Editing Cold War espionage (section)

== American satellite surveillance systems ==
Weapons System 117L - Weapons System 117L was the first program designed to develop space-based reconnaissance satellite systems.  Several satellite systems would be developed through this program including Corona, the Satellite and Missile Observation System ([[Samos (satellite)|SAMOS]]), and the Missile Detection Alarm System ([[Missile Defense Alarm System|MIDAS]]).<ref>{{Cite book|title=Historical Report: Weapons System 117L|last=Rockefeller|first=Alfred|publisher=Western Development Division|year=1998}}</ref>

[[Samos (satellite)|SAMOS]] - SAMOS or the Satellite and Missile Observation system was one of the first of a series of short lived satellite systems developed by the United States, operated from October 1960 to November 1962.  The SAMOS satellite system was one of the first systems developed through the WS-117L program.  The system consisted of three primary components: visual reconnaissance, communications, and electronic intelligence gathering. Of the eleven launched attempted, 8 were successful.  The program was likely cancelled because of poor image quality.  The satellite could produce photos with 100 foot resolution.  It was also heavily overshadowed by the Corona system operated by the CIA.

[[Missile Defense Alarm System|MIDAS]] - MIDAS or the Missile Defense Alarm System was a satellite system operated by the United States between 1960 and 1966.  This system was designed to be made of twelve satellites, although only nine satellites were successfully launched.  The system was designed to provide early warning of Soviet missile launches.  The system was eventually cancelled because of the high price and because of the slow warning times.  This system, however, would be directly responsible for technologies used in its successors.

[[Corona (satellite)|Corona]] - Corona was among the first of a series of reconnaissance satellite systems developed through the WS-117L program.  The Corona program was headed by the Central Intelligence Agency along with the Air Force.  Corona satellites were used to photograph Soviet and other installations.  The first successful Corona mission began on August 10, 1963. The Corona satellite system was expedited largely in part to the U-2 incident in 1960. All of the Corona missions, with the exception of the KH-11 Kennan program, would make use of photographic film, which would have to survive re-entry through the atmosphere and be recovered.

[[Keyhole satellite|Keyhole]] - Keyhole was the designation for the initial Corona launches, which included KH-1, KH-2, KH-3, KH-4A, and KH-4B. The name was used because it is analogous to spying through the keyhole of a door. 144 satellites would be launched through this program, and 102 returned usable photos.

[[KH-5 Argon|Keyhole/Argon]] (KH-5) - Argon was the designation the surveillance satellites, manufactured by Lockheed, used by the United States from February 1961 to August 1964. Argon made use of photographic film in a way similar of the original Corona satellites. Of the twelve known launches, seven were not successful for varying reasons.

[[KH-6 Lanyard|Keyhole/Lanyard]] (KH-6) - Lanyard was the designation for the first, albeit unsuccessful, attempt to establish a high resolution, optical satellite system.  This program would be led by the newly established National Reconnaissance Office, and operated from March–July 1963.  Because it was only able to achieve a resolution similar to that of the KH-4 satellites, it was discontinued after only 3 launches.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.astronautix.com/k/kh-6.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161227231036/http://astronautix.com/k/kh-6.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 27, 2016|title=KH-6|website=www.astronautix.com|access-date=2017-04-27}}</ref>

[[KH-7 Gambit|Keyhole/Gambit]] (KH-7) - Gambit was the next of a series of satellites operated by the United States, by the National Reconnaissance Office, from July 1963 to June 1967.  It was among the first successful Corona missions as it produced some of the first high resolution photos.  These photos were typically of Soviet and Chinese missile emplacements. Gambit satellites would make use of a three camera system and missions would last typically up to eight days.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=http://www.nro.gov/foia/declass/GAMBHEX.html|title=NRO - Declassifed Records: GAMBIT and HEXAGON Programs|website=www.nro.gov|access-date=2017-04-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171007074824/http://www.nro.gov/foia/declass/GAMBHEX.html|archive-date=2017-10-07|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[KH-8 Gambit 3|Keyhole/Gambit III]] (KH-8) - The Gambit III satellite system was amongst the longest serving satellite reconnaissance programs operated by the United States during the Cold War.  This satellite system would operate from July 1966 to April 1984.  Of the fifty-four launch attempts, only three would fail, all of which were attributed to rocket failure.  The average mission time of the Gambit III satellite systems were thirty-one days.  The Gambit III satellites would differ from the Gambit I satellites in that the Gambit III had a four camera system, which carried over twelve thousand feet of film, and were able to produce resolutions as small as four inches.<ref name=":5" />

[[KH-9 Hexagon|Keyhole/Hexagon]] (KH-9) - The Hexagon satellite system, commonly known as Big Bird, this satellite system was operated from 1971 and 1986. The Hexagon system was officially known as the Broad Coverage Photo Reconnaissance satellites. These satellites photographed large areas of the Earth at a time with moderate resolution.  These satellites were also used for mapping missions, which were used in map making.  Three Hexagon missions also included electronic intelligence or ELINT gathering capabilities.  These were used to eavesdrop on soviet communications and on soviet missile launches.  Twenty launches were attempted, only one was unsuccessful.  These satellites operated for an increasing duration of time, with the longest mission lasting 275 days.<ref name=":5" />

[[KH-11 Kennen|Keyhole/Kennan]] (KH-11) - The KH-11 Kennan, which goes under the code name Crystal, was first launched in 1976, and missions are still ongoing.  According to leaked documents, this program is currently operation under the code name Evolved Enhanced Crystal.  The Kennan satellite system was the first satellite system to use electro-optical imaging, which gives real time imaging capabilities.  The resolution of these satellites is estimated to be as low as 2 inches.  These satellites are unique in that they have been placed in Sun-synchronous orbits, which allow them to use shadows to help discern ground features.  These satellites became famous in 1978 when a CIA employee tried to leak the design of the satellite to the Soviets.  He was tried and convicted of espionage.

Keyhole/Improved Crystal  (KH-12) – The later KH-11 satellites have been called KH-12 improved Crystal or Ikon satellites.  These satellites also had increased download times which allowed for faster processing of photos.  It is also suspected that these satellites may have stealth technology to avoid detection by other satellites.

[[Vela (satellite)|Vela]] - The Vela satellite system was developed to by the United States to ensure that the Soviet Union complied with the Partial Test Ban Treaty which was ratified in 1963.  The satellites were designed to monitor for nuclear explosions in space and in the atmosphere by measuring for neutrons and gamma rays.  A total of twelve Vela satellites were launched during the course of the Cold War.  The Vela satellites became publicly famous because of the Vela Incident which occurred on 22 September 1979.  It was theorized at the time that it was a nuclear test conducted by South Africa and Israel, but new evidence does not support this theory.  They have also been used in the study of [[Gamma-ray burst|Gamma-Ray Bursts]].