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Information about Reconnaissance Satellite

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KH-4B Corona satellite
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Lacrosse radar spy satellite under construction


A spy satellite (officially referred to as a reconnaissance satellite) is an Earth observation satellite or communications satellite deployed for military or intelligence applications. The first generation type (i.e. Corona [1] [2] and Zenit) took photographs then ejected canisters of photographic film, which would descend to earth. Corona capsules were retrieved in mid-air as they floated down on parachutes. Later spacecraft had digital imaging systems and downloaded the images via radio links.

In the United States, the most information is available on programs that existed up to 1972. Some information about programs prior to that time is still classified, and a small trickle of information is available on subsequent missions. A few up-to-date reconnaissance satellite images have been declassified on occasion, or leaked, as in the case of KH-11 photographs which were sent to Jane's Defence Weekly in 1985.

Origins

On March 16, 1955, the United States Air Force officially ordered the development of an advanced reconnaissance satellite to provide continuous surveillance of “preselected areas of the earth” in order “to determine the status of a potential enemy’s war-making capability.”[3]

Missions

Examples of reconnaissance satellite missions:

Types

United States

Time periodDesignationCode name or NicknameOpticsNotes
1959–1962KH-1 to KH-3CoronaResolution: 7.5 m
Focal length: 0.6 m		First series of US imaging spy satellites; photographs returned by film canister ejection. Each satellite carried a single panoramic camera.
1960–1962–SamosRes: 30 to 1.5 m
Foc len: 0.7 to 1.83 m		Most flights used radio to relay images; some film returns; probably cancelled due to poor-quality imagery.
1962-1963KH-4CoronaResolution: 7.5 mFilm return. Two panoramic cameras.
1963-1969KH-4ACoronaResolution: 2.75 mFilm return with two reentry vehicles and two panoramic cameras. Large volume of imagery.
1967-1972KH-4BCoronaResolution: 1.8 mFilm return with two reentry vehicles and two panoramic cameras.
1961–1964KH-5ArgonRes: 140 m
Foc len: 76 mm		Film return. Low-resolution, high coverage-area images used for mapping.
1963KH-6LanyardRes: 1.8 m
Foc len: 1.67 m		Shortlived operation for imaging a specific site; used a camera from the Samos program; film return.
1963–1967KH-7GambitRes: 0.46 mFilm return with single reentry vehicle per launch.
1966–1984KH-8GambitRes: 0.5 mFilm return.
1971–1986KH-9Hexagon
"Big Bird"		Res: 0.30 mFilm return with four or five reentry vehicles per launch.
cancelledKH-10DorianManned Orbital Laboratory; space station based on Gemini program.
1976–1995KH-11Crystal
Kennan		Res: 0.15 m
Mirror: 2.3 m		First known digital imaging spy satellite. Thought possibly to be similar in size and overall layout to the Hubble Space Telescope.
1990—?KH-12Ikon
Improved Crystal		Res: 0.15 to 0.10? m
Mirror: 2.4 to 4? m		Digital imaging; probably incorporates low light level visible and 3 to 5 micrometre infrared imaging capabilities; possible "live" intelligence gathering.
1999—?KH-138X? EIS?Res: 0.10? to 0.04? m (*)
Mirror: 4? m		Very little known; possibly includes radar imaging or maybe stealth technology.


(*) Although there is much speculation concerning imaging resolution, any optical system is limited by diffraction. For example, a satellite with a 4m telescope at an orbit of 600km has a diffraction limited resolution of 10cm at 550nm (green light), so it certainly cannot read a license plate. Other effects such as an inhomogenious atmosphere further degrade resolution.

Soviet Union

China

Germany

France

United Kingdom

India

Iran

Iraq

(under Saddam Hussein)

Israel

Italy

Japan

Egypt

South Korea

In fiction

Spy satellites are commonly seen in spy fiction and military fiction. Some works of fiction that focus specifically on spy satellites include:

References

See also

External links

Earth observation satellites are satellites specifically designed to observe Earth from orbit, similar to reconnaissance satellites but intended for non-military uses such as environmental monitoring, meteorology, map making etc.
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communications satellite (sometimes abbreviated to comsat) is an artificial satellite stationed in space for the purposes of telecommunications. Modern communications satellites use a variety of orbits including geostationary orbits, Molniya orbits, other elliptical orbits
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Military has two broad meanings. In its first sense, it refers to soldiers and soldiering. In its second sense, it refers to armed forces as a whole. Over the years, military units have come in all shapes and sizes.
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Espionage (a word from Latin espionnage) or spying is a practice of obtaining information about an organization or a society that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information.
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Corona was the name of a series of US military reconnaissance satellites operated under a CIA program with substantial assistance from the US Air Force, used for photographic surveillance of the Soviet Union, China and other areas from June 1959 until May 1972 .
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For other uses, see Zenit (disambiguation).


Zenit (Russian: Зени́т, Zenith
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Photographic film is a sheet of plastic (polyester, nitrocellulose or cellulose acetate) coated with an emulsion containing light-sensitive silver halide salts (bonded by gelatin) with variable crystal sizes that determine the sensitivity, contrast and resolution of the film.
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Mid-air retrieval is a technique used in atmospheric reentry when the reentering vehicle is incapable of a satisfactory unassisted landing. The vehicle is slowed by means of parachutes, and then a specially-equipped aircraft matches the vehicle's trajectory and catches it in
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parachute is usually a soft fabric device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag. Parachutes are normally used to slow the descent of a person or object to Earth or another celestial body within an atmosphere.
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Motto
"In God We Trust"   (since 1956)
"E Pluribus Unum"   ("From Many, One"; Latin, traditional)
Anthem
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19th century - 20th century - 21st century
1940s  1950s  1960s  - 1970s -  1980s  1990s  2000s
1969 1970 1971 - 1972 - 1973 1974 1975

Year 1972 (MCMLXXII
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Classified information is sensitive information to which access is restricted by law or regulation to particular classes of people. A formal security clearance is required to handle classified documents or access classified data.
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KH-11, also referenced by the codenames 1010[1], Crystal and Kennan[2], also commonly known as "Key Hole", was a type of reconnaissance satellite launched by the American National Reconnaissance Office between December 1976 and 1990
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Jane's Defence Weekly (abbreviated as JDW) is a weekly magazine reporting on military and corporate affairs. It is one of a number of military-related publications named after John F.T.
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20th century - 21st century
1950s  1960s  1970s  - 1980s -  1990s  2000s  2010s
1982 1983 1984 - 1985 - 1986 1987 1988

Year 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar).
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March 16 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

Events

  • 597 BC - Babylonians capture Jerusalem, replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king

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19th century - 20th century - 21st century
1920s  1930s  1940s  - 1950s -  1960s  1970s  1980s
1952 1953 1954 - 1955 - 1956 1957 1958

Year 1955 (MCMLV
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United States Air Force (USAF) is the aerial warfare branch of the United States armed forces and one of the seven uniformed services. Previously part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947.
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IMINT, short for IMagery INTelligence, is an intelligence gathering discipline which collects information via satellite and aerial photography.

Aerial

Aerial intelligence goes back hundreds of years.
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For other uses, see Sigint (disambiguation).


SIGINT stands for SIGnals INTelligence, which is a intelligence-gathering by interception of signals, whether between people (i.e.
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Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) bans all nuclear explosions in all environments, for military or civilian purposes.

Status

The Treaty was opened for signature in New York on 24 September 1996, when it was signed by 71 States, including five of the eight then
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National technical means of verification is a phrase that first appeared, but was not detailed, in the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT) between the US and USSR. At first, the phrase reflected a concern that the "Soviet Union could be particularly disturbed by public
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ELINT stands for ELectronic Signals INTelligence, and refers to intelligence-gathering by use of electronic sensors.

ELINT primarily focuses on non-communications signals intelligence.
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Galactic Radiation and Background (GRAB) series of intelligence satellites were operated by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory shortly after the Cold War U-2 Crisis of 1960.
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POPPY is the code name given to a series of U.S. intelligence satellites operated by the National Reconnaissance Office. The POPPY satellites recorded ELINT data, targeting radar installations in the Soviet Union.
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The Naval Ocean Surveillance System (NOSS), reportedly also called White Cloud and PARCAE, refers to one or several systems of SIGINT satellites which conducted ELINT for the U.S. Navy beginning in the early 1970s.
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SAMOS-F or Air Force Program 102 refers to a series of SIGINT reconnaissance satellites launched and operated by the United States Air Force and National Reconnaissance Office during the 1960s. The satellites are also called Agena ferrets and heavy ferrets.
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For other uses, see Sigint (disambiguation).


SIGINT stands for SIGnals INTelligence, which is a intelligence-gathering by interception of signals, whether between people (i.e.
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Jumpseat, also known as AFP-711 [1] is reportedly a code name for a class of SIGINT reconnaissance satellites operated by the National Reconnaissance Office for the United States Air Force in the 1970s and 1980s.
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TRUMPET, called Advanced Jumpseat by some observers, is reportedly a codename for a series of ELINT reconnaissance satellites launched by the United States during the 1990s to replace the Jumpseat (satellite) satellites.
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