22, 1995, the EO directs
the release of certain scientific or environmentally useful
imagery, consistent with national security, to the public
and creates a research repository for the images and
complimentary material.
NIMA’s Deputy Director Joanne O. Isham presented a film
canister, representing declassified imagery to Dr. Michael
J. Kurtz, Assistant Archivist for Records Services. She
said, “The program’s goal of promoting the spirit of open
governance is in keeping with finest traditions of this
great country.”
Dr. Gerald Heeger, president, University of Maryland,
welcomed the attendees to the conference and to the
University of Maryland. “In the use of technology in
education, UMUC is a leader, just as NIMA is a leader
in its use of technology. And, like NIMA, we think of
ourselves as part of the defense community,” he said
pointing to an alumni group of more than 1,000,000 U.S.
service men and women and 50 flag officers.
The Honorable J. Robert Kerrey, President, New School
University, gave the keynote address, and said of NIMA
“Your work saves lives. It’s that simple. Better decisions
by policy makers?enable the power of the United States to
be leveraged many times over.”
UMUC history professor John Newman called the images “a
treasure trove” and commended NIMA for the great academic
benefit they serve. “This kind of release assists the
people, the historians, the scientists and the politicians
to learn from mistakes and avoid making them in the future,”
said Newman, a 2002 Stanley Drazek Teaching Excellence
Award recipient.
A series of panel discussions concluded the event.
The high-resolution KH-7 surveillance imaging satellite,
flown from July 1963 to June 1967, monitored key targets
such as ICBM complexes, radar systems, and hot spots around
the globe. This system complemented the CORONA search
system. Whereas the CORONA missions were dedicated to
answering: “Is there something there?” this higher-
resolution system assisted imagery analysts in watching
that something, to learn more about it, identify it, and
classify it. This system also provided the basis for
producing large-scale maps of airfields, harbors, cities,
and missile defense systems.
The lower-resolution KH-9 mapping system was devoted
exclusively to gathering information for mapmaking, and
collected imagery from March 1973 to October 1980.
Geodetic data, including precise geopositioning, elevation,
and other information provided the DoD with accurate point
locations for air, sea and ground operations. This system
was also used for tactical and strategic weapons system
planning. For more about Historical Imagery Declassification,
America’s Eyes: What We Were Seeing, visit
http://www.nima.mil/pa/newsroom/history/index.htm
Together, these two systems acquired about 50,000 images
(about 93,000 linear feet of film). The NARA will archive
the original imagery and make a duplicate copy available
for the public. The United States Geological Survey’s EROS
Data Center (EDC) in Sioux Falls, South Dakota will receive
a duplicate negative of this imagery, the metadata
associated with the frames, and browse images for the public
to view on their web site before ordering. The public can
order prints and film transparencies from EDC via the
Internet at URL www.earthexplorer.usgs.gov — just as they
can do today for the CORONA imagery.
NIMA is a national intelligence and combat support agency
whose mission is to provide timely, relevant and accurate
Geospatial Intelligence in support of our national security.
Geospatial Intelligence is the exploitation and analysis of
imagery and geospatial information to describe, assess and
visually depict physical features and geographically
referenced activities on the Earth. Headquartered in
Bethesda, Md., NIMA has major facilities in the Washington,
D.C., Northern Virginia, and St. Louis, Mo., areas with
NIMA support teams worldwide.
University of Maryland University College (UMUC), one of 11
accredited, degree-granting institutions in the University
System of Maryland, is the second largest university in the
state, offering programs and services tailored for working
adults. It is a leader in higher education for adults.
The university currently has more than 80,000 students
worldwide, nearly 15,000 of which are Maryland residents.
For more information about UMUC, visit
http://www.umuc.edu
[NOTE: Images supporting this release are available at
http://www.nima.mil/pa/newsroom/history/index.htm ]
