(3) Background on Rendezvous and Docking Agreements** 1. Summary of Results, April 6, 1972 Summary of results of a Meeting Between Representatives of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences (the Academy) on the Question of Developing Compatible Systems for the Rendezvous and Docking of Manned Spacecraft and Space Stations of the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R. During April 4-6, 1972, in Moscow, the Deputy Administrator of NASA, Dr. George M. Low, and the Acting President of the Academy, Academician V. A. Kotelnikov, met to continue discussions of questions relating to the development of compatible rendezvous and docking systems for manned spacecraft and space stations. Official representatives of both sides participated. Both sides confirmed the desirability of (a) continuing further work to develop such systems and (b) conducting a test mission of such systems during 1975. NASA and the Academy agreed that the first joint experimental testing of compatible rendezvous and docking systems should be conducted with the use of Apollo-type and Soyuz-type spacecraft employing systems developed by both sides in accordance with the Summaries of Results and related documentation resulting from previous meetings. During the meeting, the Soviet side presented technical materials on the Soyuz-type spacecraft. Technical materials relating to the proposed joint flight of Apollo and Soyuz type spacecraft shall be forwarded to the American side in May 1972. NASA and the Academy agree that a common understanding of basic principles for organizing, developing, scheduling, and conducting such a test mission is required as a necessary prerequisite to the possible approval by their governments of such a test mission. To provide a basis for understanding and developing such principles, the U.S. side has prepared a number of draft documents including, particularly, the following ones: JOURNAL OF SPACE LAW A. Proposed Organization Plan for the Apollo/Soyuz Test Mission. B. Apollo/Soyuz Test Mission Considerations (brief summary of document A). C. A Project Technical Proposal Document. D. A Project Schedule Document. These documents are accepted as the basis for the development of jointly prepared documents. Both sides agree that the specific content of these documents will be jointly developed and agreed upon at the next meeting of working groups in July 1972, to provide the necessary basis for successful implementation of a joint mission, should such a mission be approved by the two governments. The following points, to which both sides agree, while not comprehensive, illustrate in summary fashion some of the major requirements which are contained in document B: A. For the preparatory (pre-launch) period- 1. Regular and direct contact will be provided through communication links and visits as required. 2. A complete project schedule will be developed and commitments will be made on both sides to meet this schedule in order to avoid costly delays to either party. 3. Arrangements will be made for necessary contact and understanding between specialists engaged in developing and conducting the project. 4. A comprehensive test, qualification, and simulation program will be developed. 5. A sufficient level of familiarization and training, where applicable, with the other country's vehicle and/or normal training equipment must be defined and provided for safety-of-flight assurance. The necessary training exercises will be conducted in each country for the other country's flight crew and ground operations personnel. 6. The parties recognize in particular that they must jointly make a concerted effort to arrive at a full agreement on the engineering aspects of the mission during the meeting of working groups in July 1972. 7. Two years prior to the flight, responsible persons who will directly participate in the flight operations should be included in the working groups in order to assure a proper level of mutual understanding and a continuity of personnel into the real-time operation. B. For the mission operation- 1. Control of the flight of the Apollo-type spacecraft will be accomplished by the American Control Center and that of the Soyuz by the Soviet Control Center, with sufficient communication channels between centers for proper coordination. 2. In the course of control, decisions concerning questions affecting joint elements of the flight program, including countdown coordination, will be made after consultation with the control center of the other country. 3. Joint elements of the flight will be conducted according to coordinated and approved mission documentation, including contingency plans. 4. In the conduct of the flight, pre-planned exchanges of technical information and status will be performed on a scheduled basis. 5. The host country control center or host country spacecraft commander will have primary responsibility for deciding the appropriate pre-planned contingency course of action for a given situation in the host vehicle. Each country will prepare detailed rules for various equipment failures requiring any of the pre-planned contingency courses of action. 6. In situations requiring immediate response, or when out of contact with ground personnel, decision will be taken by the commander of the host ship according to the pre-planned, contingency courses of action. 7. Any television downlink will be immediately transmitted to the other country's control center. The capability to listen to the voice communications between the vehicles and the ground will be available to the other country's control center on a pre-planned basis and, upon joint consent, as further required or deemed desirable.�B 8. Both sides will continue to consider techniques for providing additional information and background to the other country's control center personnel to assist in mutual understanding (including the placement of representatives in each others control centers). 9. As a minimum, flight crews should be trained in the other country's language well enough to understand it and act in response as appropriate to established voice communications regarding normal and contingency courses of action. 10. A public information plan will be developed which takes into account the obligations and practices of both sides. Done in Moscow, April 6, 1972, in English and Russian, both languages having equal force. **Taken from U.S. Senate Comm. on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, Hearing on Space Agreements with the Soviet Union, 92d Cong., 2d Sess. 58-60 (Comm. Print, June 23, 1972).