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Misty
American nuclear detection surveillance satellite. Reconnaissance, electro-optical, stealth satellite built by Lockheed Martin for NRO, USA. Launched 1990 - 1999.

AKA: AFP-731;KH-12. Status: Operational 1990. First Launch: 1990-02-28. Last Launch: 1999-05-22. Number: 2 .

The Misty stealth satellite originated as a countermeasure to Soviet efforts to conceal weapons development and suspected strategic missile treaty violations from known American reconnaissance satellites. The spacecraft was designed to be difficult to detect and be capable of large maneuvers in order to thwart Russian efforts to keep track of it. It would also have been difficult to locate and destroy the satellite in times of superpower war.

On 21 June 2007 Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell cancelled the multibillion-dollar spy satellite program, , known publicly as the next generation of "Misty" satellites. Engineers had hoped these spacecraft would someday pass undetected through the space above other nations.

McConnell gave no reason for his decision, saying only : "I have been advised when I was getting ready for this job, you have to do two things: kill a multibillion-dollar program. Just did that..and fire somebody important. So I'm searching," The satellite's true name was not publicly known, but it was believed to have been assigned a designation of a letter followed by numbers.


More at: Misty.

Family: Nuclear detection surveillance satellite, Surveillance. Country: USA. Launch Vehicles: Titan, Space Shuttle, Titan 404B. Launch Sites: Cape Canaveral, Vandenberg, Vandenberg SLC4E, Cape Canaveral LC39A. Bibliography: 2, 6, 6715, 12843.

1990 February 28 - . 07:50 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC39A. Launch Platform: MLP1. LV Family: Shuttle. Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle.
1999 May 22 - . 09:36 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC4E. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 404B.

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