At a meeting in Washington in May 1963, a NASA official was presented with an unusual proposal concerning fragments of American and Soviet satellites that might fall in foreign countries.
Officials wanted to return some of the debris openly, and collect others covertly. This way, returning property to another country could mask an attempt to gain intelligence about its technology.
NASA's Covert Role
The details appear in an internal memo from a US body that coordinated space policy. According to the memo, the Department of State and the Department of War sought to leverage NASA's status as a civilian space agency. NASA was intended to assist in collecting sensitive equipment that fell outside the United States.
The idea rested on two tracks. Parts not considered sensitive would be publicly returned to their country of origin. Equipment that might reveal technology would be collected discreetly. This way, officials hoped to learn about rival nations' technology while simultaneously protecting American technology.
Senior NASA Official Objected
Arnold Frutkin, NASA's Director of International Programs, attended the meeting. The memo describes his reaction to the proposal as "very negative." The plan was also intended to maintain good relations with other countries: publicly returning some of the debris could help with this, while the intelligence gathering remained hidden.
However, the memo does not specify what exactly Frutkin said, or what caused his opposition. This gap is particularly striking given the detailed proposal laid before him: NASA was supposed to assist in a covert mission, despite being a civilian and scientific agency.
What Remains Unknown
The memo describes a discussion and a proposal, not an operation that took place. It is unknown if the proposal was accepted, if debris was collected as a result, or if further information about Frutkin's opposition was later revealed.
Space debris might look like trash. But in the wrong hands, it could expose a nation's secret.
