Magnum (satellite)
Magnum is the code name for a series of SIGINT - reconnaissance satellites of the US National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).
Due to the secret nature of the satellites, little information is available. Between 1985 and 1990 three satellites were launched by the space shuttle . The satellites have a mass of around 2.5 t, fly in roughly geosynchronous orbit and are brought into their final orbit by an apogee motor ( inertial upper stages ). The parabolic antenna for receiving radio signals has a diameter of approx. 100 meters. The satellites were built by TRW and replaced the older Rhyolite / Aquacade satellites . This series was later replaced by the Mentor / Advanced Orion satellites.
Start list
- Magnum 1 launched with STS-51-C on January 24, 1985, ( COSPAR 1985-010B ) (USA-8)
- Magnum 2 launched with STS-33 on November 23, 1989, (COSPAR 1989-090B) (USA-48)
- Magnum 3 launched with STS-38 on November 15, 1990, (COSPAR 1990-097B ) (USA-67; some sources refer to USA-67 as the SDS-2 F2 military communications satellite )
literature
- William J. Broad: Experts Say Satellite Can Detect Soviet War Steps. The New York Times, Jan 25, 1985, pp. A-12.
- Jeffrey T. Richelson (Ed.): US Military Uses of Space, 1945-1991 Vol 1, Guide. National Security Archive, 1991.
Web links
- Magnum in the Encyclopedia Astronautica (English)
- Magnum 1, 2 / Orion 1, 2 on Gunter's Space Page (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Jonathan McDowell: Jonathan's space report No. 369. August 22, 1998, archived from the original on June 19, 2009 ; accessed on October 2, 2009 .
- ↑ Les satellites espions de la NSA. Spyworld.fr, April 23, 2006, accessed October 3, 2009 (French).
- ↑ Jonathan McDowell: List of satellite launches. In: Jonathan's Space Report. Retrieved October 2, 2009 .
- ↑ The US Secret Satellite Program. Satellitwelt.de, September 28, 2009, accessed October 2, 2009 .