Ultimate digital vs film: 1gp digital vs SR71 reconnaissance cameras

jjs wrote:
"Judson McClendon" wrote in message
...

Take those declassified documents with a grain of salt.

I saw declassified satellite images around 1960 where you could
read the logo on the side of a truck. [...]

Mind if I Laugh Out Loud? If they (whomever 'they' are) said those
were
satellite images, then it was pure misinformation and served its
purpose in
that regard: you were fooled, and it may have frightened the Soviets
into
further spending themselves to oblivion.


I believe him. Have you ever heard of teraserver? It is a satelite
available to the public which can basically see your backyard. If such
tech is available to regular citizens now, dont you think the military
has at least that back then? I wouldn't be surprised if the military
can get your shirt size from satelites now.

"daveyp225" wrote in message
oups.com...

jjs wrote:
"Judson McClendon" wrote in message
...

Take those declassified documents with a grain of salt.

I saw declassified satellite images around 1960 where you could
read the logo on the side of a truck. [...]

Mind if I Laugh Out Loud? If they (whomever 'they' are) said those
were
satellite images, then it was pure misinformation [...]

I believe him. Have you ever heard of teraserver? It is a satelite
available to the public which can basically see your backyard. If such
tech is available to regular citizens now, dont you think the military
has at least that back then? I wouldn't be surprised if the military
can get your shirt size from satelites now.

I will let Hemi give the optical metrics required to resolve a "logo on the
side of a truck", or license plate, or any image with angular requisites
from a sattelite. Remember, back in the sixties they actually had to drop
the film magazines from space to be caught by aircraft with tailhooks. I
truly doubt teraserver's technology uses 60's tech.

I saw declassified satellite images around 1960 where you could
read the logo on the side of a truck BRBR


We would all have been impressed. All you can see from a satellite like a
KH-11 or KH-12 is the TOP of the truck.

:-)

Hemi:

Do you think there are any government sixties or seventys recon lenses we
cannot purchase surplus?

"jjs" wrote in message
...
Hemi:

Do you think there are any government sixties or seventys recon lenses we
cannot purchase surplus?


Satellite - No, they all burned up upon reentry.

Aircraft - Possible, check your local DMRO at a military base near you.

"EDGY01" wrote in message
...
I saw declassified satellite images around 1960 where you could
read the logo on the side of a truck BRBR


We would all have been impressed. All you can see from a satellite like a
KH-11 or KH-12 is the TOP of the truck.

:-)

KH 11 & 12 satellites were spec'd and built by Lockheed Space and Missiles
and the Ball Brothers in the 1970's. That technology is now [almost] 30
years old. With a KH 11 shot you could identify that a Russian soldier was
urinating on the side of a snow covered hardened aircraft shelter. Advance
the technology to the early 90's (what presumably would be flying today) and
I would guess you could tell if he was wearing boxers or briefs - if the
angle was right.

The statement about the 1960 declassified overhead intel photo and reading
the logo is correctly called B.S. See www.nro.gov and look at the pictures
from the Corona program. Funny, when I worked with the NRO (early 80's at
then Sunnyvale (now: Onizuka) Air Station), just saying those three letters
in a row was classified secret, and now they have their own web page...

"jjs" wrote in message
...
I will let Hemi give the optical metrics required to resolve a "logo on
the side of a truck", or license plate, or any image with angular
requisites from a sattelite. Remember, back in the sixties they actually
had to drop the film magazines from space to be caught by aircraft with
tailhooks. I truly doubt teraserver's technology uses 60's tech.


Don't forget the advantages of having those optics in a vacuum and the path
from subject to optic is influenced by an ever decreasing proportion of
atmospheric interference.

Jim Phelps wrote:

Funny, when I worked with the NRO (early 80's at
then Sunnyvale (now: Onizuka) Air Station), just saying those three letters
in a row was classified secret, and now they have their own web page...

The existence of the NRO and its title were never a classified item. Like the
NSA it was a tight lipped, self obscuring agency, that's all.


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-- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.

The film used in the SR71 looks like a large format roll film. Plus the
huge diameter lens is truly impressive looking. There must be a good
reason for wanting lots of film area when resolution is of prime importance.

"Alan Browne" wrote in message
.. .


The existence of the NRO and its title were never a classified item. Like
the NSA it was a tight lipped, self obscuring agency, that's all.


Until 1992 (IIRC) the mere existence of the NRO was classified Secret. It
was not until Billy 'The Cigar' Clinton acknowledged the use of overhead
national assets and the use of space based photographic systems that it was
brought out of the black. I believe you can verify this on the NRO home
page.