KH-9 Hexagon

KH-9, commonly known as Big Bird or KeyHole-9, was a series of photographic reconnaissance satellites launched by the United States between 1971 and 1986. Of twenty launch attempts by the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), all but one were successful. Photographic film aboard the KH-9 was stored on RCA Astro Electronic Division take up reel system then sent back to Earth in recoverable film return capsules for processing and interpretation. The highest ground resolution achieved by the main cameras of the satellite was 2 ft (0.61 m), though another source says "images in the 'better-than-one-foot' category" for the last "Gambit" missions.

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1971 — 1986  Wikimedia, Wikidata
Big Bird; Broad Coverage Photo Reconnaissance satellites; HEXAGON; Keyhole 9
mass 11400 kilogram, 
reconnaissance satellite, PerkinElmer, United States Air Force, Lockheed Corporation, 
United States, Ashkenaz, Calvinist Republic of Ghent, Chinland, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Havilah, Kingdom of Martabam-hongsawatoi, Kingdom of Wolaita, Persia, Sikh Confederacy, Sweden, Tarshish, Dong Fang Hong 2, Ekran, 1971, 

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Location: KML, Cluster Map, Maps,

Frameless

KH-9 HEXAGON stereo panoramic camera illustration (120120-F-DW547-025)

KH-9 HEXAGON satellite 2

KH-9 HEXAGON film system illustration (120120-F-DW547-026)

KH-9 HEXAGON satellite

Underwater Ice Station Zebra, 13 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence Agency

Underwater Ice Station Zebra, 16 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence Agency

Underwater Ice Station Zebra, 10 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence Agency

Underwater Ice Station Zebra, 20 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence Agency

Underwater Ice Station Zebra, 14 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence Agency

Underwater Ice Station Zebra, 3 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence Agency

Type	Subtype	Date	Description	Notes	Source
commons	image		KH-9 HEXAGON stereo panoramic camera illustration (120120-F-DW547-025)		Commons
commons	image		KH-9 HEXAGON satellite 2		Commons
commons	image		KH-9 HEXAGON film system illustration (120120-F-DW547-026)		Commons
commons	image		KH-9 HEXAGON satellite		Commons
commons	image		Underwater Ice Station Zebra, 13 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence Agency		Commons
commons	image		Underwater Ice Station Zebra, 16 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence Agency		Commons
commons	image		Underwater Ice Station Zebra, 10 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence Agency		Commons
commons	image		Underwater Ice Station Zebra, 20 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence Agency		Commons
commons	image		Underwater Ice Station Zebra, 14 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence Agency		Commons
commons	image		Underwater Ice Station Zebra, 3 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence Agency		Commons