Reference
Declassified Satellite Programs
The United States "Keyhole" (KH) satellite systems were the reconnaissance satellites that utilised film-return during the Cold War, from CORONA's first grainy frames in 1960 to HEXAGON's broad high-resolution coverage into 1980s. This is a quick reference to each program, mission numbers and launch records. The imagery in the SpaceFromSpace declassified archive comes from these systems.
This list only covers reconnaissance programs with publicly declassified imagery datasets. Later, still-classified systems are not included.
Program overview
| Program | Designator | Active | Missions | Best Resolution | Approx. Images | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CORONA | KH-1 to KH-4B | 1959-1972 | 118 (24 failed) | 6 ft (1.8 m) | ~800,000 | More info |
| ARGON | KH-5 | 1961-1964 | 12 (6 failed) | 460 ft (140 m) | ~114,000 | More info |
| LANYARD | KH-6 | 1963 | 3 (2 failed) | 6 ft (1.8 m) | ~900 | More info |
| GAMBIT-1 | KH-7 | 1963-1967 | 38 (9 failed) | ~2 ft (0.6 m) | ~18,000 | More info |
| HEXAGON | KH-9 | 1971-1986 | 20 (1 failed) | ~2 ft (0.6 m) | ~600,000 | More info |
CORONA KH-1 to KH-4B
1959-1972
KH-4B payload · Source: NRO History in Photos
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan · KH-4B, 1970 The USA's first reconnaissance satellite program, run jointly by the CIA and the US Air Force under the civilian cover name "Discoverer". CORONA pioneered returning film images. First the panoramic film was exposed in orbit, then de-orbited in recoverable capsules caught in mid-air by aircraft. Over six camera generations (KH-1 through KH-4B) ground resolution improved from roughly 40 ft (12 m) to 6 ft (1.8 m), and CORONA mapped the Soviet Union, China, and most of the world at a scale never before possible.
KH-1 Missions10 (9 failed) Film Acquisition8/1960 Best Resolution40 ft (12 m) Approx. Images~1,300
Missions (10)
| Mission # | Launch Date | Launch Vehicle | Outcome | Approx. Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9001 | 1959 Jun 25 | Thor-Agena A | Mission failure | - |
| 9002 | 1959 Aug 13 | Thor-Agena A | Mission failure | - |
| 9003 | 1959 Aug 19 | Thor-Agena A | Mission failure | - |
| 9004 | 1959 Nov 7 | Thor-Agena A | Mission failure | - |
| 9005 | 1959 Nov 20 | Thor-Agena A | Mission failure | - |
| 9006 | 1960 Feb 4 | Thor-Agena A | Mission failure | - |
| 9007 | 1960 Feb 19 | Thor-Agena A | Mission failure | - |
| 9008 | 1960 Apr 15 | Thor-Agena A | Mission failure | - |
| 9009 | 1960 Aug 18 | Thor-Agena A | Success (Discoverer 14, first imagery from space) | ~1,300 |
| 9010 | 1960 Sep 13 | Thor-Agena A | Mission failure | - |
KH-2 Missions6 (3 failed) Film Acquisition12/1960-7/1961 Best Resolution30 ft (9 m) Approx. Images~7,000
Missions (6)
| Mission # | Launch Date | Launch Vehicle | Outcome | Approx. Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9011 | 1960 Oct 26 | Thor-Agena B | Mission failure | - |
| 9012 | 1960 Nov 12 | Thor-Agena B | Mission failure | - |
| 9013 | 1960 Dec 7 | Thor-Agena B | Success (first KH-2 recovery) | ~2,600 |
| 9017 | 1961 Jun 16 | Thor-Agena B | Success | ~2,400 |
| 9019 | 1961 Jul 7 | Thor-Agena B | Success | ~1,900 |
| 9021 | 1961 Aug 4 | Thor-Agena B | Mission failure | - |
KH-3 Missions9 (4 failed) Film Acquisition8/1961-12/1961 Best Resolution25 ft (7.6 m) Approx. Images~10,000
Missions (9)
| Mission # | Launch Date | Launch Vehicle | Outcome | Approx. Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9022 | 1961 Sep 12 | Thor-Agena B | Success | ~2,700 |
| 9023 | 1961 Aug 30 | Thor-Agena B | Success (first KH-3 use; frames out of focus) | ~2,600 |
| 9024 | 1961 Sep 17 | Thor-Agena B | Mission failure | - |
| 9025 | 1961 Oct 13 | Thor-Agena B | Success (recovered; most film out of focus) | ~800 |
| 9026 | 1961 Oct 23 | Thor-Agena B | Mission failure | - |
| 9027 | 1961 Nov 5 | Thor-Agena B | Mission failure | - |
| 9028 | 1961 Nov 15 | Thor-Agena B | Success | ~950 |
| 9029 | 1961 Dec 12 | Thor-Agena B | Success (carried OSCAR 1 to orbit) | ~2,700 |
| 9030 | 1962 Jan 13 | Thor-Agena B | Mission failure | - |
KH-4 Missions24 (4 failed) Film Acquisition2/1962-12/1963 Best Resolution25 ft (7.6 m) Approx. Images~111,000
Missions (24)
| Mission # | Launch Date | Launch Vehicle | Outcome | Approx. Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9031 | 1962 Feb 27 | Thor-Agena B | Success (first KH-4 mission) | ~5,400 |
| 9032 | 1962 Apr 18 | Thor-Agena B | Success | ~3,300 |
| 9033 | 1962 Apr 28 | Thor-Agena B | Mission failure | - |
| 9035 | 1962 May 30 | Thor-Agena B | Success | ~5,500 |
| 9036 | 1962 Jun 2 | Thor-Agena B | Mission failure | - |
| 9037 | 1962 Jun 23 | Thor-Agena B | Success | ~5,600 |
| 9038 | 1962 Jun 28 | Thor-Agena B | Success (severe corona static) | ~5,500 |
| 9039 | 1962 Jul 21 | Thor-Agena B | Success (aborted after 6 photo passes) | ~1,100 |
| 9040 | 1962 Jul 28 | Thor-Agena B | Success | ~5,600 |
| 9041 | 1962 Aug 2 | Thor-Agena B | Success | ~5,400 |
| 9043 | 1962 Sep 17 | Thor-Agena B | Success | ~3,000 |
| 9044 | 1962 Aug 29 | Thor-Agena B | Success | ~5,600 |
| 9045 | 1962 Sep 29 | Thor-Agena B | Success (first use of stellar camera) | ~4,500 |
| 9047 | 1962 Nov 5 | Thor-Agena B | Success (camera door malfunction) | ~5,100 |
| 9048 | 1962 Nov 24 | Thor-Agena B | Success | ~5,600 |
| 9049 | 1962 Dec 4 | Thor-Agena B | Mission failure | - |
| 9050 | 1962 Dec 14 | Thor-Agena B | Success (best mission to date) | ~5,600 |
| 9051 | 1963 Jan 7 | Thor-Agena B | Success | - |
| 9052 | 1963 Feb 28 | Thor-Agena B | Mission failure | - |
| 9053 | 1963 Apr 1 | Thor-Agena B | Success | ~4,800 |
| 9054 | 1963 Jun 12 | Thor-Agena B | Success | ~5,400 |
| 9056 | 1963 Jun 26 | Thor-Agena B | Success | ~5,300 |
| 9057 | 1963 Jul 19 | Thor-Agena B | Success | ~2,700 |
| 9062 | 1963 Dec 21 | Thor-Agena B | Success | ~5,600 |
KH-4A Missions52 (3 failed) Film Acquisition8/1963-9/1969 Best Resolution9 ft (2.7 m) Approx. Images~498,000
Missions (52)
| Mission # | Launch Date | Launch Vehicle | Outcome | Approx. Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1001 | 1963 Aug 24 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~5,500 |
| 1002 | 1963 Sep 23 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~5,600 |
| 1003 | 1964 Mar 24 | TAT-Agena D | Mission failure | - |
| 1004 | 1964 Feb 15 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~11,000 |
| 1005 | 1964 Apr 27 | TAT-Agena D | Mission failure | - |
| 1006 | 1964 Jun 4 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~11,000 |
| 1007 | 1964 Jun 19 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~11,000 |
| 1008 | 1964 Jun 10 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~11,000 |
| 1009 | 1964 Aug 5 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~11,000 |
| 1010 | 1964 Sep 14 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1011 | 1964 Oct 5 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~5,800 |
| 1012 | 1964 Oct 17 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~7,800 |
| 1013 | 1964 Nov 2 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~4,400 |
| 1014 | 1964 Nov 18 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~11,000 |
| 1015 | 1964 Dec 19 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~10,000 |
| 1016 | 1965 Jan 15 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1017 | 1965 Feb 25 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~11,000 |
| 1018 | 1965 Mar 25 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~11,000 |
| 1019 | 1965 Apr 29 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~5,400 |
| 1020 | 1965 Jun 9 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~5,700 |
| 1021 | 1965 May 18 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~9,300 |
| 1022 | 1965 Jun 19 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1023 | 1965 Aug 17 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~10,000 |
| 1024 | 1965 Sep 22 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1025 | 1965 Oct 5 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1026 | 1965 Oct 28 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1027 | 1965 Dec 9 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~3,800 |
| 1028 | 1965 Dec 24 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1029 | 1966 Feb 2 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1030 | 1966 Mar 9 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1031 | 1966 Apr 7 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~8,800 |
| 1032 | 1966 May 3 | TAT-Agena D | Mission failure | - |
| 1033 | 1966 May 24 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1034 | 1966 Jun 21 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1035 | 1966 Sep 20 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1036 | 1966 Aug 9 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1037 | 1966 Nov 8 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1038 | 1967 Jan 14 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1039 | 1967 Feb 22 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1040 | 1967 Mar 30 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1041 | 1967 May 9 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1042 | 1967 Jun 16 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1043 | 1967 Aug 7 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~11,000 |
| 1044 | 1967 Nov 2 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1045 | 1968 Jan 24 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1046 | 1968 Mar 14 | TAT-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1047 | 1968 Jun 20 | Thorad-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1048 | 1968 Sep 18 | Thorad-Agena D | Success | ~10,000 |
| 1049 | 1968 Dec 12 | Thorad-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1050 | 1969 Mar 19 | Thorad-Agena D | Success | ~9,600 |
| 1051 | 1969 May 2 | Thorad-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1052 | 1969 Sep 22 | Thorad-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
KH-4B Missions17 (1 failed) Film Acquisition9/1967-5/1972 Best Resolution6 ft (1.8 m) Approx. Images~173,000
Missions (17)
| Mission # | Launch Date | Launch Vehicle | Outcome | Approx. Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1101 | 1967 Sep 15 | Thorad-Agena D | Success (best film to date) | ~12,000 |
| 1102 | 1967 Dec 9 | Thorad-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1103 | 1968 May 1 | Thorad-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1104 | 1968 Aug 7 | Thorad-Agena D | Success (best KH-4 imagery to date) | ~11,000 |
| 1105 | 1968 Nov 3 | Thorad-Agena D | Success | ~18,000 |
| 1106 | 1969 Feb 5 | Thorad-Agena D | Success (best image quality to date) | ~11,000 |
| 1107 | 1969 Jul 24 | Thorad-Agena D | Success (forward camera failed early) | ~6,000 |
| 1108 | 1969 Dec 4 | Thorad-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1109 | 1970 Mar 4 | Thorad-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1110 | 1970 May 20 | Thorad-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1111 | 1970 Jun 23 | Thorad-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1112 | 1970 Nov 18 | Thorad-Agena D | Success (forward camera failed mid-mission) | ~8,600 |
| 1113 | 1971 Feb 17 | Thorad-Agena D | Mission failure | - |
| 1114 | 1971 Mar 24 | Thorad-Agena D | Success (program failure after pass 235) | ~12,000 |
| 1115 | 1971 Sep 10 | Thorad-Agena D | Success | ~12,000 |
| 1116 | 1972 Apr 19 | Thorad-Agena D | Success (very successful mission) | ~12,000 |
| 1117 | 1972 May 25 | Thorad-Agena D | Success (last KH-4B; abbreviated) | ~12,000 |
ARGON KH-5
1961-1964
KH-5 camera system · Source: NRO
Strait of Hormuz · KH-5, 1964 A dedicated mapping and geodetic system flown on the CORONA bus. ARGON carried a single frame camera to produce large footprint, low-resolution imagery for cartography purposes, establishing accurate references for the targets that higher-resolution systems would later photograph. Its ~460 ft (140 m) resolution reflects that mapping role rather than close-look reconnaissance.
KH-5 Missions12 (6 failed) Film Acquisition5/1962-8/1964 Best Resolution460 ft (140 m) Approx. Images~114,000
Missions (12)
| Mission # | Launch Date | Launch Vehicle | Outcome | Approx. Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9014A | 1961 Feb 17 | Thor-Agena B | Mission failure | - |
| 9016A | 1961 Apr 8 | Thor-Agena B | Mission failure | - |
| 9018A | 1961 Jun 8 | Thor-Agena B | Mission failure | - |
| 9020A | 1961 Jul 21 | Thor-Agena B | Mission failure | - |
| 9034A | 1962 May 15 | Thor-Agena B | Success | ~6,600 |
| 9042A | 1962 Sep 1 | Thor-Agena B | Mission failure | - |
| 9046A | 1962 Oct 9 | Thor-Agena B | Success | - |
| 9055A | 1963 Apr 26 | Thor-Agena B | Mission failure | - |
| 9058A | 1963 Aug 29 | Thor-Agena B | Success | ~7,000 |
| 9059A | 1963 Oct 29 | Thor-Agena B | Success | ~7,100 |
| 9065A | 1964 Jun 13 | Thor-Agena B | Success | ~5,100 |
| 9066A | 1964 Aug 21 | Thor-Agena B | Success | ~6,000 |
LANYARD KH-6
1963
KH-6 before launch · Source: planet4589.org
St Petersburg, Russia · KH-6, 1963 A short-lived, high-resolution experiment intended to image a specific Soviet site of interest. Only one mission returned usable film before the program was cancelled, making KH-6 the rarest of the early Keyhole systems. It served as an important stepping stone toward the dedicated high-resolution GAMBIT system.
KH-6 Missions3 (2 failed) Film Acquisition7/1963-8/1963 Best Resolution6 ft (1.8 m) Approx. Images~900
Missions (3)
| Mission # | Launch Date | Launch Vehicle | Orbit | Approx. Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8001 | 1963 Mar 18 | TAT-Agena D | Mission failure | - |
| 8002 | 1963 May 18 | TAT-Agena D | Mission failure | - |
| 8003 | 31 Jul / 1 Aug 1963 | TAT-Agena D | 157 × 411 km · 75° | ~890 |
GAMBIT-1 KH-7
1963-1967
KH-7 GAMBIT satellite · Source: National Museum of the USAF
Lop Nur, China · KH-7, 1966 The first dedicated high-resolution satellite reconnaissance system, complementing CORONA's wide-area scanning capability. Where CORONA found things, GAMBIT-1 (KH-7) took the detailed picture. Its strip camera reached sub-metre resolution, resolving individual military hardware. Launched on Atlas-Agena D from Vandenberg, KH-7 flew 38 missions before giving way to the improved KH-8 GAMBIT-3.
KH-7 Missions38 (9 failed) Film Acquisition7/1963-6/1967 Best Resolution~2 ft (0.6 m) Approx. Images~18,000
Missions (38)
| Mission # | Launch Date | Launch Vehicle | Orbit | Approx. Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4001 | 1963 Jul 12 | Atlas-Agena D | 173 × 211 km · 95.3° | ~50 |
| 4002 | 1963 Sep 6 | Atlas-Agena D | 182 × 270 km · 94.2° | ~160 |
| 4003 | 1963 Oct 25 | Atlas-Agena D | 123 × 313 km · 99.1° | ~160 |
| 4004 | 1963 Dec 18 | Atlas-Agena D | Mission failure | - |
| 4005 | 1964 Feb 25 | Atlas-Agena D | Mission failure | - |
| 4006 | 1964 Mar 11 | Atlas-Agena D | 163 × 203 km · 95.7° | ~430 |
| 4007 | 1964 Apr 23 | Atlas-Agena D | 150 × 336 km · 103.6° | ~570 |
| 4008 | 1964 May 19 | Atlas-Agena D | 141 × 380 km · 101.1° | ~130 |
| 4009 | 1964 Jul 6 | Atlas-Agena D | Mission failure | - |
| 4010 | 1964 Aug 14 | Atlas-Agena D | 149 × 307 km · 95.5° | ~120 |
| 4011 | 1964 Sep 23 | Atlas-Agena D | 145 × 303 km · 92.9° | ~610 |
| 4012 | 1964 Oct 8 | Atlas-Agena D | Mission failure | - |
| 4013 | 1964 Oct 23 | Atlas-Agena D | Mission failure | - |
| 4014 | 1964 Dec 4 | Atlas-Agena D | 158 × 357 km · 97.0° | ~90 |
| 4015 | 1965 Jan 23 | Atlas-Agena D | 145 × 291 km · 102.5° | ~500 |
| 4016 | 1965 Mar 12 | Atlas-Agena D | 155 × 247 km · 107.7° | ~460 |
| 4017 | 1965 Apr 28 | Atlas-Agena D | 180 × 259 km · 95.6° | ~760 |
| 4018 | 1965 May 27 | Atlas-Agena D | 149 × 267 km · 95.8° | ~830 |
| 4019 | 1965 Jun 25 | Atlas-Agena D | Mission failure | - |
| 4020 | 1965 Jul 12 | Atlas-Agena D | Mission failure | - |
| 4021 | 1965 Aug 3 | Atlas-Agena D | Mission failure | - |
| 4022 | 1965 Sep 30 | Atlas-Agena D | 158 × 264 km · 95.6° | ~820 |
| 4023 | 1965 Nov 8 | Atlas-Agena D | 145 × 277 km · 93.9° | ~20 |
| 4024 | 1966 Jan 19 | Atlas-Agena D | 150 × 269 km · 93.9° | ~680 |
| 4025 | 1966 Feb 15 | Atlas-Agena D | 148 × 293 km · 96.5° | ~830 |
| 4026 | 1966 Mar 18 | Atlas-Agena D | 162 × 308 km · 101.0° | ~840 |
| 4027 | 1966 Apr 19 | Atlas-Agena D | 145 × 398 km · 117.0° | ~1,000 |
| 4028 | 1966 May 14 | Atlas-Agena D | 133 × 358 km · 110.6° | ~1,000 |
| 4029 | 1966 Jun 3 | Atlas-Agena D | 143 × 288 km · 87.0° | ~720 |
| 4030 | 1966 Jul 12 | Atlas-Agena D | 137 × 326 km · 95.5° | ~950 |
| 4031 | 1966 Aug 16 | Atlas-Agena D | 146 × 358 km · 93.2° | ~700 |
| 4032 | 1966 Sep 16 | Atlas-Agena D | 148 × 333 km · 94.0° | ~710 |
| 4033 | 1966 Oct 12 | Atlas-Agena D | 155 × 287 km · 91.0° | ~810 |
| 4034 | 1966 Nov 2 | Atlas-Agena D | Mission failure | - |
| 4035 | 1966 Dec 5 | Atlas-Agena D | 137 × 388 km · 104.6° | ~830 |
| 4036 | 1967 Feb 2 | Atlas-Agena D | 136 × 357 km · 103.0° | ~810 |
| 4037 | 1967 May 22 | Atlas-Agena D | 135 × 293 km · 91.5° | ~880 |
| 4038 | 1967 Jun 4 | Atlas-Agena D | 149 × 456 km · 104.9° | ~1,100 |
HEXAGON KH-9
1971-1986
KH-9 HEXAGON satellite · Source: NRO History in Photos
Severodvinsk, Russia · KH-9, 1982 Nicknamed "Big Bird", the KH-9 HEXAGON was the last and largest US film-return reconnaissance satellite. A bus sized vehicle over 15 m long carrying two panoramic search cameras and up to four film-return capsules, with some missions also flying a dedicated mapping camera. It combined CORONA-style wide-area coverage with far finer resolution, imaging vast swaths of the Earth on a single pass across 20 launches on the Titan IIID and Titan 34D.
KH-9 Missions20 (1 failed) Film Acquisition6/1971-4/1986 Best Resolution~2 ft (0.6 m) Approx. Images~600,000
Missions (20)
| Mission # | Block | Launch Date | NSSDC · NORAD | Other Name | Launch Vehicle | Orbit | Decay Date | Approx. Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1201 | I | 1971 Jun 15 | 1971-056A · 05297 | OPS 7809 | Titan IIID | 184 × 300 km | 1971 Aug 6 | ~12,000 |
| 1202 | I | 1972 Jan 20 | 1972-002A · 05769 | OPS 1737 | Titan IIID | 157 × 331 km | 1972 Feb 9 | ~18,000 |
| 1203 | I | 1972 Jul 7 | 1972-052A · 06094 | OPS 7293 | Titan IIID | 174 × 251 km | 1972 Sep 13 | ~23,000 |
| 1204 | I | 1972 Oct 10 | 1972-079A · 06227 | OPS 3814 | Titan IIID | 160 × 281 km | 1973 Jan 8 | ~26,000 |
| 1205 | I | 1973 Mar 9 | 1973-014A · 06382 | OPS 8410 | Titan IIID | 152 × 270 km | 1973 May 19 | ~27,000 |
| 1206 | I | 1973 Jul 13 | 1973-046A · 06727 | OPS 8261 | Titan IIID | 156 × 269 km | 1973 Oct 12 | ~27,000 |
| 1207 | II | 1973 Nov 10 | 1973-088A · 06928 | OPS 6630 | Titan IIID | 159 × 275 km | 1974 Mar 3 | ~25,000 |
| 1208 | II | 1974 Apr 10 | 1974-020A · 07242 | OPS 6245 | Titan IIID | 153 × 285 km | 1974 Jul 28 | ~30,000 |
| 1209 | II | 1974 Oct 29 | 1974-085A · 07495 | OPS 7122 | Titan IIID | 162 × 271 km | 1975 Mar 9 | ~29,000 |
| 1210 | II | 1975 Jun 8 | 1975-051A · 07918 | OPS 6381 | Titan IIID | 157 × 234 km | 1975 Nov 5 | ~28,000 |
| 1211 | II | 1975 Dec 4 | 1975-114A · 08467 | OPS 4428 | Titan IIID | 157 × 234 km | 1976 Apr 1 | ~19,000 |
| 1212 | II | 1976 Jul 8 | 1976-065A · 09006 | OPS 4699 | Titan IIID | 159 × 242 km | 1976 Dec 3 | ~30,000 |
| 1213 | III | 1977 Jun 27 | 1977-056A · 10111 | OPS 4800 | Titan IIID | 155 × 239 km | 1977 Dec 3 | ~38,000 |
| 1214 | III | 1978 Mar 16 | 1978-029A · 10733 | OPS 0460 | Titan IIID | 172 × 218 km | 1978 Sep 1 | ~41,000 |
| 1215 | III | 1979 Mar 16 | 1979-025A · 11305 | OPS 3854 | Titan IIID | 177 × 256 km | 1979 Sep 2 | ~57,000 |
| 1216 | III | 1980 Jun 18 | 1980-052A · 11850 | OPS 3123 | Titan IIID | 169 × 265 km | 1981 Mar 6 | ~53,000 |
| 1217 | III | 1981 May 11 | 1982-041A · 13170 | OPS 5642 | Titan IIID | 177 × 262 km | 1982 Dec 5 | ~61,000 |
| 1218 | III | 1983 Jun 20 | 1983-060A · 14137 | OPS 0721 | Titan 34D | 163 × 224 km | 1984 Mar 1 | ~54,000 |
| 1219 | IV | 1984 Jun 25 | 1984-065A · 15063 | USA 2 | Titan 34D | 170 × 230 km | 1984 Oct 18 | ~33,000 |
| 1220 | IV | 1986 Apr 18 | 1986-F03 | Mission failure | Titan 34D | N/A | N/A | - |
Sources & references
- USGS EROS Archive: Declassified Satellite Imagery 1 CORONA, ARGON & LANYARD (KH-1 to KH-6)
- USGS EROS Archive: Declassified Satellite Imagery 2 GAMBIT (KH-7), GAMBIT-3 (KH-8) & HEXAGON Mapping Camera (KH-9)
- USGS EROS Archive: Declassified Satellite Imagery 3 HEXAGON (KH-9) panoramic cameras
- J. McDowell, US Reconnaissance Satellite Programs (planet4589.org) Launch dates, vehicles and orbital data
- Wikipedia: CORONA and KH-series satellite articles Per-mission launch dates and outcomes
- Gunter's Space Page (space.skyrocket.de) Launch records and mission designations
- R. A. McDonald & P. Widlake, "Looking Closer and Looking Broader: Gambit and Hexagon, the Peak of Film-Return Space Reconnaissance After Corona" GAMBIT (KH-7) and HEXAGON (KH-9) mission histories and outcomes
Imagery datasets come from the USGS EROS archive; per-mission launch dates, vehicles and outcomes are drawn from the reference sources listed above and cross-referenced against the archive's own mission records. Image counts are approximate. Spotted an error? Get in touch.