How were satellites used in the Cold War?

During the Cold War, the U.S. relied on photo reconnaissance satellites to track adversaries’ weapons development, especially in the Soviet Union and China. From the early 1960s to mid-1980s, photography from space was often the only way to get critical data about nuclear threats.

Where did the launch of Corona spy satellite occur?

Launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base atop a Thor-Agena rocket the Corona/Discoverer XIII completed 17 orbits of the Earth. On Aug. 12, 1960, this capsule, which was not equipped with a camera, became the first man-made object recovered from an orbiting satellite.

How many Corona satellites are there?

eight
CORONA ultimately encompassed eight separate but overlapping series of satellites (dubbed “Keyhole” or KH), launched from 1959 to 1972. CORONA was complemented and ultimately succeeded by the higher resolution KH-7 Gambit and KH-8 Gambit 3 series of satellites.

What are spy satellites used for?

A reconnaissance satellite or spy satellite is a low-orbiting satellite that collects information about civilian and military installations in other countries using an optical or radar system.

What was the purpose of Sputnik?

Sputnik’s official designation was “PS-1” or “Elementary Satellite 1” in Russian. The satellite was launched from what is now called the Baikonur Cosmodrome on Oct. 4, 1957. The 184.3-pound (83.6 kg) craft’s primary function was to place a radio transmitter into orbit around the Earth.

What resolution do spy satellites have?

They have an imaging resolution of 5-6 inches, which means they can see something 5 inches or larger on the ground. These satellites probably can’t read your house number, but they can tell whether there is a bike parked in your driveway.

What is resolution of Corona photographs?

The CORONA program was thus conceived by USA for military surveillance. These images are of high spatial resolution (up to 3 m) covering large areas and were captured by panchromatic cameras (Dashora et al. 2007 ).

What was the first reconnaissance satellite?

DISCOVERER/CORONA
DISCOVERER/CORONA: FIRST U.S. RECONNAISSANCE SATELLITE. In early 1958, a few months after the Soviets launched the first Sputnik, President Eisenhower authorized a top-priority reconnaissance satellite project jointly managed by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the U.S. Air Force.

When was Corona declassified?

February 1995
CORONA. CORONA was the nation’s first photo reconnaissance satellites, operating from August 1960 until May 1972. The program was declassified at the request of the Central Intelligence Agency in February 1995.

What is Corona imagery?

The classified military satellite systems code-named CORONA, ARGON, and LANYARD acquired photographic images from space and returned the film to Earth for processing and analysis. The images were originally used for reconnaissance and to produce maps for U.S. intelligence agencies.