This declassified satellite image shows Lop Nur, China. It was captured on 20 October 1976 by a KH-9 HEXAGON reconnaissance satellite, as part of mission 1212.

The ground sample distance listed for this scene is 77 cm. That is the size of one pixel on the ground, not the smallest object that can be picked out in the image.

The source scene is held in the USGS EarthExplorer archive under entity ID D3C1212-400759F001.

SpaceFromSpace processed and georeferenced this scan so it can be explored on an interactive map.

Learn more about the HEXAGON programme on the Satellite Programs page.