Author Topic: KH-9 HEXAGON Reconnaissance Satellite (Read 402259 times)

Blackstar · « **on:** 09/17/2011 07:23 pm »

Here are some pictures.

Blackstar · « **Reply #1 on:** 09/17/2011 07:23 pm »

Here is the mapping camera.

Blackstar · « **Reply #2 on:** 09/17/2011 07:23 pm »

Blackstar · « **Reply #3 on:** 09/17/2011 07:23 pm »

Blackstar · « **Reply #4 on:** 09/17/2011 07:25 pm »

Some more.

Blackstar · « **Reply #5 on:** 09/17/2011 07:45 pm »

Fact sheet.

JosephB · « **Reply #6 on:** 09/17/2011 09:44 pm »

Thanks for posting those Blackstar. Looking forward to future articles.

Blackstar · « **Reply #7 on:** 09/17/2011 09:49 pm »

I heard a lot of really interesting stuff.

robertross · « **Reply #8 on:** 09/17/2011 10:58 pm »

Quote from: Blackstar on 09/17/2011 09:49 pm

I heard a lot of really interesting stuff.

I'll bet! Probably never imagined you be able to see these beauties. Great way to tie up loose ends after all that hard work of research.

Have a great time tonight!

Art LeBrun · « **Reply #9 on:** 09/17/2011 11:07 pm »

Holy cow! In the "flesh and blood" after ALL these years. Thank you!

Gotta create some new folders.

Targeteer · « **Reply #10 on:** 09/17/2011 11:37 pm »

LOTS of videos and documents now posted at the NRO web-site!!!

http://www.nro.mil/foia/declass/GAMBHEX.html

robertross · « **Reply #11 on:** 09/17/2011 11:40 pm »

Quote from: Targeteer on 09/17/2011 11:37 pm

LOTS of videos and documents now posted at the NRO web-site!!!

http://www.nro.mil/foia/declass/GAMBHEX.html

WOW!!

Thanks for pointing that out!

edkyle99 · « **Reply #12 on:** 09/18/2011 12:08 am »

Quote from: Targeteer on 09/17/2011 11:37 pm

LOTS of videos and documents now posted at the NRO web-site!!!

http://www.nro.mil/foia/declass/GAMBHEX.html

Sixty miles of film in each Hexagon satellite.

- Ed Kyle

Targeteer · « **Reply #13 on:** 09/18/2011 12:18 am »

So far the history documents I've read have the ground resolutions of the Gambit as it was developed all redacted...

Targeteer · « **Reply #14 on:** 09/18/2011 12:25 am »

Hexagon was actually cancelled at one point before it ever flew but was re-instated. The blanks for the primary mirrors were produced in West Germany.

truth is life · « **Reply #15 on:** 09/18/2011 12:54 am »

That fact sheet looks so very '70s--it's like they wrote it up when the thing was developed and just classified it until now.

And I'm sure you're having fun, Blackstar! The one person we all knew would find some way to be there

Targeteer · « **Reply #16 on:** 09/18/2011 12:59 am »

Quote from: Blackstar on 09/17/2011 07:23 pm

The corrogated metal skin is really surprising. Could it fly in space that way or is it just a temporary covering of the engineering model?

Herb Schaltegger · « **Reply #17 on:** 09/18/2011 01:08 am »

Quote from: Targeteer on 09/18/2011 12:59 am

Quote from: Blackstar on 09/17/2011 07:23 pm

The corrogated metal skin is really surprising. Could it fly in space that way or is it just a temporary covering of the engineering model?

It looks more like a version of stringer/skin construction to me than corrugation but yeah, sure it could. It was probably covered in thermal insulation (MLI of some kind) and possibly an optical coating to reduce visibility - though the PV arrays would have been pretty reflective so maybe not.

robertross · « **Reply #18 on:** 09/18/2011 01:22 am »

Quote from: Herb Schaltegger on 09/18/2011 01:08 am

Quote from: Targeteer on 09/18/2011 12:59 am
Quote from: Blackstar on 09/17/2011 07:23 pm

The corrogated metal skin is really surprising. Could it fly in space that way or is it just a temporary covering of the engineering model?

It looks more like a version of stringer/skin construction to me than corrugation but yeah, sure it could. It was probably covered in thermal insulation (MLI of some kind) and possibly an optical coating to reduce visibility - though the PV arrays would have been pretty reflective so maybe not.

You can actually see a part of that (MLI over the stringers) in IMG_0205
here:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=26760.msg808375#msg808375

(some thread merging will be required at some point in the future)

Jim · « **Reply #19 on:** 09/18/2011 02:19 am »

Quote from: Targeteer on 09/18/2011 12:59 am

Quote from: Blackstar on 09/17/2011 07:23 pm

1. The corrogated metal skin is really surprising.

2.Could it fly in space that way or is it just a temporary covering of the engineering model?

1. Not really, that's how standard aerospace structures look like

2. there would be MLI on it.