Trends Of The Soviet Photographic Reconnaissance Programme*

 N. L. Johnson. (1980), JBIS, 33, pp.295-302

Refcode: 1980.33.295

Abstract:

With the launch of Kosmos 4 on 26 April 1962, the Soviet Union inaugurated its photographic space reconnaissance programme in response to a similar effort begun in the United States on 28 February 1959 with the attempted launching of Discoverer 1. In the intervening eighteen years this military-oriented programme has evolved into the single largest effort of either of the two major space powers. During 1978 the 400th Soviet photo reconnaissance satellite was successfully orbited. At the current rate of launching of these spacecraft, the 500th member will probably take to the skies in late 1980.