Official name OPS 3488
Alternative name KH-4A 30 (Corona 106
Cospar ID 1966-018A
Norad ID 2099
Launch date 1966-03-09
Launch site AFWTR
Launch vehicle Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
Country/Organization USA
Type application Reconnaissance, photo (film return type)
Operator CIA
RCS size UNKNOWN
Decay date 1966-03-29
Shape Cyl
Mass (kg) 1486.62
Diameter (m) 1.5
Height (m) 7.08
Contractors Lockheed
Equipment J-1 camera, index camera
Propulsion Bell 8096, 2 Star-12 retro motors
Configuration Agena-D, 2 SRVs
Power Batteries

The KH-4A (Keyhole-4A) was fifth version in the Corona-program to build an optical reconnaissance satellite.

KH-4A carried two J-1 panoramic cameras, with a focal length of 61 cm, and a ground resolution of 2.7 m.

KH-4A also carried a 4 cm index camera, with a focal length of 38 mm, a ground resolution of 162 m, and frame coverage of 308 km × 308 km.

Secondary Payloads

Some satellites carried secondary payloads mounted on the satellite:

  • KH-4A 2 carried the Discoverer Research Package (Research Module) payload
  • KH-4A 3 carried the Long John 3 (Aftrack 38/Mission 7222) ELINT payload
  • KH-4A 4 carried the LPARL Aurora 1964 (ORBIS 1) payload
  • KH-4A 5 carried the IPEX (Research Module) payload
  • KH-4A 11 carried the Bit 7051? (Bit 1) ELINT payload
  • KH-4A 13 carried the Bit 7052 (Bit 2) ELINT payload
  • KH-4A 14 carried the Bit 7053 (Bit 3) ELINT payload and the ORBIS payload
  • KH-4A 15 carried the Bit 7054? (Bit 4) ELINT payload
  • KH-4A 16 carried the Bit 7055? (Bit 5) ELINT payload
  • KH-4A 17 carried the Bit 7056? (Bit 6) ELINT payload and the RM-104 payload
  • KH-4A 18 carried the Bit 7057? (Bit 7) ELINT payload
  • KH-4A 19 carried the Bit 7058? (Bit 8) ELINT payload
  • KH-4A 21 carried the Bit 7059? (Bit 9) ELINT payload
  • KH-4A 26 carried the LPARL Aurora 1965 (Research Module) payload and the Square Twenty (Aftrack 41/Mission 7225) COMINT payload featuring a 2 m parabolic antenna and a 2 m long curved rectangular fan beam antenna
  • KH-4A 43 carried the STP S67-3 (Module 283) payload, consisting of the RM-12, RM-15 and SXS instruments. The RM radiometers had been flown before on the unsuccessful MRPV (Corona 99) satellite.

When the launch vehicle switched to the more powerful Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D, many missions carried small "Subsatellite Ferret" or other small satellites into orbit.

Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
THOR AGENA D 1963-034A 1963-08-25 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
THOR AGENA D 1963-037A 1963-09-23 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 3444 1964-008A 1964-02-15 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 2921 1964-022A 1964-04-27 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 3483 1964-027A 1964-06-04 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 3754 1964-032A 1964-06-19 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 3491 1964-037A 1964-07-10 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 3042 1964-043A 1964-08-05 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 3497 1964-056A 1964-09-14 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 3333 1964-061A 1964-10-05 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 3559 1964-067A 1964-10-17 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 5434 1964-071A 1964-11-02 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 3360 (ORBIS) 1964-075A 1964-11-18 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 3358 1964-085A 1964-12-19 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 3928 1965-002A 1965-01-15 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 4782 1965-013A 1965-02-25 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 4803 1965-026A 1965-03-25 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 5023 (1) 1965-033A 1965-04-29 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 8431 1965-037A 1965-05-18 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 8425 1965-045A 1965-06-09 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 5543 1965-057A 1965-07-19 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 7208 1965-067A 1965-08-17 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 7221 1965-074A 1965-09-22 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 5325 1965-079A 1965-10-05 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 2155 1965-086A 1965-10-28 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 7249 1965-102A 1965-12-09 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 4639 1965-110A 1965-12-24 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 7291 1966-007A 1966-02-02 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 3488 1966-018A 1966-03-09 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 1612 1966-029A 1966-04-07 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 1778 1966-042A 1966-05-24 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 1599 1966-055A 1966-06-21 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 1545 1966-072A 1966-08-09 AFWTR Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D
OPS 1703 1966-085A 1966-09-20 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 1866 1966-102A 1966-11-08 AFWTR Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D
OPS 1664 1967-002A 1967-01-14 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 4750 1967-015A 1967-02-22 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 4779 1967-029A 1967-03-30 AFWTR Thor-SLV2A Agena-D
OPS 4696 1967-043A 1967-05-09 AFWTR Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D with Fanion 3/Slewto
OPS 3559 1967-062A 1967-06-16 AFWTR Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D with Savant 1
OPS 4827 1967-076A 1967-08-07 AFWTR Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D
OPS 0562 1967-109A 1967-11-02 AFWTR Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D with Facade
OPS 2243 1968-008A 1968-01-24 AFWTR Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D with Tivoli 1
OPS 4849 1968-020A 1968-03-14 AFWTR Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D with Lampan 1/Sampan 2
OPS 5343 1968-052A 1968-06-20 AFWTR Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D with Tripos 3/Sousea 2
OPS 0165 1968-078A 1968-09-18 AFWTR Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D with Vampan 1
OPS 4740 1968-112A 1968-12-12 AFWTR Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D with P-801 1
OPS 3722 1969-026A 1969-03-19 AFWTR Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D with Tivoli 2
OPS 1101 1969-041A 1969-05-02 AFWTR Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D with Lampan 2/Sampan 3
OPS 3531 1969-079A 1969-09-22 AFWTR Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D with Savant 2