spacetoday.net: NASA, NIMA agree to photograph future shuttle flights

Posted: Sun, Mar 30, 2003, 3:33 PM ET (2033 GMT)
NASA said Friday that it had reached an agreement with the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) to have spy satellites take images of space shuttles while in orbit to check for any damage. A letter sent last week from NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe to NIMA director James Clapper formalized an arrangement between the two agencies to have reconnaissance satellites controlled by NIMA take images of shuttles in orbit on future missions. The images would be taken during "targets of opportunity" even if there was no direct request for the images from NASA. The potential for on-orbit imaging during Columbia's mission has become a point of controversy during the accident investigation, with NASA reportedly stopping one request for images made early in the mission and NASA officials turning down an offer by NIMA to photograph the shuttle late in the mission. NASA and NIMA still have to work out procedures for sharing the images, including providing security clearances to NASA personnel.