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The KH series of satellites were in low earth orbit, not geostationary. Where did you get the idea the keyhole name came from a shape? An NRO history has all e
by adolph 3y ago
The KH series of satellites were in low earth orbit, not geostationary. Where did you get the idea the keyhole name came from a shape?
An NRO history has all early satellite reconnaissance as being under the “TALENT-KEYHOLE” designation:
https://www.nro.gov/Portals/65/documents/foia/docs/HOSR/SC-2017-00006a.pdf https://www.nro.gov/Portals/65/documents/foia/docs/HOSR/SC-2...
- sandworm101 3y agohttps://ar.inspiredpencil.com/pictures-2023/geosynchronous-orbit-ground-track https://ar.inspiredpencil.com/pictures-2023/geosynchronous-o... Many geosync orbits trace an asymmetrical 8 on the ground that looks like a keyhole. That's where the name comes from, from programs older than the TK sats.
- adolph 3y ago> from programs older than the TK sats. What was that older than Corona?
- ianburrell 3y agoKeyhole reconnaissance satellites predate geostationary satellites. Geostationary reconnaissance satellites are rare, and not like Keyhole ones.
- serf 3y agohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CORONA_(satellite) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CORONA_(satellite) "The CORONA satellites were designated KH-1, KH-2, KH-3, KH-4, KH-4A and KH-4B. KH stood for "Key Hole" or "Keyhole" (Code number 1010),[7] with the name being an analogy to the act of spying into a person's room by peering through their door's keyhole"
- adolph 3y agoI saw that too but noticed that the claim didn't have a reference. That is what brought me to the NRO PDF, which ties the designation KH of the satellites to the Talent Keyhole security designation on page 15 [0]. One of the confusing parts is that the early Corona didn't have a KH designation initially because the Keyhole compartment wasn't created until 1960 [1]. Maybe the Keyhole compartment's name came from the analogy? 0. https://www.nro.gov/Portals/65/documents/foia/docs/HOSR/SC-2017-00006a.pdf https://www.nro.gov/Portals/65/documents/foia/docs/HOSR/SC-2... 1. In 1960, it was broadened to cover all national aerial reconnaissance (to later include SR-71 sourced imagery) and the KEYHOLE compartment was created for satellite intelligence. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensitive_compartmented_information#:~:text=KEYHOLE https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensitive_compartmented_inform... compartment%20was%20created