Twenty HEXAGON satellites were launched from California between 1971 and 1986, with one failure. These large photo-reconnaissance satellites often carried Program 989 subsatellites, colloquially known as "hitchhikers," deployed in orbit. In 1963, the Air Force launched the first off-side payload, initiating a secretive program lasting over 40 years.
Satellites such as URSALA, RAQUEL, FARRAH, GLORIA, and CARRIE have only recently been declassified. These small, suitcase-sized spacecraft were festooned with antennas and spun rapidly in low Earth orbit, gathering electronic intelligence (ELINT). For their first decade, they chased emerging ELINT targets of interest.
Designed for speed and low cost, payloads were often bespoke, replaced frequently to counter new threats. By the 1970s, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) standardized the program, providing operational support to military forces globally. These satellites marked a shift from serving exclusive national leadership to supporting tactical Army, Navy, and Air Force units.
During the 1970s and 1980s, subsatellites were deployed from HEXAGON photo-reconnaissance platforms. The Program 989 designation succeeded earlier P-11 and P-770B designations. By the 1980s, the intelligence community discussed merging ocean surveillance and radar signal collection capabilities into new satellite systems.
Source: Hacker News · Résumé par HeadlinesBriefing