AARO Historical Record Report Volume 1

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Project Mercury (1958-1963)
Project Mercury, America’s first human space program made six flights. The
objectives of the program were to orbit a manned spacecraft around Earth, investigate
humans’ ability to function in space, and recover astronauts and spacecraft safely.151
TATTLETALE/GRAB (September 1960)
The United States was the first nation to deliver a reconnaissance satellite to space. This
electronic intelligence (ELINT) satellite was developed by the Naval Research Laboratory in
early 1958 under the code name “TATTLETALE” with the mission of intercepting Soviet radar
signals.152 The program later became known as GRAB (Galactic Radiation and Background),
after public disclosure of the ELINT satellite project.153 154
Project Gemini (1961-1966)
The Gemini program was a U.S. human spaceflight program that took place between the
Mercury and Apollo programs. Similar to Project Mercury, Project Gemini spacecraft was
launched using ballistic missiles that were designed to carry nuclear payloads.155 Project Gemini
conducted 12 missions.156
Project Apollo (1961-1972)
Project Apollo was a NASA human spaceflight program conducted after Project Mercury
and Project Gemini.157 Project Apollo totaled 14 missions, 11 spaceflights, and 12 astronauts
walking on the moon.158
Poppy (1962-1977)
The successor to GRAB, Poppy was an ELINT satellite system developed by the
National Research Laboratory that operated from 1962 to 1977 to collect Soviet radar
emissions.159 A total of seven Poppy missions were launched between December 1962 and
December 1971.160 The program was declassified in 2004.161
Gambit (1963-1971)
The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) launched its first high-resolution
photoreconnaissance satellite system in 1963, which became known by its codename, Gambit.162
Two Gambit systems were developed: Gambit 1, initially launched in 1963, and Gambit 3,
which was first launched in 1966.163 The Gambit 1 satellite’s exposed film was returned to Earth
in reentry vehicles, or “buckets,” that separated from the satellite, fell through the atmosphere
and descended by parachute until obtained by USAF aircraft at about 15,000 feet altitude.164
Gambit was declassified in 2011.
Hexagon (1971- 1986)
Similar to Gambit, Hexagon was an NRO photoreconnaissance satellite system. It was
launched in 1971 to conduct wide-area searches of denied territory.165 From 1971-1986, 19
missions collected imagery over 877 million square miles of the Earth’s surface.166 The