693:
345:. Lacrosse 5 appears to differ somewhat from the previous four satellites. As determined by amateur observers, there are subtle differences in its orbit, and its color is somewhat whiter than the distinct red-orange tint of the earlier ones. Most strikingly, it sometimes fades from brightness to invisibility within the space of a few seconds while still in full sunlight. (Amateur observers call this rapid fade its "disappearing trick", although it appears to be an accidental phenomenon due to the design of the craft and not a deliberate stealth feature.)
681:
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322:
34:
692:
823:
254:, though there have been more powerful instruments deployed in space for this specific purpose. Early versions are believed to have used the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (
243:
as to whether a combined optical/radar reconnaissance satellite (the CIA proposal) or a radar-only one (the USAF proposal) should be developed was resolved in favor of the USAF.
680:
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309:) and could be the first of a Lacrosse follow-up program. Its orbit is a retrograde version of the "frozen" Lacrosse orbit, the choice for a
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293:(FIA). The severe program problems encountered by FIA in the early 2000s (decade) led to a plan to off-load radar reconnaissance to the
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The
Lacrosse 5 (2005-016A) brightness profile showing the sudden dip in brightness known as the "disappearance trick".
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213:
297:, later simplified to Space Radar, with initial launch anticipated around 2015. This program itself was axed by
1079:
209:
70:
266:. There are some indications that other relay satellites may now be available for use with Lacrosse. The name
670:
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Unit costs (including launch) in 1990 dollars are estimated to be in the range of US$ 0.5 to 1.0 billion.
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late 2008. The launch of NROL-41 (USA 215) in
September 2010 has all orbital characteristics of a radar
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After initial orbit, minor adjustments were made, sending it to 675 km × 572 km × 68.1°.
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853:"U.S. Costs of Verification and Compliance Under Pending Arms Treaties (CBO Publication #528)"
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The USA-133 traversing Canis Minor as seen from Leiden, the
Netherlands, on 19 March 2011.
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as its prime imaging instrument. It is able to see through cloud cover and also has some
8:
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An image released by the NRO, reportedly showing a
Lacrosse satellite under construction.
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of 68° and 57°, combined with their altitude give the satellites a complete view of the
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prior to 2008, there was widespread evidence pointing to its existence, including one
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involves a series of codes necessary to control a
Lacrosse reconnaissance satellite.
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The Space Review: Radar love: the tortured history of
American space radar programs
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The constellation of the
Lacrosse (Onyx) SAR satellites in orbit as of August 2011.
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858:. CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES. September 1990.
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SeeSat-L 1 Oct-10 : Reason for FIA Radar 1/USA 215 retrograde orbit
333:. The Lacrosse move in orbital planes either 68° or 57° inclined. These
220:
website. In July 2008, the NRO itself declassified the existence of its
1514:
1112:
286:
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321:
16:
Series of
American terrestrial radar imaging reconnaissance satellites
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involves a
Lacrosse satellite as the US intelligence eye in the sky.
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Five
Lacrosse spacecraft have been launched, with none currently in
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235:, Lacrosse had its origins in 1980 when a dispute between the
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Photometric curves showing Lacrosse 5 disappearing trick
212:(NRO). While not officially confirmed by the NRO or the
807:
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is sometimes used to refer to the three newer units.
802:
720:, a German radar imaging reconnaissance satellite
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845:
289:would be replaced by the radar component of the
1812:
889:
749:"DoD Buzz | Spy Radar Satellites Declassified"
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873:
1877:Military space program of the United States
1897:Military equipment introduced in the 1980s
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285:It had been anticipated that the Lacrosse
258:) to relay imagery to a ground station at
1882:National Reconnaissance Office satellites
1839:
320:
270:is used to refer to all variants, while
644:Final Titan launch from Cape Canaveral
1864:
1035:Imagery by amateur astronomer using 10
980:"Spy Satellites: Entering a New Era",
501:First Titan IV launch from Vandenberg
1872:Lockheed Martin satellites and probes
1427:
1051:
995:Lacrosse at Encyclopedia Astronautica
930:station (b)log: Lacrosse 2 is no more
956:"Lacrosse 3 - Satellite Information"
942:"Lacrosse 4 - Satellite Information"
824:"Spy Satellites: Entering a New Era"
1887:Synthetic aperture radar satellites
1000:Globalsecurity.org page on Lacrosse
737:NASA – NSSDC – Spacecraft – Details
13:
970:, New York, Harper & Row, 1990
14:
1908:
1025:Lacrosse 5 orbit at Heavens Above
1020:Lacrosse 4 orbit at Heavens Above
1015:Lacrosse 3 orbit at Heavens Above
1010:Lacrosse 2 orbit at Heavens Above
988:
668:The plot of the 2018 Hindi movie
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1005:Globalsecurity.org page on TDRSS
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229:Director of Central Intelligence
32:
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224:(SAR) satellite constellation.
214:Government of the United States
1080:National Reconnaissance Office
968:America's Secret Eyes in Space
880:AEHF 1 : Updated elements
862:
816:
791:
766:
741:
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313:itself indicating a SAR role.
210:National Reconnaissance Office
208:operated by the United States
71:National Reconnaissance Office
1:
812:Ups and Downs of Space Radars
724:
671:Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran
201:was a series of terrestrial
7:
706:
316:
291:Future Imagery Architecture
237:Central Intelligence Agency
10:
1913:
1680:Geosynchronous Earth orbit
977:, New York, Hyperion, 2005
914:List of satellite launches
341:'s surface, including the
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1465:reconnaissance satellites
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912:Jonathan's Space Report:
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252:ability to penetrate soil
206:reconnaissance satellites
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1583:Synthetic-aperture radar
248:synthetic aperture radar
222:synthetic aperture radar
19:Not to be confused with
1657:Highly elliptical orbit
1573:Enhanced Imaging System
637:712 km × 718 km × 57.0°
589:695 km × 689 km × 68.0°
542:666 km × 679 km × 57.0°
494:420 km × 662 km × 68.0°
447:437 km × 447 km × 57.0°
1030:Lacrosse at satobs.org
966:Jeffrey T. Richelson,
655:The story of the 1994
326:
662:The Dallas Connection
343:north and south poles
324:
779:. DTIC. January 2011
335:orbital inclinations
227:According to former
975:Burn Before Reading
973:Stansfield Turner,
886:, 24 September 2010
28:
1078:Satellites of the
927:SatTrackCam Leiden
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1771:Secondary mission
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1708:Rhyolite/Aquacade
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1292:Rhyolite/Aquacade
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902:, 1 October 2010.
713:Quill (satellite)
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295:Space Based Radar
233:Stansfield Turner
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130:Out of Production
58:Country of origin
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1892:Satellite series
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751:. Archived from
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1813:Primary mission
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1740:Primary mission
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1624:Low Earth orbit
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1550:Electro-optical
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984:, 24 March 1989
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833:. 24 March 1989
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798:Lacrosse / Onyx
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411:2 December 1988
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370:Launch vehicle
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52:Lockheed Martin
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27:Lacrosse / Onyx
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774:"NRO Almanac"
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755:on 2016-10-28
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451:25 March 1997
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418:Space Shuttle
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167:Maiden launch
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81:Radar imaging
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61:United States
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22:
1595:
1563:KH-11 Kennen
1540:KH-10 Dorian
1535:KH-9 Hexagon
1520:KH-6 Lanyard
1510:KH-4B Corona
1505:KH-4A Corona
1482:Photographic
1297:Magnum/Orion
1199:
1036:
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835:. Retrieved
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781:. Retrieved
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757:. Retrieved
753:the original
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732:
702:
669:
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657:Andy Sidaris
654:
472:8 March 1991
423:
373:Launch site
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198:
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184:, 2005-04-30
173:, 1988-12-02
77:Applications
48:Manufacturer
1642:White Cloud
1525:KH-7 Gambit
1500:KH-3 Corona
1495:KH-2 Corona
1490:KH-1 Corona
783:February 9,
379:designation
365:Launch date
260:White Sands
178:Last launch
151:Operational
1866:Categories
1840:USA number
1515:KH-5 Argon
1386:Technology
759:2010-02-17
725:References
593:deorbited
546:deorbited
360:SATCAT No.
287:satellites
264:New Mexico
122:Production
1037:reflector
641:Deorbited
607:2005-016A
559:2000-047A
512:1997-064A
464:1991-017A
403:1988-106B
355:COSPAR ID
104:Low Earth
1665:Jumpseat
1596:Lacrosse
1320:Jumpseat
1128:Gambit 3
1123:Gambit 1
900:SeeSat-L
884:SeeSat-L
718:SAR-Lupe
707:See also
617:00:50:00
569:23:45:01
424:Atlantis
413:14:30:34
392:Remarks
317:Launches
299:Congress
268:Lacrosse
239:and the
231:Admiral
195:Lacrosse
143:Launched
66:Operator
1847:USA-193
1833:Unknown
1806:R&D
1703:Mercury
1670:Trumpet
1647:Samos-F
1403:USA-193
1398:GeoLITE
1343:Samos-F
1325:Trumpet
1244:Mercury
1133:Hexagon
1118:Lanyard
1101:Keyhole
1094:Optical
1087:Imaging
982:Science
837:20 July
831:Science
633:NROL-16
602:USA-182
585:NROL-11
554:USA-152
507:USA-133
377:Launch
182:USA-182
159:Retired
138:5 known
1732:MASINT
1713:Vortex
1693:Magnum
1688:Canyon
1615:SIGINT
1408:Colony
1377:SLDCOM
1302:Mentor
1234:Canyon
1219:SIGINT
1108:Corona
629:SLC-40
581:SLC-4E
538:NROL-3
534:SLC-4E
486:SLC-4E
459:USA-69
439:LC-39B
430:STS-27
398:USA-34
383:Orbit
367:(UTC)
281:Future
171:USA-34
127:Status
100:Regime
21:LCROSS
1820:MiTEx
1788:SBIRS
1778:MIDAS
1747:FORTE
1718:GSSAP
1637:Poppy
1591:Quill
1568:Misty
1558:Samos
1473:IMINT
1348:Poppy
1275:ELINT
1260:Poppy
1205:FIA-R
1195:Quill
1188:Radar
1175:Samos
1168:Other
1154:Misty
1147:Misty
1113:Argon
856:(PDF)
827:(PDF)
777:(PDF)
659:film
626:CCAFS
611:28646
563:26473
522:02:32
516:25017
474:12:03
468:21147
421:
407:19671
389:date
387:Decay
351:Name
339:Earth
331:orbit
256:TDRSS
135:Built
69:U.S.
1793:STSS
1762:Vela
1757:DMSP
1632:GRAB
1393:STEX
1265:NOSS
839:2013
785:2023
578:VAFB
531:VAFB
483:VAFB
272:Onyx
218:NASA
199:Onyx
1783:DSP
1752:GPS
1601:FIA
1413:RPP
1372:SDS
1335:LEO
1312:HEO
1284:GEO
1159:EIS
436:KSC
307:FIA
197:or
162:All
1868::
898:,
882:,
829:.
804:^
262:,
1447:e
1440:t
1433:v
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841:.
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762:.
490:—
443:—
432:)
428:(
154:0
146:5
23:.
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