SOVIET KNOWLEDGE OF US RECONNAISSANCE SATELLITE PROGRAMS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP66R00638R000100150015-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 26, 2003
• Sequence Number: 15
• Publication Date: June 8, 1962
• Content Type: MF

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June 19A
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1024DRAMM FOR TIZ I LCT R OF CLNTPMj . xo a
St 1E Soviet t eledge of Reco iassnce Sate13.ite Programs
1. Statements by Soviet officials and articles in the Soviet
press and publications reveal only such specific knowledge of the t1S
reconnaissance programs as has been readily available from open sources
in the US press and, technical journals. Such information relates to
the SAS and MSS In considerable detail and in lesser degree to the
DISCOVERER series although the relationships between these three we
clearly described. Specific details mentioned in US press sources
have included the size of an object on the ground that can be identified
from the photography, the method used in recovering the photographs,
the organization for processing the photography as well an for
incorporating the results in SAC target folders.
State Dept. declassification & release instructions on file
DOS and NRO review(s) completed.
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i ox Lion veat3 ed, in C e Soviet Sources
8. A lengthy article by G. Zukov titled "Space Eep'o e
flans and. Liter tioaal low" as ch apoaaaared in the Soviet aoa th r
jour a 1, ;icn l Affairs, ublished in Oe ber 1960 Includes
specific details v;i h have appeared in U5 open sources.
9. The 2xcea s ELM-Pin n. treas G. Zhukov
mait other Soviet writers from ES publications:
"The SAMOS system is scheduled to become o;erativ in
1962. The p1 n is to part a number of them > . y sate;U ltes
into a polar oil it to keep the territory of the USSR and
the other Socialist c trie u under constant a v iUan e . "
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-we
le maw=. w ore of the m U Vmm progr Ins to
perfect the lewtehing, orbiting, and retrieving of the
rkp-aW containers."'
`'RMOS It lashed on 31 Januai r 1961. rover, the
satellite 9 a equ.tI ent worked for only two seeks exad its
rule with hbu rtr r~r; aie ee ip aent could not 1xreturned
to earth m e1
IO. The Soviet psblicvtdon. Aviation and Conwrauties., for
January 1962 has ar, sic "A eaten Lies in it
f'cmce rn, g SAMOS, Y' M413) and TIROS.
1, z wA ve dnU113 r mv&llab L e in A ion 'meek and ?pue
' St l re1stin t o the menufacture rfor nce Ohara ter ixtics
%A. comt radio di ti it , Including plwtop
.A ,w& v 'iicle thick ?%eaaaz?,eher.~ RAM P,, Nei,, and `-ISCC 1. I Slashes
aid. e to report leg on the 2a nthinn' RAMOS II11stated that%
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presents details or. ~:;l fir5rga ., orbitta, rn scions, tM other detail
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Estimated Soviet Khowle mod. on St a to-ot'-the-Art
13. Soviet accowpl.is nts in the field of optics, ee re
geometry, film and film processing are probably not equal to those
of the US0 They have not had the. experience in b Wading cars,
systems such as have been built and tested by the US and therefore
may not have learned certain techniques now familiar to US
technicians.
1k. Soviet scientists appar+. tly were ianpressed by the high
quality of photography recovered from the U-2 in 1960. Statements
by Soviet officials and scientists subsequent to this incident bear
out the impression ?that there a surprise at the information being
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col ectned. ti o1 at g from this knoviedge of 'US to ilogyr in
1960 Soviet scientiV~Vs can readily caleulate that sdten the US a f y o iWI. o 1, ?iy m L n this fiei.& it w . penidt photographic
ru oiution of oblect 3 10 to 20 fleet on r aisle.
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s"A le lenses and TV eq hp 9nt will zdze possible
Photographs equivalent to vbat can be seen from an altitude
of 100 feet."
"Its functions 1 be to spot zdasiU lamming pads,
airfields, indueitrial plants and a r maaaive buildup of
f at m t; p egaat tpaew?:."
SA S project is closely related to the devslopaent
of aLtiltt r MM US satellite .... '. Aaiun rpose of the
le; r is to aelo the earth, under observation With instraa nta
sensitive to r !km ewiUed by hot a c forted d ng the
launching of rockets."
"SAMS satel.'.itea detect missile bases, MrM will
register the It iicbi.7.g of missiles,
"0losel1r x :L ted to SNOB and MI is the for
eNoloying D C0ItER satellites for i 3_11gence purposes.
DLWOVE R sat333.ta s are intended to solve the problem of
bringing con mixers with p ,togre ei c I e11igerce back to
earth."
e0 0P SEc
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"Ito polazr orbit 'tdil carry it over the Soviet Union
at frequent intervals. Gam stations will be able to turn
its came ra. on by radio as the satellite =ssee Russia or
other 3poists on the earth surface."
"Such a flood of phc rtograis is expected fl-em the sera
ca ing satellite that a Photoanalysis unit at the Air Force
test center at Sumayvale, California is being enlarged by
be en 30 and 50 People. It 'ill be an a three-shift working
deevr to process: 'phaj;ogrepha of Russia."
"At the sa time a Photo unit vM be activated at
Strategic Air Command Headquarters,, Offutt Air 17orce Base,
Nebraska, to twdert tart-plat activities from the
SACS photos "or use by Strategic Air Cowwmd banber and
missile erets.,"
"A MI s1;ory stated that the SAMOS satellite actustly
mould be of :setae- espionage value than the MIDAS, The SAN,
uhi.ch sends tolevj ed pictures back to earthy can detect a
a d-ssil* being set up on the wad, even before a launch.
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