5 ms·
Yes, the spy satellites were first by a long shot. The KH-11 (2.4m mirror, CCD focal plane) was first launched in 1976. Hubble (2.4m mirror, CCD focal plane) wa
by mturmon 5y ago
Yes, the spy satellites were first by a long shot. The KH-11 (2.4m mirror, CCD focal plane) was first launched in 1976. Hubble (2.4m mirror, CCD focal plane) was launched in 1990.
The shared mirror size is not a coincidence: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KH-11_KENNEN#Size_and_mass https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KH-11_KENNEN#Size_and_mass
The two also share a multi-billion dollar budget.
- 6nf 5y agoThe mirror size is largely limited by the size of the vehicle launching the satellite into space, if I recall correctly.
- ArnoVW 5y agoWhich in turn is based on the size of a equine derriere, as the story goes. https://www.precisioncontent.com/blog/on-rocket-ships-and-horses-behinds-where-did-your-content-standards-come-from/ https://www.precisioncontent.com/blog/on-rocket-ships-and-ho...