Encyclopedia entry

GRAB

Spacecraft · USA

Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.

First American military signals intelligence satellite, launched 1960-1962; not declassified until 1998. ELINT Research satellite built by Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) for Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) / US Navy, USA. Launched 1960 - 1962.

The project was originally called "Tattletale," then renamed GRAB. Since the true nature of the satellite was supposed to not be apparent to the Russians, this was revised to GREB (the acronym Galactic Radiation Experimental Background was retroactively dreamed up to explain the name). To further muddy the waters the satellites were launched under the title SOLRAD (the cover purpose being to study solar radiation).

Work on GRAB began around the time of the first successful Vanguard launch. Reid Meyo of the Naval Research Laboratory Countermeasures Branch had developed an electronic intelligence antenna for submarine periscopes. At the same time NRL was seeking quick military exploitation of the Vanguard satellite that it had developed. Reid was sitting in a hotel restaurant in Pennsylvania one night and got the idea that they could simply put his periscope antenna in orbit aboard a Vanguard. The original calculations, in the best tradition of aerospace engineering, were done on the restaurant placemat.

GRAB's receivers were used to catalogue the waveforms and pulse repetition frequencies of Soviet air defense radars. GRABs were launched not by Vanguard rockets but as piggy-back or cluster payloads with other satellites. One inert dummy was used to prove the multiple satellite launching technique. Of five operational GRAB satellites, only two reached orbit and operated successfully. GRAB data was given by NRL to the Strategic Air Command and the National Security Agency (which may indicate communications were also intercepted).

Operational ELINT satellites were taken over by the NRO, and remain classified.

Electric System: 0.006 average kW.

More at: GRAB.

Family: SIGINT
Country: USA
Launch Vehicles: Thor, Delta, Scout, Thor Ablestar, Scout X-2, Thor Agena D, Thor SLV-2A Agena D, Thor SLV-2 Agena D
Launch Sites: Cape Canaveral, Vandenberg, Cape Canaveral LC17B, Vandenberg SLC2E, Vandenberg SLC1E, Vandenberg SLC2W, Vandenberg SLC5
Agency: NRL
Bibliography: 126, 2, 279, 280, 4, 6, 6538, 12517

Photo Gallery

Solrad 1
Credit: Manufacturer Image

Chronology

6 events

1960 April 13

12:02 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC17B. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor Ablestar.

Dummy subsatellite - . Payload: GRAB dummy. Mass: 18 kg (39 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Class: Surveillance. Type: SIGINT. Spacecraft: GRAB. Decay Date: 1960-07-17 . USAF Sat Cat: 33 . COSPAR: 1960-Gamma-3. Apogee: 615 km (382 mi). Perigee: 285 km (177 mi). Inclination: 51.30 deg. Period: 93.60 min. Mass model of GRAB ELINT satellite..

1960 June 22

05:54 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC17B. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor Ablestar.

Solrad 1 - . Payload: Grab 1. Mass: 19 kg (41 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Class: Surveillance. Type: SIGINT. Spacecraft: GRAB. USAF Sat Cat: 46 . COSPAR: 1960-Eta-2. Apogee: 935 km (580 mi). Perigee: 596 km (370 mi). Inclination: 66.70 deg. Period: 100.20 min.
ELINT satellite, retransmitting to US ground stations signals from Soviet radar stations. Classified at time; official purpose and secondary payload collected solar radiation data. Officially: Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B).

1960 November 30

19:50 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC17B. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor Ablestar. FAILURE: Failure.

Solrad 2 - . Payload: Grab B. Mass: 18 kg (39 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Class: Surveillance. Type: SIGINT. Spacecraft: GRAB. ELINT satellite..

1961 June 29

04:22 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC17B. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor Ablestar.

Solrad 3 - . Payload: Grab 2. Mass: 18 kg (39 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Class: Surveillance. Type: SIGINT. Spacecraft: GRAB. COSPAR: 1961-Omicron-xx. ELINT satellite, retransmitting to US ground stations signals from Soviet radar stations. Classified at time; official purpose and secondary payload collected solar radiation data..

1962 January 24

09:30 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC17B. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor Ablestar. FAILURE: Failure.

Solrad 4 - . Payload: Grab D. Mass: 18 kg (39 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Class: Surveillance. Type: SIGINT. Spacecraft: GRAB. ELINT satellite..

1962 April 26

Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC5. LV Family: Scout. Launch Vehicle: Scout X-2. FAILURE: Failure.. Failed Stage: U.

Solrad 4B - . Payload: Grab E. Mass: 91 kg (200 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Class: Surveillance. Type: SIGINT. Spacecraft: GRAB. Decay Date: 1962-04-26 .
The first Scout vehicle (#111) was launched from Vandenberg AFB and carried the Navy's Solar Radiation (SOLRAD 4B) payload (which was actually the last classified Grab ELINT satellite). However, a third stage failure resulted in payload impact 225-NM downrange. Solar radiation monitor.