Author Topic: KH-11 KENNEN (Read 539868 times)

SomeAstroStuff · « **Reply #1140 on:** 09/30/2025 02:10 am »

Shared my new pics of USA 186 / USA 245 on SeeSat yesterday, so I think it makes sense to share them here too:
https://www.satobs.org/seesat/Sep-2025/0133.html

I also want to note that I performed a planesearch for USA 186 on the following two dates:
https://www.satobs.org/seesat/Sep-2025/0008.html
https://www.satobs.org/seesat/Sep-2025/0017.html
I didn't manage to spot it, so I assume that it might have been deorbited since it's almost 20 years old now.

Blackstar · « **Reply #1141 on:** 11/13/2025 07:37 pm »

Just a reminder that the Nancy Roman Grace telescope is derived from reconnaissance satellite hardware.

edzieba · « **Reply #1142 on:** 11/25/2025 02:18 pm »

The mirrors and the mirror tubes are NRO supplied, but the rest is either newly built or newly designed. Diagram from NASA attached.

Was it ever firmly established whether the two donated optical assemblies were ex-FIA, or whether they were from Block III KH-11s that never reached integration before events overtook the programme - i.e. by the time FIA was revealed as a misstep, it made more sense to develop, build, and fly Block 4s rather than a one-off/two-off 'Block 3-and-a-half' with old optics but new sensors and bus?