Analogue Spy Satellites

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Wob

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Topic # 95445 4-Jan-2012 19:18

An old friend posted this on linkedin:

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/12/top-secret-your-briefing-on-the-cias-cold-war-spy-satellite-big-bird/250629/

It's incredible to think that spy satellites were operating in the 70s, before any sort of digital technology, and dropping the exposed film to earth to be picked up by hercs.

"The amazing story of how our supersecret, Cold-War spy satellites took photos of the Soviet empire and dropped them to Earth, all without the help of computers, bandwidth, or digital cameras."

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sbiddle

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Reply # 564444 4-Jan-2012 19:32

I was watching a TV show on Area 51 the other day that talked about the SR71 development. The Americans knew the Russian's had satellites orbiting overhead, and knew the times, so used to have to wheel their planes away, and would then make dummy aircraft that they would leave outside to be photographed.

SaltyNZ

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Reply # 564457 4-Jan-2012 20:10

sbiddle: I was watching a TV show on Area 51 the other day that talked about the SR71 development. The Americans knew the Russian's had satellites orbiting overhead, and knew the times, so used to have to wheel their planes away, and would then make dummy aircraft that they would leave outside to be photographed.

I would fully expect the opposite to be true, also.

//Saw same episode.

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SepticSceptic

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Reply # 564892 5-Jan-2012 16:25

There has been quite a significant release of now unclassified documents by the US military that cover most aspects the early spy satellites. Some of it is still classified.

The Space Review site has carried a good synopsis of the development of the early spy satellites. Not too in-depth. An example:

http://thespacereview.com/article/1927/1

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