Spies in Space 1

Spies in Space

Ted Spitzmiller

Spies in Space 2

Seeking “High Ground” to observe the Enemy

Spies in Space 3

The “High Ground”

Science Fiction of the 1930s foresaw space travel as a domain for conflict

Spies in Space 4

German V-2 1942-45

• First large liquid fueled rocket

• Made long range intercontinental missiles possible

• Technology enabled the move into space

Spies in Space 5

The Cold War

• Soviet Union subversive socialists

• A threat to world peace• Sinister espionage

network• Copycat technologists

Spies in Space 6

The Need for Information• Led to developing the U-2

• High resolution cameras

• Illegal over flights• Allowed viewing Soviet capabilities

Spies in Space 7

How long could these flight continue without being shot down?

Spies in Space 8

First Artificial Satellite – Sputnik I

• Soviet Union 1957

• More than a triumph of technology

• Impact took on powerful dimensions well beyond technology

• Brought science fiction into the present

• President Eisenhower’s concern for satellite right of “overflight”

Spies in Space 9

America’s Complacency Shattered

• Soviets have the ICBM?

• Could they dominate Earth from space?

• How could this have happened?

• How can we protect ourselves?

Spies in Space 10

?

Concern over Soviet Technology• Hidden behind a veil of

secrecy• Without the U-2 America could

only guess• But how long could the U-2

continue to fly?

• Enabling technology– Soviet ICBM… the R-7– 3 X power of US ICBM

Spies in Space 11

Sputnik Established Soviet Union in World Power Politics

• Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev achieved credibility with world leaders

• Allowed influence of Communism to spread into many non-aligned countries

• Solidified Khrushchev’s power base within the USSR

Spies in Space 12

DiscovererA replacement for the U-2…

Spies in Space 13

May 1, 1960 U-2 Shot Down over Soviet Union

Ike promises “no more Flights”

Major international incident

Spies in Space 14

Spies in Space 15

Project CORONA• Reconnaissance Satellites of 1960• Used “Discoverer” series as a cover

Spies in Space 16

Mig-29 from 200+ miles

Spies in Space 17

Impact of Corona

• Became a critical espionage asset following downing of U-2 in May 1960

• Ability to assess the size and disposition of Soviet forces

• First success Discoverer XIV– 1,432 frames of photos– 3,548 feet of 70-millimeter film – 1.65 million square mile – More data than from 4 years

and 20 U-2 flights

• No Missile Gap

Spies in Space 18

SAINT—SAtellite INTerceptor

• Program approved in Jun 1959

• Unmanned 2400 lb. satellite launched by an Atlas D

• Rendezvous with “unknown” satellite

• Use TV cameras to inspect

• Destroy or “Spay paint” to disable sensors

Spies in Space 19

Space as a Battleground?

• 1958 U.S. Air Force initiated DynaSoar

• Orbital “interceptor” and reconnaissance platform

• Perform potential hostile satellite “inspection”

Spies in Space 20

Inaugurated the term ‘Aerospace’

• Two man crew• Test Vehicle designated X-20• Reusable

Spies in Space 21

First Air Force Astronaut Selection

• April 1960, seven astronauts secretly chosen

– Albert H. Crews Jr– Henry C. Gordon– William J. "Pete" Knight– Russell L. Rogers– Milton O. "Milt" Thompson– James W. Wood – Neil Armstrong

Spies in Space 22

Death of the DynaSoar

• Escalating cost of advancing the state-of-the-art

• Questionable role of man in space• Limited maneuverability once in orbit • Less costly unmanned satellites

showed great promise• Sec Defense McNamara accepted a

compromise in 1963—cancelled X-20 initiate MOL

Spies in Space 23

Manned Orbital Laboratory—MOL

• Reference to “lab” emphasized scientific aspect

• Sophisticated spy satellite• Use Gemini spacecraft

being developed for NASA

Spies in Space 24

A Space Station

• Ten foot in diameter• Seventy feet long• 30,000 pounds• Two man crew

Spies in Space 25

14 astronauts were selected in three sets over a period of three years

Maj. Robert H. Lawrence (not shown), America’s first black astronaut died in a training accident (Dec 1967)

Spies in Space 26

Spies in Space 27

• Nov 3, 1966 only MOL launch—unmanned test of the full configuration

• Gemini spacecraft was recovered

• Cost over-runs and schedule slippages

• MOL Project Cancelled—1969

• Military Experiments flown on – Skylab in 1973-74 – Space Shuttle

Spies in Space 28

Soviet Equivalents

• Raketoplan (DynaSoar) — canceled May 1964

• Soyuz-R and Soyuz-P (MOL) — canceled

• Almaz (MOL) — Several iterations flown – designated Salyut 2, 3, and 5 – 1973 through 1977– Only known weapon (23 mm cannon) fired in

space

Spies in Space 29

Almaz

Spies in Space 30

SpySats To The Present

• Only one part of a comprehensive array of ships, planes, radar and communication interception sites, and seismic detection stations

– IMINT; Imagery intelligence – SIGINT; Signals Intel– ELINT; Electronic Intel– COMINT; Communications Intel– FISINT; Foreign Instrumentation Signals INTelligence

Spies in Space 31

National Reconnaissance Office

• Design, build and operate nation's recon satellites. – Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)– Department of Defense (DoD), – Warns of potential trouble spots around the world, – Help plan military ops, and monitor environment.

• DoD agency staffed by DoD and CIA personnel. – 16-member Intelligence Community,

Spies in Space 32

NRO Launch 21 (NROL-21)

• Also known as USA 193• Launched December 14, 2006• Weighed about 5,000 pounds

15 feet long and 8 feet wide• Malfunctioned—lost ability to

communicate • Destroyed February 21, 2008• Modified $9.5 million SM-3

missile fired from USS Lake Erie • Kinetic energy “impact””

Spies in Space 33

Into the Future

• Advances in electronics, computers and imagery will continue to forge new intelligence pathways

• Still seeking an “inexpensive access” to space (the primary purpose of the Shuttle)

• Relevance of the human presence in space is still a question given…– high cost of safety and – life-support issues

Spies in Space 34

Additional Reading

• Deep Black, William E. Burrows, 1988

• Mayday, Michael R. Beschloss, 1988

• Astronautics, Ted Spitzmiller, 2007

Spies in Space 35

Questions?

Spies in Space 36

Spies in Space 37

Spies in Space 38

Spies in Space 39

Credit: © Mark Wade

Spies in Space 40

Credit: © Mark Wade

Spies in Space 41

Credit: © Mark Wade

Spies in Space 42

Spies in Space 43

Spies in Space 44

Spies in Space 45

A Space Station