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KH-4B Corona satellite
KH-4B Corona satellite
Lacrosse radar spy satellite under construction
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. Earth observation satellites are Satellites specifically designed to observe Earth from Orbit, similar to Reconnaissance satellites but intended A communications satellite (sometimes abbreviated to comsat) is an artificial Satellite stationed in space for the purposes of Telecommunications. A military is an Organization authorized by its Nation to use force usually including use of Weapons in defending its Country (or by attacking 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 was a US military Reconnaissance satellite system operated by the CIA Directorate of Science & Technology with substantial assistance from the This article is mainly concerned with Still photography film For Motion picture film please see Film stock. Corona capsules were retrieved in mid-air as they floated down on parachutes. Mid-air retrieval is a technique used in Atmospheric reentry when the reentering vehicle is incapable of a satisfactory unassisted landing A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag. Later spacecraft had digital imaging systems and downloaded the images via radio links.

In the United States, most information available is on programs that existed up to 1972. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Some information about programs prior to that time are 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. The KH-11, also referenced by the codenames 1010, Crystal and Kennan, also commonly known as " Key Hole " was a type of Reconnaissance "JDW" redirects here For the biologist with the same initials see James D

Contents

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. Events 597 BC - Babylonians capture Jerusalem, replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) ”[3] In October 1957, the Russians launched Sputnik. Sputnik 1 ( "Спутник-1", "Satellite-1" ПС-1 ( PS-1, i It the first man made object to be put into space.

Missions

Examples of reconnaissance satellite missions:

Types

United States

Time periodDesignationCode name or NicknameOpticsNotes
1959–1962KH-1 to KH-3CoronaResolution: 7. IMINT, short for IM agery INT elligence is an intelligence gathering discipline which collects information via satellite and Aerial photography Measurement and Signature Intelligence, or MASINT, refers to intelligence gathering activities that bring together disparate elements that do not fit within the The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT bans all nuclear explosions in all environments for military or civilian purposes 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 The Galactic Radiation and Background (GRAB series of intelligence satellites were operated by the U POPPY is the code name given to a series of US intelligence satellites operated by the National Reconnaissance Office. The Naval Ocean Surveillance System ( NOSS) reportedly also called White Cloud and PARCAE, refers to one or several systems of SIGINT satellites 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 Jumpseat, also known as AFP-711 is reportedly a code name for a class of SIGINT Reconnaissance satellites operated by the National Reconnaissance Office TRUMPET, called Advanced Jumpseat by some observers is reportedly a codename for a series of ELINT Reconnaissance satellites launched by the United States Rhyolite and later Aquacade are reportedly code names for a class of SIGINT Reconnaissance satellites operated by the National Reconnaissance Office Magnum is reportedly a code name for a class of SIGINT Reconnaissance satellite operated by the National Reconnaissance Office for the United States MENTOR, sometimes called Advanced Orion by observers is reportedly a code-name for a class of United States Reconnaissance satellites that collect signals intelligence CANYON refers to a series of seven United States Reconnaissance satellites launched between 1968 and 1977 APRILICUS refers to a series of four United States Reconnaissance satellites launched between 1978 and 1980 Vortex, previously known as Chalet, is a class of Reconnaissance satellite operated by the United States during the 1980s and 1990s to collect signals MERCURY (sometimes called "Advanced VORTEX" is reportedly the name of a series of three United States Reconnaissance satellites launched in the 1990s Lacrosse and Onyx are the code names for the United States' National Reconnaissance Office terrestrial Radar imaging Reconnaissance satellite Measurement and Signature Intelligence, or MASINT, refers to intelligence gathering activities that bring together disparate elements that do not fit within the Misty is reportedly the name of a classified project by the United States National Reconnaissance Office to operate stealthy Reconnaissance satellites The satellites Zirconic is the name of a program for the development of stealth Reconnaissance satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office. The Satellite Data System ( SDS) is a system of United States military Communications satellites At least two generations have been used SDS-1 from July Vela was the name of a group of Satellites developed as the Vela Hotel element of Project Vela by the United States to monitor compliance with Corona was a US military Reconnaissance satellite system operated by the CIA Directorate of Science & Technology with substantial assistance from the Corona was a US military Reconnaissance satellite system operated by the CIA Directorate of Science & Technology with substantial assistance from the 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. The Samos E or SAMOS program was a relatively short-lived series of Reconnaissance satellites for the United States in the early 1960s 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. Radio is the transmission of signals by Modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible Light.
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. Codenamed Argon, the KH-5 was a series of Reconnaissance satellites produced by the United States from February 1961 to August 1964 Low-resolution, high coverage-area images used for mapping.
1963KH-6LanyardRes: 1. Codenamed Lanyard, the KH-6 was a shortlived series of Reconnaissance satellites produced by the United States from March to July 1963. 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. Codenamed Gambit, the KH-7 was a Reconnaissance satellite used by the United States from July 1963 to June 1967. 46 mFilm return with single reentry vehicle per launch.
1966–1984KH-8GambitRes: 0. The KH-8, codenamed GAMBIT was a long-lived series of Reconnaissance satellites used by the United States from July 1966 to April 1984 5 mFilm return.
1971–1986KH-9Hexagon
"Big Bird"		Res: 0. KH-9 codenamed HEXAGON, and popularly known as Big Bird was a series of Photographic Reconnaissance satellites launched by the United States KH-9 codenamed HEXAGON, and popularly known as Big Bird was a series of Photographic Reconnaissance satellites launched by the United States 30 mFilm return with four or five reentry vehicles per launch.
cancelledKH-10DorianManned Orbital Laboratory; space station based on Gemini program. The Manned Orbital Laboratory ( MOL) was part of the United States Air Force 's Manned spaceflight program a successor to the cancelled X-20 Dyna-Soar The Manned Orbital Laboratory ( MOL) was part of the United States Air Force 's Manned spaceflight program a successor to the cancelled X-20 Dyna-Soar A space station is an artificial structure designed for Humans to live in Outer space. Team The Gemini program was managed by the Manned Spacecraft Center Houston Texas under direction of the Office of Manned Space Flight NASA Headquarters Washington
1976–1995KH-11Crystal
Kennan		Res: 0. The KH-11, also referenced by the codenames 1010, Crystal and Kennan, also commonly known as " Key Hole " was a type of Reconnaissance 15 m
Mirror: 2. 3 m		First known digital imaging spy satellite. Digital imaging or digital image acquisition is the creation of Digital images typically from a physical object Thought possibly to be similar in size and overall layout to the Hubble Space Telescope. The Hubble Space Telescope ( HST; also known colloquially as "the Hubble" or just "Hubble" is a space telescope that was carried into
1990—?KH-12Ikon
Improved Crystal		Res: 0. " KH-12 " is an unofficial designation of the successor to the KH-11 spy satellite 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. A micrometre ( American spelling: micrometer; symbol µm) is one millionth of a Metre, or equivalently one thousandth of a Millimetre A thermographic camera, sometimes called a FLIR (Forward Looking InfraRed or an infrared camera less specifically is a device that forms an image using Infrared
1999—?KH-138X? EIS?Res: 0. The KH-13 is a name used by observers of US military space programs to refer to a class of imaging Spy satellite operated by the United States. The KH-13 is a name used by observers of US military space programs to refer to a class of imaging Spy satellite operated by the United States. The KH-13 is a name used by observers of US military space programs to refer to a class of imaging Spy satellite operated by the United States. 10? to 0. 04? m (*)
Mirror: 4? m		Very little known; possibly includes radar imaging or maybe stealth technology. Traditional Radar sends directional pulses of Electromagnetic energy and detects the presence position and motion of an object (such as an Aircraft) by analyzing Stealth technology also known as LOT (Low Observability Technology is a sub-discipline of military Electronic countermeasures which covers a range of techniques used with

(*) Although there is much speculation concerning imaging resolution, any optical system is limited by diffraction. Diffraction is normally taken to refer to various phenomena which occur when a wave encounters an obstacle For example, a satellite with a 4 m telescope at an orbit of 600 km has a diffraction limited resolution of 10 cm at 550nm (green light), so it certainly cannot read a license plate. Other effects such as an inhomogenious atmosphere further degrade resolution. The apogee of a typical filming mission would have been close to 100 km. Using the above calculation the resolution would have been less than 2 cm (<1 inch).

Soviet Union/Russia

China

Canada

Germany

France

United Kingdom

India

Iran

Iraq

(under Saddam Hussein)

Israel

Italy

Japan

Egypt

South Korea

Turkey

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has, together with Qatar and United Arab Emirates (other Gulf Cooperation Council's countries) shown interest in satellite military Earth observation systems.


Other Countries


In fiction

Spy satellites are commonly seen in spy fiction and military fiction. The Genre of spy fiction —sometimes called political thriller or spy thriller or sometimes shortened simply to Spy-fi —arose before Some works of fiction that focus specifically on spy satellites include:

References

  1. ^ Corona page at NRO
  2. ^ Corona page at NASA
  3. ^ Erickson, Mark. The OMAC Project is a six issue American comic book Limited series written by Greg Rucka with art by Jesus Saiz and published Enemy of the State is a 1998 Spy film about a group of rogue NSA agents who kill a Congressman in a political-related murder and then try Into the Unknown Together - The DOD, NASA, and Early Spaceflight. ISBN 1-58566-140-6.  
  4. ^ Rorsat - Encyclopedia Astronautica

See also

External links

The National Reconnaissance Office ( NRO) located in Chantilly The Defense Support Program (DSP is a program of the US Air Force that operates the Reconnaissance satellites which form the principal component of the Satellite The European Union Satellite Centre ( EUSC) is an Agency of the Council of the European Union which gathers information through satellite images to help the EU prevent conflicts Enemy of the State is a 1998 Spy film about a group of rogue NSA agents who kill a Congressman in a political-related murder and then try Intelligence Gathering Disciplines HUMINT Human Intelligence - gathered from a person on the ground

Dictionary

spy satellite

-noun

  1. An artificial space satellite used for reconnaissance or intelligence gathering.
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