Posted on 06/21/2007 3:31:03 PM PDT by RDTF
Spy chief Mike McConnell has junked a multibillion-dollar spy satellite program that engineers hoped would someday pass undetected through the space above other nations.
The move from the director of national intelligence comes after several years of congressional efforts to kill the program, known publicly as the next generation of "Misty" satellites. The new satellite was to be a stealthy intelligence spacecraft designed to take pictures of adversaries and avoid detection.
Little is known about the nation's classified network of satellites, which represent some of the most expensive government programs and receive almost no public oversight. Because of their multibillion-dollar price tags, sensitive missions and lengthy development schedules, spy agencies go to great pains to keep details from becoming public.
McConnell gave no reason for his recent decision. Despite the program's secrecy, he almost dared further inquiry into it.
Speaking Tuesday to an intelligence conference on workplace diversity, McConnell changed the subject and ended his speech by saying: "I have been advised when I was getting ready for this job, you have to do two things: kill a multibillion-dollar program. Just did that. Word is not out yet. You'll see soon.
"And fire somebody important. So I'm searching," he added in jest, getting a laugh from the crowd.
Asked during a Q&A session to elaborate on which program he cut, McConnell declined to comment. His spokesman Steve Shaw also declined to comment on Thursday, but he noted that the director had the power to make this type of budget decision.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Why not just sell it to Google?
” Spy chief Mike McConnell has junked a multibillion-dollar spy satellite program that Sales Reps hoped would someday pass undetected through the National Defense Budget...”
>> Little is known about the nation’s classified network of satellites
That may be true now, but have no fear! The New York Times is on the case!
Detailed blueprints coming soon, on page A-11
For your MI Ping list. I thought this might be of interest to some of our “squints”, among others.
One wave of the hand by an appointed director does what was attempted and failed by Congress (though, actually, it seems that Congress actually did do it, and it was merely announced in a flippant way by McConnell.
Nice that our security and taxes mean so little to Washington. :-/
On the technical side, though, it does seem to me that multiple cheaper platforms would be better than relying on a hope of stealth.
And this announcement a day or so after it was announced that a secret launch went slightly off and is in not quite the intended orbit, but still functioning.
See, it couldn’t be a Misty, no wai! It was cancelled!
I thought the same thing. Time for conspiracy lovers to get out the popcorn.
SARCASM/HUMOR/MAKE BELIEVE RUMORS/OPINION:
Hmmm...is there a rumor out there yet, that we have something better already operating?
Spy satellites is so yesterday — like Russian and China’s technology.
ping
Tip off by Towed_Jumper
Courtesy ping to Retired COB
My guess is there’s a better “something” in the works and has been for a long time.
I don't think stealth would add so very much to the cost of a high resolution imaging satellite. The cost in the mirror, the reaction control system, and the electronics, not to mention the software to run the thing. If you use a smaller mirror, you get less resolution. Having more doesn't help that much. For *tactical* uses, lower resolution would be OK, and the fact that the enemy knows you're watching is not so important, but for avoiding technological surprise, especially from more or less closed societies, high resolution is very important and stealth more important than in the tactical case.
OPINION: Yep, you’re probably right.
It’s difficult for the observed to change their operations to avoid flyovers if there are more constant flyovers.
This may refer to a program that Rockefeller and three other RAT senators compromised earlier:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/2004/041212-misty.htm
Aurora is last century. Time for folks to make up a new one.
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