Convair. May 1953 Spy Satellite document?

[Spark]

Convair. May 1953 Spy Satellite document?
Have a reference to a classified Convair document May 1953 about a polar orbit TV reconnaissance satellite. Has any one details please?

 

[blackstar]

Convair. May 1953 Spy Satellite document?
Have a reference to a classified Convair document May 1953 about a polar orbit TV reconnaissance satellite. Has any one details please?

You should post the reference.

RAND completed an initial study of a polar orbiting reconnaissance satellite in 1952. That may have prompted Convair to do their own study. RAND's study resulted in them receiving a contract from USAF to perform a comprehensive study known as FEED BACK, completed in 1954. FEED BACK led USAF to start a program to develop a reconnaissance satellite known as WS-117L.

 

[Barrington Bond]

Haven't had time to read it but perhaps this might be useful?
RAND's Role in the Evolution of Balloon and Satellite Observation Systems and Related U.S. Space Technology
http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA216963
History of DCAS 1961. Volume V. Origins of the USAF Space Program 1945-1956
http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA950165

 

[Spark]

Hi blackstar,
Sorry, will give exact referance next week, was in a Flight article about Atlas circa 1960.
Hi Barry,
Thanks for the referances, will read tonight, The first Balloon Sat proposal that I am aware of was a BIS early fifties, illustration used in RAF flying Review article at a later date.

Haven't had time to read it but perhaps this might be useful?
RAND's Role in the Evolution of Balloon and Satellite Observation Systems and Related U.S. Space Technology
http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA216963
History of DCAS 1961. Volume V. Origins of the USAF Space Program 1945-1956
http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA950165

 

[Barrington Bond]

BIS one?

 

[blackstar]

Hi blackstar,
Sorry, will give exact referance next week, was in a Flight article about Atlas circa 1960.

So was it about a Convair proposal ca 1960, or one ca 1953?

I have a short memo somewhere that details what sounds like a very cool Convair proposal for the Samos E-6 reconnaissance satellite. That was ca 1960. Convair apparently proposed a vehicle with multiple reentry vehicles arranged like the bullets in a revolver. Unfortunately, the memo contains no illustrations.

 

[blackstar]

Thanks for the referances, will read tonight, The first Balloon Sat proposal that I am aware of was a BIS early fifties, illustration used in RAF flying Review article at a later date.

You misinterpreted that. It is: balloons that can be used for observations, and satellites that can be used for observations.

 

[Spark]

Hi Barry,
Yes, thanks, that is the one I was thinking off

Hi Blackstar,
Yes, thanks you are right, I understood that when I read the article in full when I got home.
The Flight date of publication was 1960, 13th April, page 650. referance was to the early classified Convair document May 1953 about a polar orbit TV reconnaissance satellite. Convair proposal.

Thanks for the referances, will read tonight, The first Balloon Sat proposal that I am aware of was a BIS early fifties, illustration used in RAF flying Review article at a later date.

You misinterpreted that. It is: balloons that can be used for observations, and satellites that can be used for observations.

 

[blackstar]

The Flight date of publication was 1960, 13th April, page 650. referance was to the early classified Convair document May 1953 about a polar orbit TV reconnaissance satellite. Convair proposal.

I've never seen any documents like that. It is possible that it exists somewhere in the Convair archives, but I somewhat doubt it.

1953 is before the RAND Project FEED BACK report was issued and is therefore before the USAF held a formal competition for companies to bid on producing such a satellite (that competition was called PIED PIPER). You might go to DTIC and see what they have on PIED PIPER and see if anything by Convair pops up.