The primary goal of the satellites was to replace the U-2 spyplane in surveilling the Sino-Soviet Bloc, determining the disposition and speed of production of Soviet missiles and long-range bombers assess.

The KH-1 payload included the C (for Corona) single, vertical-looking, panoramic camera that scanned back and forth, exposing its film at a right angle to the line of flight.

The SRV was equipped with an onboard small solid-fuel retro motor to deorbit at the end of the mission.

[4] Discoverer 7 was preceded by three operational missions and three test flights whose satellites carried no cameras, all launched in 1959.

[1]: 245  CORONA was declassified in 1995,[1]: 14  and a formal acknowledgement of the existence of US reconnaissance programs, past and present, was issued in September 1996.