A list of the types of U.S. reconnaissance satellites deployed from 1960 onwardAerial view of Osama bin Laden's compound in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad made by the CIA.KH-4B Corona satelliteU.S. Lacrosse radar spy satellite under constructionA model of a German SAR-Lupe reconnaissance satellite inside a Cosmos-3M rocket.Microwave interception (Rhyolite)
The first generation type (i.e., Corona[1][2] and Zenit) took photographs, then ejected canisters of photographic film which would descend back down into Earth's atmosphere. Corona capsules were retrieved in mid-air as they floated down on parachutes. Later, spacecraft had digital imaging systems and downloaded the images via encrypted radio links.
In the United States, most information available about reconnaissance satellites is on programs that existed up to 1972, as this information has been declassified due to its age. Some information about programs before that time is still classified information, and a small amount 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 1984.[3]
On 16 March 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".[4]
TypesEdit
There are several major types of reconnaissance satellite.[5]
On 28 August 2013, it was thought that "a $1-billion high-powered spy satellite capable of snapping pictures detailed enough to distinguish the make and model of an automobile hundreds of miles below"[7] was launched from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base using a Delta IV Heavy launcher, America's highest-payload space launch vehicle at the time.
On 17 February 2014, a Russian Kosmos-1220 originally launched in 1980 and used for naval missile targeting until 1982, made an uncontrolled atmospheric entry.[8]
BenefitsEdit
During the 1950s, a Soviet hoax had led to American fears of a bomber gap. In 1968, after gaining satellite photography, the United States' intelligence agencies were able to state with certainty that "No new ICBM complexes have been established in the USSR during the past year". President Lyndon B. Johnson told a gathering in 1967:[9]
I wouldn't want to be quoted on this ... We've spent $35 or $40 billion on the space program. And if nothing else had come out of it except the knowledge that we gained from space photography, it would be worth ten times what the whole program has cost. Because tonight we know how many missiles the enemy has and, it turned out, our guesses were way off. We were doing things we didn't need to do. We were building things we didn't need to build. We were harboring fears we didn't need to harbor.
...photo-reconnaissance satellites, for example, are enormously important in stabilizing world affairs and thereby make a significant contribution to the security of all nations.
Additionally, companies such as GeoEye and DigitalGlobe have provided commercial satellite imagery in support of natural disaster response and humanitarian missions.[11]
In fictionEdit
Spy satellites are commonly seen in spy fiction and military fiction. Some works of fiction that focus specifically on spy satellites include:
^Wright, Michael; Herron, Caroline Rand (8 December 1985). "Two Years for Morison". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
^Erickson, Mark (2005). (PDF). Air University Press. ISBN1-58566-140-6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 September 2009.
^reconnaissance satellite, Infoplease, retrieved 17 February 2014
^"The Navy's Spy Missions in Space". U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. April 2008. from the original on 21 April 2019. Retrieved 21 April 2019. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
^Hennigan, W.J. (27 August 2013). "Monster rocket to blast off from Pacific coast, rattle Southland". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
^Melissa Goldin (17 February 2014). "Fragments of Soviet-Era Satellite Burn Up in Earth's Atmosphere". Mashable. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
^"The State of the Union Annual Message to the Congress". 1980 State of the Union Address. The American Presidency Project. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
^"Commercial Satellite Imagery Companies Partner with the U.S. Geological Survey in Support of the International Charter "Space and Major Disasters"". USGS Newsroom. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
Norris, Pat (2008). Spies in the Sky: Surveillance Satellites in War and Peace. Berlin; New York: Springer; Chichester, UK: In association with Praxis Publishing. Bibcode:2008spsk.book.....N. OCLC 154711855.
External linksEdit
FAS Intelligence Resource Program – Imagery Intelligence (IMINT)
Iran to Launch first spy satellite 12 December 2005 at the Wayback Machine
Egyptsat1 (MisrSat 1)
Spaceports Around the World: Iraq's Al-Anbar Space Research Center
(NASA, remote sensing tutorial)
October 17, 2023
reconnaissance, satellite, confused, with, military, satellite, examples, perspective, this, article, represent, worldwide, view, subject, improve, this, article, discuss, issue, talk, page, create, article, appropriate, january, 2012, learn, when, remove, thi. Not to be confused with military satellite The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject You may improve this article discuss the issue on the talk page or create a new article as appropriate January 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message A reconnaissance satellite or intelligence satellite commonly although unofficially referred to as a spy satellite is an Earth observation satellite or communications satellite deployed for military or intelligence applications A list of the types of U S reconnaissance satellites deployed from 1960 onwardAerial view of Osama bin Laden s compound in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad made by the CIA KH 4B Corona satelliteU S Lacrosse radar spy satellite under constructionA model of a German SAR Lupe reconnaissance satellite inside a Cosmos 3M rocket Microwave interception Rhyolite The first generation type i e Corona 1 2 and Zenit took photographs then ejected canisters of photographic film which would descend back down into Earth s atmosphere Corona capsules were retrieved in mid air as they floated down on parachutes Later spacecraft had digital imaging systems and downloaded the images via encrypted radio links In the United States most information available about reconnaissance satellites is on programs that existed up to 1972 as this information has been declassified due to its age Some information about programs before that time is still classified information and a small amount 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 1984 3 Contents 1 History 2 Types 3 Missions 4 Benefits 5 In fiction 6 See also 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External linksHistory EditOn 16 March 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 4 Types EditThere are several major types of reconnaissance satellite 5 Missile early warningMain articles Defense Support Program and Space Based Infrared System Provides warning of an attack by detecting ballistic missile launches Earliest known are Missile Defense Alarm System citation needed Nuclear explosion detection Detects nuclear detonation from space Vela is the earliest known citation needed Electronic reconnaissance Signals intelligence intercepts stray radio waves SOLRAD is the earliest known 6 Optical imaging surveillance Earth imaging satellites Satellite images can be a survey or close look telephoto Corona is the earliest known Spectral imaging is commonplace Radar imaging surveillance Most space based radars use synthetic aperture radar citation needed Can be used at night or through cloud cover Earliest known are the Soviet US A series Missions EditExamples of reconnaissance satellite missions High resolution photography IMINT Measurement and Signature Intelligence MASINT Communications eavesdropping SIGINT Covert communications Monitoring of nuclear test ban compliance see National Technical Means Detection of missile launchesOn 28 August 2013 it was thought that a 1 billion high powered spy satellite capable of snapping pictures detailed enough to distinguish the make and model of an automobile hundreds of miles below 7 was launched from California s Vandenberg Air Force Base using a Delta IV Heavy launcher America s highest payload space launch vehicle at the time On 17 February 2014 a Russian Kosmos 1220 originally launched in 1980 and used for naval missile targeting until 1982 made an uncontrolled atmospheric entry 8 Benefits EditDuring the 1950s a Soviet hoax had led to American fears of a bomber gap In 1968 after gaining satellite photography the United States intelligence agencies were able to state with certainty that No new ICBM complexes have been established in the USSR during the past year President Lyndon B Johnson told a gathering in 1967 9 I wouldn t want to be quoted on this We ve spent 35 or 40 billion on the space program And if nothing else had come out of it except the knowledge that we gained from space photography it would be worth ten times what the whole program has cost Because tonight we know how many missiles the enemy has and it turned out our guesses were way off We were doing things we didn t need to do We were building things we didn t need to build We were harboring fears we didn t need to harbor During his 1980 State of the Union Address President Jimmy Carter explained how all of humanity benefited from the presence of American spy satellites 10 photo reconnaissance satellites for example are enormously important in stabilizing world affairs and thereby make a significant contribution to the security of all nations Reconnaissance satellites have been used to enforce human rights through the Satellite Sentinel Project which monitors atrocities in Sudan and South Sudan Additionally companies such as GeoEye and DigitalGlobe have provided commercial satellite imagery in support of natural disaster response and humanitarian missions 11 In fiction EditSpy satellites are commonly seen in spy fiction and military fiction Some works of fiction that focus specifically on spy satellites include The OMAC Project Enemy of the State Body of Lies Ice Station Zebra Parmanu The Story of Pokhran Patriot GamesSee also Edit nbsp Spaceflight portalAerial reconnaissance Defense Support Program U S European Union Satellite Centre List of intelligence gathering disciplines List of Kosmos satellites National Reconnaissance Office U S Satcom on the MoveReferences Edit Corona History National Reconnaissance Office Archived from the original on 22 February 2014 Retrieved 15 February 2014 Corona Program Mission and Spacecraft Library Archived from the original on 7 August 2011 Retrieved 16 February 2014 Wright Michael Herron Caroline Rand 8 December 1985 Two Years for Morison The New York Times Retrieved 16 February 2014 Erickson Mark 2005 Into the Unknown Together The DOD NASA and Early Spaceflight PDF Air University Press ISBN 1 58566 140 6 Archived from the original PDF on 20 September 2009 reconnaissance satellite Infoplease retrieved 17 February 2014 The Navy s Spy Missions in Space U S Naval Research Laboratory April 2008 Archived from the original on 21 April 2019 Retrieved 21 April 2019 nbsp This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Hennigan W J 27 August 2013 Monster rocket to blast off from Pacific coast rattle Southland Los Angeles Times Retrieved 16 February 2014 Melissa Goldin 17 February 2014 Fragments of Soviet Era Satellite Burn Up in Earth s Atmosphere Mashable Retrieved 17 February 2014 Heppenheimer T A 1998 The Space Shuttle Decision NASA pp 191 198 The State of the Union Annual Message to the Congress 1980 State of the Union Address The American Presidency Project Retrieved 11 April 2014 Commercial Satellite Imagery Companies Partner with the U S Geological Survey in Support of the International Charter Space and Major Disasters USGS Newsroom United States Geological Survey Retrieved 4 April 2014 Further reading EditKupperberg Paul 2003 Spy satellites Rosen Publishing Group ISBN 9780823938544 ISBN 0 8239 3854 9 Richelson Jeffrey 1990 America s Secret Eyes in Space the U S Keyhole Spy Satellite Program Harper amp Row ISBN 9780887302855 ISBN 0 88730 285 8 Norris Pat 2008 Spies in the Sky Surveillance Satellites in War and Peace Berlin New York Springer Chichester UK In association with Praxis Publishing Bibcode 2008spsk book N OCLC 154711855 External links EditFAS Intelligence Resource Program Imagery Intelligence IMINT Iran to Launch first spy satellite Archived 12 December 2005 at the Wayback Machine Egyptsat1 MisrSat 1 Spaceports Around the World Iraq s Al Anbar Space Research Center Military Intelligence Satellites NASA remote sensing tutorial Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Reconnaissance satellite amp oldid 1177143440, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
