Samos (satellite)

The Samos program (sometimes written as SAMOS and standing for Satellite and Missile Observation Satellite) produced a relatively shortlived series of reconnaissance satellites for the United States. From October 1960 to November 1962, at least 11 launch attempts were made. Portions of the program are still considered classified information. It is believed that the program was cancelled because the imagery produced was poor. The program was operated by the United States Air Force, but was overshadowed by the Central Intelligence Agency's Corona program.

At least two different generations of the satellite were made, and at least four different types of cameras were used. Early on, the idea was to use frame readout cameras that would take a picture and send the scanned image via radio to ground stations on Earth. This system was apparently troublesome, so the program also developed a photographic film return system where the camera and used film would be ejected and be retrieved as it floated down through the atmosphere by parachute. Film-return satellites would remain the standard until the KH-11 satellite with digital imaging capability emerged in the 1970s.

Name	Type	Focal Length	Resolution	Swath
E-1	readout	1.83m (72in)	30m (100ft)	161 × 161 km
E-2	readout	0.91m (36in)	6m (20ft)	27 × 27 km
E-5	film	1.67m (66in)	1.5m (5ft)	98 km length
E-6	film	0.7m (28in)	2.4m (8ft)	280 km width

The E-1 and E-2 cameras used the readout method. Little is known about the E-3 type of camera, which was eventually cancelled. It likely had higher resolution, and may have been superseded by the later E-6. An E-4 camera was initally planned for relatively low-resolution mapmaking purposes, but it was cancelled with the functionality being taken up by the KH-5 (Argon) satellite. The E-5 and E-6 were panoramic format film cameras that appeared in later launches, but only a few were used. The E-5 would later be called upon in the shortlived KH-6 (Lanyard) program.

Some satellites were equipped with so-called Ferret devices, for "ferreting" information by spying on electronic communication. A more modern term for that activity would be Signals Intelligence. Toward the end of the program, satellites were only being launched with Ferrets, without any cameras. Two Ferret systems were created, designated F-1 and F-2.

Some additional payloads were sometimes onboard, mostly scientific devices for learning more about the space environment so that future satellites could be better-designed for spaceflight. The satellites as launched varied in mass from 1845 to 1900 kilograms.

Sergei Khrushchev wrote in his memoirs about the partial recovery of what he believed was a Samos satellite, except the date was the winter before the program started. A second capsule was apparently recovered in early 1961, although the device had been disassembled by local farmers, exposing film and preventing the Sovietss from determining the satellite's capabilities. It may or may not have been a Samos.

References

• Mark Wade (August 9, 2003). Samos. Encyclopedia Astronautica. Accessed May 3, 2004.
• Jonathan McDowell. The History of Spaceflight: SAMOS. Planet4589.org. Accessed May 3, 2004.