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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 33, No. 6 6 May 1970

Possible Military Uses

Possible Military Uses

Reasons two and three (above) speak for themselves. The first, however, carries further implications. According to Canta there is a tracking method, of greater accuracy than the normal one, which is used for some observations. This mode of tracking apparently provides nearly instantaneous transfer of data from film to the Colorado computer. Moreover, strict security measures are taken to prevent onlookers from viewing some of the Station equipment. Various conflicting reasons have been offered for this by the USAF—for example "there's a lot of delicate equipment which will break if kicked". Such speed and secrecy as regards information supplied by the Baker-Nunn camera would indicate three possible military uses:
1.The detection of Soviet spy and other satellites and orbit calibration of US spy-satellites.
2.The detection of Soviet space weapons and orbit calibration of similar US weapons.
3.The provision of the highly accurate information necessary to destroy such satellites and weapons.

Information gathered by the Mount John Station will, it is said, be made available to Canterbury University on whose land the Station has been built. It can be pointed out, however, that similar provisions were built into the agreement which lead to the establishment of the Woodbourne base—from which no information has been forthcoming.