KH-11 KENNEN
Manufactured by Lockheed in Sunnyvale, California, the KH-11 was the first American spy satellite to use electro-optical digital imaging, and so offer real-time optical observations.
Official budget documents refer to the latest generation of electro-optical satellites as Evolved Enhanced CRYSTAL System.
Before KENNEN, National Reconnaissance Office spy satellites like KH-9 HEXAGON returned film photographs to Earth in capsules.
[15][16] Initial director of the ZAMAN/KENNEN Program Group was Charles R. "Charlie" Roth, who in Oct 1975 was succeeded by Rutledge P. (Hap) Hazzard.
[5][18] The initial ground station for the processing of the digital imaging was a secret National Reconnaissance Office facility in Area 58, later confirmed to be located in Fort Belvoir in Virginia.
They included i) solid state focal plane array, ii) integrated circuits for complex data processing, iii) large, fast optics with a 2.54 m (100 in) diameter f/2 primary mirror, iv) gigabit/s data link, v) long on-orbit operational lifetime for the imaging satellites, and vi) communication satellites to facilitate close-to-realtime downlink of the images.
In order to increase the orbital lifetime of KH-11s, plans existed for refuelling the propulsion module during service visits by the Space Shuttle.
[31] Jane's Defence Weekly indicates that the secondary mirror in the Cassegrain reflecting telescope system could be moved, allowing images to be taken from angles unusual for a satellite.
[32] The focal plane was equipped with an array of light-sensitive silicon diodes, which converted brightness values to electrical signals.
The packaging density was sufficiently high (several hundred diodes per inch) to match the ground sample distance of the CORONA satellites.
[35] Later block satellites may include signals intelligence capabilities and greater sensitivity in broader light spectrums (probably into infrared).
[38] A perfect 2.4-meter (94 in) mirror observing in the visual spectrum (i.e. at a wavelength of 500 nm) has a diffraction limited resolution of around 0.05 arcsec, which from an orbital altitude of 250 km (160 mi) corresponds to a ground sample distance of 6 cm (2.4 in).
The three Block II satellites are in the open literature referred to as KH-11B, the alleged DRAGON codename, or CRYSTAL, and are believed to be capable of taking infrared images in addition to optical observations.
Metric describes the capability to fix Datum references (markings) in an image relative to the World Geodetic System for mapping purposes.
[46] From Block III on, the typical lifetime of the satellites increased to about 15 years, possibly related to a higher lift-off mass, which facilitates larger fuel reserves for countering atmospheric drag.
This could indicate that NROL-71 is targeted for a Type II Multi Sun-Synchronous Orbit,[50] which would enable the satellite to study the ground at a range of local hour effects (shadow direction and length, daily activities, etc.).
In 1978, a young CIA employee named William Kampiles was accused of selling a KH-11 System Technical Manual describing design and operation to the Soviets.
[64] In 2019 Donald Trump, as President of the United States, tweeted a classified image of the aftermath of a failed test of Iran's Safir rocket,[11] which some believe was taken from the USA-224 satellite.
The pictures, despite being taken with a 250 mm (10 in) aperture telescope from a range of 336 kilometres (209 mi), show major details such as dishes and solar panels, as well as some elements whose function is not known.
[36] According to US Senator Kit Bond initial budget estimates for each of the two legacy KH-11 satellites ordered from Lockheed in 2005 were higher than for the latest Nimitz-class aircraft carrier (CVN-77)[21] with its projected procurement cost of $6.35 billion as of May 2005.
