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Caught on camera: Satellite tracker photographs secret spacecraft
News
By Leonard David published September 19, 2024
"My images have certainly revealed a few things that either were not
known, or only were speculated before."

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a grainy, grey spacecraft against a black background
Time lapse photography of a Future Imagery Architecture satellite, also
called Topaz, one of five US spy satellites that carry a Synthetic
Aperture Radar (SAR) for imaging. (Image credit: Felix Schöfbänker)
In the hush-hush, secretive world of space-based spy satellites, few
details are publicly available — and groups like the U.S. Space Force, National Reconnaissance Office, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency like it that way.

There's an armada of classified spacecraft assigned an array of vigilant duties. Some intercept radio waves or detect missile launches. Others
yield close-up looks at select areas using sharp-eyed optical systems or
scan Earth with powerful radar technology.

These high-flying satellites are tempting targets for amateur astrophotographers. Such is the case for space watcher veteran Felix Schöfbänker in Upper Austria. "My images have certainly revealed a few
things that either were not known, or only were speculated before," Schöfbänker tells Space.com.

In the past few months Schöfbänker has caught some classified spy
satellites with his 14" Dobsonian telescope, optimized for satellite
tracking and imaging from his home. Poring over imagery, he is sharing
his results and what those images suggest.

Coming into focus for Schöfbänker, for example, has been a new
generation of optical and radar imaging U.S. reconnaissance satellites,
hurled into space for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), which
designs, launches and operates spy satellites on behalf of the U.S.
federal government.

Caught on camera
The (Future Imagery Architecture) FIA-Radars, also called Topaz, are
five US spy satellites that carry a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) for
imaging. This technology can see through clouds and works night and day.
They are the successors to the Lacrosse/Onyx series of SAR satellites.

a grainy, grey spacecraft against a black background

This approximate model was created by fellow satellite enthusiast Oliver Jankovich based on Schöfbänker's interpretation of collected images.
(Image credit: Felix Schöfbänker)
"From my images I conclude that these satellites have a parabolic mesh
antenna which is roughly 12 meters [39 feet] in diameter, and 2 solar
panels with roughly 10 meters [33 feet] of wingspan," Schöfbänker points
out.

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a grainy, grey spacecraft against a black background

Photographs of a satellite designated USA 215, believed to be FIA Radar
1, taken by Felix Schöfbänker. (Image credit: Felix Schöfbänker)
"There also is another bright object between the solar panels that I
interpret as an up- and downlink antenna, though this also might be
something else," he added.

a grainy, grey spacecraft against a black background

An animation of a satellite designated USA 215, believed to be FIA Radar
1, taken by Felix Schöfbänker. (Image credit: Felix Schöfbänker)
These SAR satellites create images by sending out lots of pulses and
then applying computer processing to convert the returned signals into
an image, said Schöfbänker.

a grainy, grey spacecraft against a black background

Photographs of a satellite designated USA 247, believed to be FIA Radar
3, taken by Felix Schöfbänker. (Image credit: Felix Schöfbänker)
a grainy, grey spacecraft against a black background

An animation of a satellite designated USA 247, believed to be FIA Radar
3, taken by Felix Schöfbänker. (Image credit: Felix Schöfbänker)
"The antenna of the FIA radars can be pointed either left or right
looking relative to the orbit. I have observed these satellites a total
number of 28 times so far," Schöfbänker said. "Only six times the
antenna was looking to the left side and 22 times right looking," he
pointed out.

a grainy, grey spacecraft against a black background

Photographs of a satellite designated USA 281, believed to be FIA Radar
5, taken by Felix Schöfbänker. (Image credit: Felix Schöfbänker)
a grainy, grey spacecraft against a black background

An animation of a satellite designated USA 281, believed to be FIA Radar
5, taken by Felix Schöfbänker. (Image credit: Felix Schöfbänker) Electro-optical satellites
Schöfbänker has also cross-haired with his equipment the "KH-11 Kennen" electro-optical satellites that were first introduced in 1976. "They are somewhat similar to the Hubble Space Telescope, but optimized to look
down to Earth, instead of studying space," he said.

Currently, there are four of them in orbit, which are from three
different generations of this type of secretive satellite.

"The oldest one currently up there was launched in 2005. It is a third generation KH-11 with the name USA 186. The next two are called USA 224
and USA 245, and these are the fourth generation from 2011 and 2013," Schöfbänker said. "The newest one is a fifth generation spacecraft from
2021 and is called USA 314."

a grainy, grey spacecraft against a black background

"KH-11 Kennen" electro-optical satellites are somewhat similar to the
Hubble Space Telescope, but optimized to look down at Earth. (Image
credit: Felix Schöfbänker)
Mirror matters
From his collection of KH-11 images, he has deduced that they are on
the order of approximately 36 feet (11 meters) long.

"The mirror size seems to change for different generations," Schöfbänker suggests. "The way I measured this was by looking at the diameter of the optical tube assembly. Usually the tube isn't much larger than the
mirror in it," he advised.

So by measuring these sizes Schöfbänker was able to figure out that the oldest current KH-11 (USA 186, generation three), has a rough mirror
size of 2.4 meters, some 8 feet. It is known that earlier generations
used this size mirror, he said.

For the fourth generation (USA 224, USA 245), the satellite watcher
measured a mirror diameter somewhere around 3 meters, roughly 10 feet
across. "I am not sure what mirror size is used in USA 314 because I
haven't gotten many good images of it so far," said Schöfbänker.

Different kind of design
Another spacecraft that has caught Schöfbänker's attention is an unknown type.

"In July, I managed to get a look at a satellite called 'USA 290' which
is suspected of possibly being another KH-11. But my image shows a
different kind of design, which doesn't look like a typical KH-11. My
image shows a large, roughly 5 meter long rectangular panel. Another
fact that supports my idea is the strange orbit this satellite is in.
KH-11s are launched into Sun Synchronous orbits. USA 290 wasn't,"
observes Schöfbänker.

Sun synchronous orbits make sense for an optical imaging mission like
the KH-11, since they pass over an area at the same time every day.

a grainy, grey spacecraft against a black background

Unknown type of spacecraft. Perhaps another KH-11 of different design.
(Image credit: Felix Schöfbänker)
A few possibilities
Schöfbänker said there are a few possibilities as to what this panel
could be.

A radiator which would work as a cooling system for a possible infrared
imaging system is one idea. Or perhaps it's a phased array antenna that
could be used for SAR imaging or signal intelligence.

Maybe it's a solar panel, Schöfbänker continued, "although I think it's
less likely due to the fact that the panel seems to be fixed on the rest
of the structure. So tracking the sun would require moving the entire satellite."

Safe to say
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Given his expertise and sky watching gear, are there any worries about
spilling the beans on how highly classified spacecraft look and work?

"I don't think that most countries would be too concerned about amateurs
like me imaging their spacecraft, since most big countries have their
own observatories dedicated to this kind of imaging," Schöfbänker
responds. "And considering how much more budget is available for these,
it's safe to say that they have images with magnitudes of better quality
than what I can achieve."

More of Schöfbänker satellite sleuthing images are available on his
profile at astrophotography site Astrobin.

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions,
night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment,
let us know at: community@space.com.

Leonard David
Leonard David
Space Insider Columnist
Leonard David is an award-winning space journalist who has been
reporting on space activities for more than 50 years. Currently writing
as Space.com's Space Insider Columnist among his other projects, Leonard
has authored numerous books on space exploration, Mars missions and
more, with his latest being "Moon Rush: The New Space Race" published in
2019 by National Geographic. He also wrote "Mars: Our Future on the Red
Planet" released in 2016 by National Geographic. Leonard has served as
a correspondent for SpaceNews, Scientific American and Aerospace America
for the AIAA. He has received many awards, including the first Ordway
Award for Sustained Excellence in Spaceflight History in 2015 at the AAS Wernher von Braun Memorial Symposium. You can find out Leonard's latest
project at his website and on Twitter.

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