National Reconnaissance Office - Spacecraft

Spacecraft

The NRO spacecraft include:

• Keyhole series — Imagery intelligence:
  • KH-1, KH-2, KH-3, KH-4, KH-4A, KH-4B Corona (1959–1972)
  • KH-5 — Argon (1961–1962)
  • KH-6— Lanyard (1963)
  • KH-7 — Gambit (1963–1967)
  • KH-8 — Gambit (1966–1984)
  • KH-9 — Hexagon and Big Bird (1971–1986)
  • KH-10 — Dorian (cancelled)
  • KH-11 — Kennan (or Kennen), Crystal, Improved Crystal, and Ikon (1976–2011)
• Samos — photo imaging (1960–1962)
• Samos-F — SIGINT (1962–1971)
• Poppy – ELINT program (1962–1971) continuing Naval Research Laboratory's GRAB (1960–1961)
• Jumpseat (1971–1983) and Trumpet (1994–2008) SIGINT
• Lacrosse/Onyx — radar imaging (1988–)
• Canyon (1968–1977), Vortex/Chalet (1978–1989) and Mercury (1994–1998)—SIGINT including COMINT
• Rhyolite/Aquacade (1970–1978), Magnum/Orion (1985–1990), and Mentor (1995–2010)—SIGINT
• Quasar, communications relay
• Misty/Zirconic – stealth IMINT
  • Enhanced Imaging System
• Next Generation Electo-Optical (NGEO), modular system, designed for incremental improvements (in development).
• NROL-1 through NROL-66 – various secret satellites. NROL stands for National Reconnaissance Office Launch.