700lbs ... I realize time has marched on, but that was considered a small sat in the early 1970s.
I’ve long wondered if it is even appropriate to call the modern satellites KH-11s. Also there appears to be recent speculation of two different optical reconnaissance satellites types now being in use, with one type seemingly able to use much smaller launchers like the F9.
I wonder if this is an indication of them fulfilling two different roles, or an indication of a changing of the guard so to speak with a replacement programme overlapping the last of the ‘KH-11s’, as has been done with past programs where a successor program has overlapped with that which it is replacing.Also if it is a successor program that this is born from the political pressure for them to do things smaller and cheaper.
I’ve long wondered if it is even appropriate to call the modern satellites KH-11s.
It's more volume that is the constraint rather than mass. Even the yet-to-be-flown extended fairing for FH is smaller in diameter than the Titan IV's.
Dear All,here it is my (requested) contribution to the topic.
Quote from: archipeppe68 on 09/27/2022 08:41 amDear All,here it is my (requested) contribution to the topic.I thought it would be interesting but even I didn't think it would fit like a glove !
Quote from: LittleBird on 09/28/2022 04:29 pmQuote from: archipeppe68 on 09/27/2022 08:41 amDear All,here it is my (requested) contribution to the topic.I thought it would be interesting but even I didn't think it would fit like a glove !The NSSL contract specifies three "payload categories" called A, B, and C. These are basically fairing sizes. From Wikipedia: "Category A payloads fit within a 4 m diameter payload envelope, category B payloads fit within a 5 m diameter payload envelope, and category C payloads require an extended 5 m diameter envelope. " https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Security_Space_LaunchI cannot tell for sure, but I think your graphic is for the category B fairing, but SpaceX had intended to also have a category C fairing.
Quote from: LittleBird on 10/09/2022 09:42 pm I think the bullet points in this video are the 60 key innovations:[Edit: When I've some spare time I'll list them.]Interested to see this pic from NRO video above, wondering which one(s) of the Keyhole/IMINT threads should I post it to ?
I think the bullet points in this video are the 60 key innovations:[Edit: When I've some spare time I'll list them.]
https://www.npr.org/2022/11/18/1137474748/trump-tweeted-an-image-from-a-spy-satellite-declassified-document-shows
I did some back-of-the-napkin, and a completely unmodified TIROS/ESSL flown at 150km rather than its usual altitude could achieve ~200m ground resolution. A fair way off of CORONA's 1-2m, but switching to larger vidicons and longer focal length lenses might actually put a usable resolution within reach.