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Class: ELINT. Nation: USA. Agency: U.S. Air Force. Subsatellite ferrets were a series of heavily classifed small satellites, released in association with other military launches, that undertook radio and radar signals intelligence gathering. There seem to have been several types, but all details remain secret.
Specification
SSF Chronology
18 March 1963
P-11 No. 1 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: TA Thor Agena D. FAILURE: Launch failure. Mass: 80 kg. Ferret subsatellite aboard first launch of KH-6. Mission failed.
27 June 1963
Hitch Hiker 1 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: TA Thor Agena D. Mass: 80 kg. Perigee: 323 km. Apogee: 2,506 km. Inclination: 82.1 deg. Radiation data. First successful flight of P-11 bus, mainly used for radar signals intelligence gathering.
29 October 1963
Hitch Hiker 2 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: TA Thor Agena D. Mass: 80 kg. Perigee: 288 km. Apogee: 581 km. Inclination: 90.0 deg. Radar monitoring.
21 December 1963
Hitch Hiker 3 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: TA Thor Agena D. Mass: 80 kg. Perigee: 316 km. Apogee: 394 km. Inclination: 64.5 deg. Radar monitoring.
06 July 1964
OPS 4923 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Atlas LV-3A / Agena D. Mass: 80 kg. Perigee: 156 km. Apogee: 505 km. Inclination: 92.9 deg. Radar monitoring.
14 August 1964
OPS 3316 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: SLV-3 Atlas / Agena D. Mass: 79 kg. Perigee: 272 km. Apogee: 3,751 km. Inclination: 95.7 deg.
23 October 1964
OPS 5063 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Atlas LV-3A / Agena D.
28 April 1965
OPS 6717 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: SLV-3 Atlas / Agena D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 506 km. Apogee: 547 km. Inclination: 95.2 deg. Radar monitoring.
25 June 1965
OPS 6749 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: SLV-3 Atlas / Agena D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 496 km. Apogee: 510 km. Inclination: 107.6 deg. Radar monitoring.
03 August 1965
OPS 6761 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: SLV-3 Atlas / Agena D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 501 km. Apogee: 515 km. Inclination: 107.4 deg. Radar monitoring.
08 November 1965
OPS 6232/Agena D Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: SLV-3 Atlas / Agena D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 155 km. Apogee: 284 km. Inclination: 93.9 deg. Not identified as a subsatellite ferret by McDowell.
19 January 1966
OPS 3179/Agena D Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: SLV-3 Atlas / Agena D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 120 km. Apogee: 149 km. Inclination: 93.8 deg. Not identified as a subsatellite ferret by McDowell.
18 March 1966
OPS 0974/Agena D Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: SLV-3 Atlas / Agena D. Mass: 2,000 kg. Perigee: 149 km. Apogee: 285 km. Inclination: 101.0 deg. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).
14 May 1966
OPS 6785 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: SLV-3 Atlas / Agena D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 519 km. Apogee: 555 km. Inclination: 110.0 deg. Radar monitoring.
03 June 1966
OPS 1856/Agena D Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: SLV-3 Atlas / Agena D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 148 km. Apogee: 230 km. Inclination: 86.9 deg. Not identified as a subsatellite ferret by McDowell.
16 August 1966
OPS 6810 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: SLV-3 Atlas / Agena D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 511 km. Apogee: 522 km. Inclination: 93.2 deg. Radar monitoring.
16 September 1966
OPS 6874 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: SLV-3 Atlas / Agena D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 461 km. Apogee: 501 km. Inclination: 94.1 deg. Radar monitoring.
12 October 1966
OPS 5345/Agena D Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: SLV-3 Atlas / Agena D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 181 km. Apogee: 258 km. Inclination: 90.9 deg. Not identified as a subsatellite ferret by McDowell.
02 November 1966
OPS 5424/Agena D Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: SLV-3 Atlas / Agena D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 208 km. Apogee: 324 km. Inclination: 91.0 deg. Not identified as a subsatellite ferret by McDowell.
09 May 1967
OPS 1967 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: LT Thor Agena D.
22 May 1967
OPS 5557/Agena D Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: SLV-3 Atlas / Agena D. Mass: 700 kg. Perigee: 148 km. Apogee: 240 km. Inclination: 91.5 deg. Not identified as a subsatellite ferret by McDowell.
16 June 1967
OPS 1873 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: LT Thor Agena D.
02 November 1967
OPS 1587 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: LT Thor Agena D.
24 January 1968
OPS 6236 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: LT Thor Agena D.
14 March 1968
OPS 7076 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: LT Thor Agena D.
20 June 1968
OPS 5259 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: LT Thor Agena D.
18 September 1968
OPS 8595 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: LT Thor Agena D.
12 December 1968
OPS 7684 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: LT Thor Agena D.
05 February 1969
OPS 2644 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: LT Thor Agena D.
19 March 1969
OPS 2285 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: LT Thor Agena D.
02 May 1969
OPS 1721 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: LT Thor Agena D.
22 September 1969
OPS 4710 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: LT Thor Agena D.
30 September 1969
OPS 1807 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: LT Thor Agena D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 446 km. Apogee: 484 km. Inclination: 69.6 deg.
04 March 1970
OPS 3402 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: LT Thor Agena D.
20 May 1970
OPS 8520 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: LT Thor Agena D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 490 km. Apogee: 499 km. Inclination: 83.1 deg. Radar monitoring; may or may not have existed!!!.
18 November 1970
OPS 6829 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: LT Thor Agena D.
10 September 1971
OPS 7681 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: LT Thor Agena D.
20 January 1972
OPS 7719 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Titan 3D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 474 km. Apogee: 545 km. Inclination: 96.0 deg. Radar monitoring.
07 July 1972
OPS 7803 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Titan 3D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 498 km. Apogee: 504 km. Inclination: 96.2 deg. Radar monitoring.
10 October 1972
OPS 8314/2 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Titan 3D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 1,417 km. Apogee: 1,462 km. Inclination: 95.7 deg. ABM monitoring.
10 November 1973
OPS 6630 P/L 2 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Titan 3D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 1,413 km. Apogee: 1,453 km. Inclination: 96.9 deg.
10 April 1974
OPS 4547 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Titan 3D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 503 km. Apogee: 531 km. Inclination: 94.0 deg. Radar monitoring.
29 October 1974
OPS 6239 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Titan 3D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 521 km. Apogee: 531 km. Inclination: 96.0 deg. Radar monitoring; may or may not have existed!!!.
08 June 1975
SSU A Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Titan 3D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 1,382 km. Apogee: 1,393 km. Inclination: 95.1 deg.
04 December 1975
KH 9-11 Subsatellite Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Titan 3D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 236 km. Apogee: 1,558 km. Inclination: 96.3 deg. Not identified as a subsatellite ferret by McDowell.
08 July 1976
OPS 5366 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Titan 3D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 628 km. Apogee: 632 km. Inclination: 96.4 deg. Radar monitoring.
16 March 1978
OPS 7858 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Titan 3D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 639 km. Apogee: 645 km. Inclination: 95.8 deg. Radar monitoring.
16 March 1979
OPS 6675 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Titan 3D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 621 km. Apogee: 628 km. Inclination: 95.8 deg.
18 June 1980
OPS 1292 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Titan 3D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 1,331 km. Apogee: 1,333 km. Inclination: 96.6 deg. ABM monitoring; may or may not have existed!!!.
11 May 1982
OPS 6553 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Titan 3D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 701 km. Apogee: 707 km. Inclination: 96.0 deg. Radar monitoring; may or may not have existed!!!.
20 June 1983
OPS 3899 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Titan 34D. Mass: 60 kg. ABM monitoring; may or may not have existed!!!.
25 June 1984
USA 3 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Titan 34D. Mass: 60 kg. Perigee: 690 km. Apogee: 710 km. Inclination: 96.1 deg. Radar monitoring.
18 April 1986
SSF-D No. 6 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Titan 34D. FAILURE: Solid booster exploded 16 seconds after liftoff just over pad due to deterioration of solid motor thermal insulation. Mass: 60 kg.
08 August 1989
USA 41 Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. Perigee: 296 km. Apogee: 307 km. Inclination: 57.0 deg. Deployed from STS-28 8/8/89. Believed to be one-off ferret satellite under COBRA BRASS measurement and signature intelligence experiment.
Bibliography:- 172 - McDowell, Jonathon, Quest, "US Reconnaissance Satellite Programs Part 2", 1995, Volume 4, Issue 4, page 49.
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Last update 12 March 2001.
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© Mark Wade, 2001 .