Reconnaissance satellites provide intelligence information about other countries' military activities from space. There are several types, including imagery satellites, signals intelligence satellites, early warning satellites, and satellites that detect nuclear explosions. Reconnaissance satellites played an important role in conflicts like the Vietnam and Iraq wars by providing positions of enemy troops and equipment. While useful for military purposes, they also raise privacy and security concerns due to their surveillance capabilities. The KH-11 satellite launched by the US in 1976 was a milestone as the first American satellite to use digital imaging to take high resolution photographs from orbit.

1. Reconnaissance Satellite
&
It’s importance
By Shakir hussain
B.E-VIII

2. Contents
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What is Reconnaissance Satellites
It’s Types
It’s Importance in war
Disadvantages
The KH-11 Satellite

3. What is Reconnaissance Satellite
• It is a satellite that is used provide intelligence
information on the military activities of
foreign countries.
• It can detect missile launches or nuclear
explosions.
• This satellite can catch and record radio and
radar transmissions while passing over any
country.

5. Types Of Reconnaissance
Satellite
• Reconnaissance Satellite can be divided as
following
– Image intelligence (IMINT) or photosurveillance
satellites
– Signal intelligence (SIGINT) or ferret satellites
– Early warning satellites
– Measurement and signature intelligence
– Nuclear explosion detection satellites

6. Image intelligence (IMINT)
Satellites
• Image intelligence satellites provide detailed high
resolution images and maps of geographical
areas, military installations and activities, troop
positions and other places of military interest.
• They are generally placed in low, near-polar orbits at
altitudes of 500–3000 km as they take high
resolution close-up images.
• Due to large atmospheric drag at these
altitudes, image intelligence satellites generally have
small lifetimes of the order of a few weeks.

7. SIGINT Satellites
• Interception and decryption of governmental, military
and diplomatic communications transmitted by radio.
• Interception of ESM (electronic support measure) signals
that characterize the operating modes of the higher
command organizations, installations of air
defence, missile forces and also the combat readiness of
foreign armed forces.
• Reception of telemetry signals during ballistic missile
tests.
• Relay of radio messages from CIA agents in foreign
countries.

8. Early Warning Satellites
• Early warning satellites constitute a significant part of
military systems. They provide timely information on
the launch of missiles, military aircraft and nuclear
explosions by the enemy.
• This information enables them to ensure treaty
compliance as well as provide an early warning of
missile attack for appropriate action.

9. Measurement and signature
intelligence
• This satellite is used to detect, track, identify or
describe the signatures (distinctive characteristics) of
fixed or dynamic target sources.
• This often includes radar intelligence, acoustic
intelligence, nuclear intelligence, and chemical and
biological intelligence.
• “measurement" relates to the finite metric parameters
of targets.
• "Signature" covers the distinctive features of
phenomena, equipment, or objects as they are sensed
by the collection instrument(s)

10. Its Importance
• Reconnaisance satellites or spy satellite have
become a very important factor in war and
rescue operation
• It provides information of sensitive areas.
• It provide position of Enemy, army patrol and
there strategy.

11. Its Importance
• These satellites played key role in Vietnam
war, Iraq war and the raid of capturing usama
bin laden.
• Developed countries like America uses spy
satellites with colloboration of cellular
companies to track and capture position of
suspects.

12. Disadvantages
• It may provide wrong results
• It can be hacked and it has been hacked
several times.
• Man made mistakes result in worse condition.
– In 2010 Three US special force soldier were killed
by drone attack by there mistake in afghanistan.
• Violation of Individual Rights
• Risk of Abuse

13. The KH-11 satellites
• The KH-11 KENNAN was spy satellite launched
by US in 1976.
• It was first American spy satellite to
use electro optical digital imaging, and create
a real-time optical observation capability.
• Typically used to take overhead photos for
military missions

14. The KH-11 satellites
• It’s design was leaked and then were officially
revealed by NASA.
• It contained telescopes with high tech
lightweight mirrors.
• The optics were designed for looking at
objects on Earth to provide up to 3.9 inch
resolution from 200 mi. altitude or higher.

16. Soviet ships under construction at the
Nikolaev shipyard on the Black Sea.
Chinese jet bomber Image
taken by an KH-11

17. Future of Spy Satellites
• Private companies like DigitalGlobe and
GeoEye have started providing spying services
commercially.
• NRO(Natioanl Reconnaisance Office) have
stated to develop satellites with more power
full satellites having
– Nano-RAM Memory,
– Third-generation lithium ion batteries
– high-efficiency solar cells.

18. References
• Keyhole Satellites
– http://www.howstuffworks.com/question529.htm
– http://www.space.com/13287-secret-spy-satellite-designer-revealslifes-work.html
– http://www.americaspace.com/?p=20825
• Reconnaisance Satellites and its types
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Chapter No 14 AK Maini
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconnaissance_satellite
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MASINT
• Importance and Disadvantages
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http://www.popsci.com/category/tags/membrane-optics
http://www.matthewaid.com/post/33496610696/1969-evaluationof-the-importance-of-reconnaissance
• Future of Spy Satellites
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http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/20/us/politics/spy-satellite-clashfor-military-and-intelligence-officials.html?pagewanted=2
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/09/new-space-gear/