891:
31:
123:(NSA), were reportedly able to intercept Soviet microwave traffic using satellites such as Rhyolite/Aquacade. Much of the beam of a microwave link passes the receiving antenna and radiates toward the horizon, into space. By positioning a geosynchronous satellite in the path of the beam, the microwave beam can be received.
134:
D launch vehicles, all of which sported distinctive elongated payload shrouds (presumably to house the satellite's large parabolic antenna). Secrecy around the program was tight and the initial
Rhyolite mission in 1970 was the first space launch at Cape Canaveral in seven years that reporters were
39:
135:
not invited to cover. These were among the final Atlas-Agena launches as well as the last use of LC-13 at CCAS. The satellites had a mass of approximately 700 kg and operated in near-
857:
879:
841:
1325:
1310:
1151:
327:
291:
255:
219:
88:
The name of the program, originally "Rhyolite", was changed to "Aquacade" in 1975 following the disclosure of the codeword "Rhyolite" in the trial of
887:
872:
831:
151:, out of range of Soviet detection. From there, they would be encrypted and sent via another satellite to the NSA's headquarters at
1315:
1190:
503:
1226:
1165:
386:
865:
421:
1065:
476:
17:
437:
324:
288:
252:
216:
1075:
698:
513:
61:
1305:
1211:
496:
1221:
1034:
638:
305:
269:
233:
197:
144:
103:, are rumored to have an umbrella-like reflecting dish 20 meters in diameter. They were succeeded by the
65:
973:
1001:
587:
1016:
898:
481:
169:
164:
120:
69:
1216:
1090:
1006:
592:
489:
348:
38:
472:
805:
1185:
1113:
1098:
1048:
1029:
906:
753:
652:
633:
413:
136:
76:
AFP-720 and SIGAD AFP-472, respectively, is still classified. During the same period, the
8:
1136:
1103:
758:
717:
677:
80:
SIGINT satellites were in use with an apparently somewhat different set of capabilities.
1146:
1126:
1121:
943:
938:
933:
928:
923:
735:
730:
672:
667:
541:
407:
371:
340:
108:
104:
93:
77:
1320:
1131:
1070:
1024:
991:
781:
693:
628:
608:
417:
89:
383:
1195:
745:
126:
It is believed that at least four
Rhyolite/Aquacade satellites were launched from
1057:
768:
390:
983:
344:
127:
1299:
963:
895:
890:
561:
445:
403:
367:
57:
996:
968:
953:
571:
566:
551:
958:
915:
556:
319:
283:
247:
211:
140:
131:
948:
546:
152:
511:
148:
100:
1280:
1080:
846:
836:
776:
810:
119:
During the Cold War, the US intelligence agencies, such as the
72:(NSA) was also reportedly involved. The program, also known by
54:
30:
1253:
1180:
708:
73:
826:
467:
U.S. Military Uses of Space, 1945-1991 Vol 1, Guide.
1297:
1246:
873:
497:
444:. Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from
1326:Military equipment introduced in the 1970s
880:
866:
504:
490:
99:The Rhyolite/Aquacade satellites, made by
1311:National Reconnaissance Office satellites
1273:
37:
29:
402:
143:. Signals were relayed to a remote NSA
14:
1298:
861:
485:
130:between June 1970 and April 1978 on
361:
42:Atlas-SLV3A Agena-D with Aquacade 3
24:
25:
1337:
477:Federation of American Scientists
889:
469:National Security Archive. 1991.
347:program with closer ties to the
1316:Signals intelligence satellites
384:Jonathan's Space Report No. 509
514:National Reconnaissance Office
430:
396:
377:
62:National Reconnaissance Office
27:Class of SIGINT spy satellites
13:
1:
354:
114:
343:was a contemporaneous, near-
7:
66:Central Intelligence Agency
10:
1342:
1114:Geosynchronous Earth orbit
465:Richelson, Jeffrey T. ed.
145:Earth station in Australia
83:
1266:
1239:
1204:
1173:
1164:
1112:
1089:
1056:
1047:
1015:
982:
914:
905:
899:reconnaissance satellites
819:
798:
767:
744:
716:
707:
686:
660:
651:
621:
601:
580:
534:
527:
520:
1017:Synthetic-aperture radar
374:, 2008, Doubleday, p 176
341:Canyon Satellite Program
121:National Security Agency
70:National Security Agency
49:, previously designated
1091:Highly elliptical orbit
1007:Enhanced Imaging System
349:United States Air Force
111:series of satellites.
64:for the United States
43:
35:
412:. Doubleday. p.
137:geosynchronous orbits
41:
33:
448:on December 28, 2016
320:Atlas SLV-3A Agena-D
284:Atlas SLV-3A Agena-D
248:Atlas SLV-3A Agena-D
212:Atlas SLV-3A Agena-D
1306:1973 in spaceflight
442:www.astronautix.com
512:Satellites of the
409:The Shadow Factory
389:2016-03-03 at the
372:The Shadow Factory
44:
36:
1293:
1292:
1289:
1288:
1262:
1261:
1235:
1234:
1205:Secondary mission
1160:
1159:
1142:Rhyolite/Aquacade
1043:
1042:
855:
854:
794:
793:
790:
789:
726:Rhyolite/Aquacade
647:
646:
617:
616:
423:978-0-385-52132-1
337:
336:
311:
275:
239:
203:
172:
90:Christopher Boyce
53:, was a class of
18:Rhyolite/Aquacade
16:(Redirected from
1333:
1271:
1270:
1244:
1243:
1171:
1170:
1054:
1053:
912:
911:
894:
893:
882:
875:
868:
859:
858:
714:
713:
658:
657:
532:
531:
525:
524:
506:
499:
492:
483:
482:
458:
457:
455:
453:
434:
428:
427:
400:
394:
381:
375:
365:
309:
278:11 December 1977
273:
237:
201:
168:
158:
157:
60:operated by the
34:Microwave spying
21:
1341:
1340:
1336:
1335:
1334:
1332:
1331:
1330:
1296:
1295:
1294:
1285:
1258:
1247:Primary mission
1231:
1200:
1174:Primary mission
1156:
1108:
1085:
1058:Low Earth orbit
1039:
1011:
984:Electro-optical
978:
901:
888:
886:
856:
851:
815:
786:
763:
740:
703:
682:
643:
613:
597:
576:
516:
510:
473:SIGINT overview
462:
461:
451:
449:
436:
435:
431:
424:
401:
397:
391:Wayback Machine
382:
378:
366:
362:
357:
315:
308:
279:
272:
243:
236:
207:
200:
180:Launch vehicle
176:
167:
117:
86:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1339:
1329:
1328:
1323:
1318:
1313:
1308:
1291:
1290:
1287:
1286:
1284:
1283:
1277:
1275:
1268:
1264:
1263:
1260:
1259:
1257:
1256:
1250:
1248:
1241:
1237:
1236:
1233:
1232:
1230:
1229:
1224:
1219:
1214:
1208:
1206:
1202:
1201:
1199:
1198:
1193:
1188:
1183:
1177:
1175:
1168:
1162:
1161:
1158:
1157:
1155:
1154:
1149:
1144:
1139:
1134:
1132:Mentor (Orion)
1129:
1124:
1118:
1116:
1110:
1109:
1107:
1106:
1101:
1095:
1093:
1087:
1086:
1084:
1083:
1078:
1073:
1068:
1062:
1060:
1051:
1045:
1044:
1041:
1040:
1038:
1037:
1032:
1027:
1021:
1019:
1013:
1012:
1010:
1009:
1004:
999:
994:
988:
986:
980:
979:
977:
976:
971:
966:
961:
956:
951:
946:
941:
936:
931:
926:
920:
918:
909:
903:
902:
885:
884:
877:
870:
862:
853:
852:
850:
849:
844:
839:
834:
829:
823:
821:
817:
816:
814:
813:
808:
802:
800:
796:
795:
792:
791:
788:
787:
785:
784:
779:
773:
771:
765:
764:
762:
761:
756:
750:
748:
742:
741:
739:
738:
733:
728:
722:
720:
711:
705:
704:
702:
701:
696:
690:
688:
684:
683:
681:
680:
675:
670:
664:
662:
661:Radar location
655:
649:
648:
645:
644:
642:
641:
636:
631:
625:
623:
619:
618:
615:
614:
612:
611:
605:
603:
599:
598:
596:
595:
590:
584:
582:
578:
577:
575:
574:
572:Kennen/Crystal
569:
564:
559:
554:
549:
544:
538:
536:
529:
522:
518:
517:
509:
508:
501:
494:
486:
480:
479:
470:
460:
459:
429:
422:
404:Bamford, James
395:
376:
359:
358:
356:
353:
345:geosynchronous
335:
334:
332:
330:
322:
317:
312:
303:
299:
298:
296:
294:
286:
281:
276:
267:
263:
262:
260:
258:
250:
245:
240:
231:
227:
226:
224:
222:
214:
209:
204:
195:
191:
190:
187:
184:
181:
178:
173:
162:
155:for analysis.
128:Cape Canaveral
116:
113:
85:
82:
58:spy satellites
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1338:
1327:
1324:
1322:
1319:
1317:
1314:
1312:
1309:
1307:
1304:
1303:
1301:
1282:
1279:
1278:
1276:
1272:
1269:
1265:
1255:
1252:
1251:
1249:
1245:
1242:
1238:
1228:
1225:
1223:
1220:
1218:
1215:
1213:
1210:
1209:
1207:
1203:
1197:
1194:
1192:
1189:
1187:
1184:
1182:
1179:
1178:
1176:
1172:
1169:
1167:
1163:
1153:
1150:
1148:
1145:
1143:
1140:
1138:
1135:
1133:
1130:
1128:
1125:
1123:
1120:
1119:
1117:
1115:
1111:
1105:
1102:
1100:
1097:
1096:
1094:
1092:
1088:
1082:
1079:
1077:
1074:
1072:
1069:
1067:
1064:
1063:
1061:
1059:
1055:
1052:
1050:
1046:
1036:
1033:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1023:
1022:
1020:
1018:
1014:
1008:
1005:
1003:
1000:
998:
995:
993:
990:
989:
987:
985:
981:
975:
972:
970:
967:
965:
964:KH-8 Gambit 3
962:
960:
957:
955:
952:
950:
947:
945:
942:
940:
937:
935:
932:
930:
927:
925:
922:
921:
919:
917:
913:
910:
908:
904:
900:
897:
896:United States
892:
883:
878:
876:
871:
869:
864:
863:
860:
848:
845:
843:
840:
838:
835:
833:
830:
828:
825:
824:
822:
818:
812:
809:
807:
804:
803:
801:
799:Communication
797:
783:
780:
778:
775:
774:
772:
770:
766:
760:
757:
755:
752:
751:
749:
747:
743:
737:
734:
732:
729:
727:
724:
723:
721:
719:
715:
712:
710:
706:
700:
697:
695:
692:
691:
689:
687:Ship location
685:
679:
676:
674:
673:Chalet/Vortex
671:
669:
666:
665:
663:
659:
656:
654:
650:
640:
637:
635:
634:Lacrosse/Onyx
632:
630:
627:
626:
624:
620:
610:
607:
606:
604:
600:
594:
591:
589:
586:
585:
583:
579:
573:
570:
568:
565:
563:
560:
558:
555:
553:
550:
548:
545:
543:
540:
539:
537:
533:
530:
526:
523:
519:
515:
507:
502:
500:
495:
493:
488:
487:
484:
478:
474:
471:
468:
464:
463:
447:
443:
439:
433:
425:
419:
415:
411:
410:
405:
399:
392:
388:
385:
380:
373:
369:
368:James Bamford
364:
360:
352:
350:
346:
342:
333:
331:
329:
326:
323:
321:
318:
313:
307:
304:
301:
300:
297:
295:
293:
290:
287:
285:
282:
277:
271:
268:
265:
264:
261:
259:
257:
254:
251:
249:
246:
241:
235:
232:
229:
228:
225:
223:
221:
218:
215:
213:
210:
205:
199:
196:
193:
192:
188:
185:
182:
179:
174:
171:
166:
163:
160:
159:
156:
154:
150:
146:
142:
138:
133:
129:
124:
122:
112:
110:
106:
102:
97:
95:
91:
81:
79:
75:
71:
67:
63:
59:
56:
52:
48:
40:
32:
19:
1141:
997:KH-11 Kennen
974:KH-10 Dorian
969:KH-9 Hexagon
954:KH-6 Lanyard
944:KH-4B Corona
939:KH-4A Corona
916:Photographic
731:Magnum/Orion
725:
466:
450:. Retrieved
446:the original
441:
432:
408:
398:
393:(2003-09-18)
379:
363:
338:
314:7 April 1978
242:6 March 1973
206:19 June 1970
183:Launch site
125:
118:
105:Magnum/Orion
98:
87:
50:
46:
45:
1076:White Cloud
959:KH-7 Gambit
934:KH-3 Corona
929:KH-2 Corona
924:KH-1 Corona
175:Launch date
141:Middle East
132:Atlas-Agena
1300:Categories
1274:USA number
949:KH-5 Argon
820:Technology
438:"Rhyolite"
355:References
186:Longitude
153:Fort Meade
115:Satellites
94:Andrew Lee
306:1978-038A
270:1977-114A
234:1973-013A
198:1970-046A
165:COSPAR ID
139:over the
1321:Cold War
1099:Jumpseat
1030:Lacrosse
754:Jumpseat
562:Gambit 3
557:Gambit 1
452:25 April
406:(2008).
387:Archived
316:00:45:01
302:OPS 8790
280:22:45:01
266:OPS 4258
230:OPS 6063
194:OPS 5346
189:Remarks
170:SATCAT №
149:Pine Gap
51:Rhyolite
47:Aquacade
1281:USA-193
1267:Unknown
1240:R&D
1137:Mercury
1104:Trumpet
1081:Samos-F
837:USA-193
832:GeoLITE
777:Samos-F
759:Trumpet
678:Mercury
567:Hexagon
552:Lanyard
535:Keyhole
528:Optical
521:Imaging
84:History
1166:MASINT
1147:Vortex
1127:Magnum
1122:Canyon
1049:SIGINT
842:Colony
811:SLDCOM
736:Mentor
668:Canyon
653:SIGINT
542:Corona
420:
177:(UTC)
109:Mentor
78:Canyon
68:. The
55:SIGINT
1254:MiTEx
1222:SBIRS
1212:MIDAS
1181:FORTE
1152:GSSAP
1071:Poppy
1025:Quill
1002:Misty
992:Samos
907:IMINT
782:Poppy
709:ELINT
694:Poppy
639:FIA-R
629:Quill
622:Radar
609:Samos
602:Other
588:Misty
581:Misty
547:Argon
475:from
328:LC-13
325:CCAFS
310:10787
292:LC-13
289:CCAFS
274:10508
256:LC-13
253:CCAFS
244:09:30
238:06380
220:LC-13
217:CCAFS
208:11:37
202:04418
161:Name
74:SIGAD
1227:STSS
1196:Vela
1191:DMSP
1066:GRAB
827:STEX
699:NOSS
454:2017
418:ISBN
339:The
107:and
92:and
1217:DSP
1186:GPS
1035:FIA
847:RPP
806:SDS
769:LEO
746:HEO
718:GEO
593:EIS
414:176
101:TRW
1302::
440:.
416:.
370:,
351:.
147:,
96:.
881:e
874:t
867:v
505:e
498:t
491:v
456:.
426:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
.jpg)