Air Force launches top secret satellite

CNN ^ | Tuesday, September 9, 2003 | Philip Chien

[presidio9]

The Air Force launched a top-secret satellite Tuesday for the National Reconnaissance Office, which operates the United States' fleet of spy spacecraft.

A Titan IV-B rocket was used to launch the large spacecraft, believed to be an electronics listening satellite, into a position 22,300 miles above the Earth's equator.

[WestPacSailor]

I wonder how much this thing cost?

[Stirner]

"I wonder how much this thing cost?"

My totally uniformed guess-estimate would be around $2 billion. It really depends on how much of the existing space launch infrastructure you expense to this project. In terms of the capabilities it probably gives us, it's money well spent.

[jigsaw]

Air Force launches top secret satellite

Is there such a thing as a bottom secret?   (If so, it probably has something to do with Hillary.)

Regardless, Go Air Force!

[USAF_TSgt]

It really can't be that secret because you can practically see them at night. The geosyncronous (sorry if my spelling is off) are a little harder to detect because they don't move against the background of starts.

[Redleg Duke]

Other countries have "recon" satellites...but according to CNN, we have (sinister background music..)SPY SATELLITES!

[Spruce]

[VRWCmember]

I wonder how much this thing cost?

I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.

[presidio9]

Other countries have "recon" satellites...but according to CNN, we have (sinister background music..)SPY SATELLITES!

Which is why I posted this article. Reporters all over the newsroom in Atlanta are beside themselves with worry about what the US will do next to bully the less fortunate around the world.

[yankeedame]

The Air Force launched a top-secret satellite Tuesday...

Ha! Some secret!

[finnman69]

I hope this thing has the ability to identify faces from orbit. Certainly the NSC must be able to do that by now.