[x] Close ad

RECONNAISSANCE SATELLITE

A spy satellite (officially referred to as a reconnaissance satellite or recon sat) is an Earth observation satellite or communications satellite deployed for military or intelligence applications. Until the 1970s and even the 1980s, many reconnaissance satellites that took photographs would eject canisters of photographic film, which would descend to earth and be retrieved in mid-air as they floated down on parachutes.

The term "reconnaissance satellite" is preferred, as "spy satellite" often has negative connotations.

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.

Examples of reconnaissance satellite missions:

Types of spy satellites

Time period Designation Code name
or Nickname		 Optics Notes
1959–1972 KH-1 to
KH-4		 Corona Resolution: 7.5 m, 2.75 m, 1.8 m
Focal length: 0.6 m		 First known series of US spy satellites; photographs returned by film canister ejection.
1960–1962  – Samos Res: 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.
1961–1964 KH-5 Argon Res: 140 m
Foc len: 76 mm		 Film return.
1963 KH-6 Lanyard Res: 1.8 m
Foc len: 1.67 m		 Shortlived operation for imaging a specific site; used a camera from the Samos program; film return.
1963–1967 KH-7 Gambit Res: 0.46 m Film return.
1966–1984 KH-8 Gambit Res: 0.5 m Film return.
1971–1986 KH-9 Hexagon
Big Bird		 Res: 0.30 m Film return.
cancelled KH-10 Dorian Manned Orbiting Laboratory; space station based on Gemini program.
1976–1995 KH-11 Crystal
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?–present? KH-12 Ikon
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?–present? KH-13 8X? EIS? Res: 0.10? to 0.04? m
Mirror: 4? m		 Very little known; possibly includes radar imaging or maybe stealth technology.

See also

External links