KH-9 Hexagon

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Q794697




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.

KH-9 HEXAGON stereo panoramic camera illustration (120120-F-DW547-025)KH-9 HEXAGON stereo panoramic camera illustration (120120-F-DW547-025)
KH-9 HEXAGON satellite 2KH-9 HEXAGON satellite 2
KH-9 HEXAGON film system illustration (120120-F-DW547-026)KH-9 HEXAGON film system illustration (120120-F-DW547-026)
KH-9 HEXAGON satelliteKH-9 HEXAGON satellite
Underwater Ice Station Zebra, 13 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence AgencyUnderwater Ice Station Zebra, 13 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence Agency
Underwater Ice Station Zebra, 16 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence AgencyUnderwater Ice Station Zebra, 16 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence Agency
Underwater Ice Station Zebra, 10 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence AgencyUnderwater Ice Station Zebra, 10 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence Agency
Underwater Ice Station Zebra, 20 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence AgencyUnderwater Ice Station Zebra, 20 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence Agency
Underwater Ice Station Zebra, 14 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence AgencyUnderwater Ice Station Zebra, 14 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence Agency
Underwater Ice Station Zebra, 3 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence AgencyUnderwater Ice Station Zebra, 3 - Flickr - The Central Intelligence Agency