The Stabilising Political Influence of Surveillance Satellites during the Cold War
- Paper number
IAC-07-E4.2.05
- Author
Mr. Patrick Norris, LogicaCMG, United Kingdom
- Year
2007
- Abstract
During the 1950s and ‘60s the USA and the Soviet Union engaged in an arms race, first in long range bombers, then in missiles and nuclear warheads. The escalation of this race continued until the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaties (SALT) were eventually negotiated between the superpowers – SALT I in 1972, SALT II in 1979. Surveillance satellites were critical in enabling these Treaties to be negotiated, providing the basis for verification of many of their details. This paper draws together recently declassified information from the USA and Russia, including the memoirs of many of the key industry and government participants to explain how surveillance satellites were a strong force for stabilising a dangerously escalating political environment. It explains the main political context of the events, and the requirements on surveillance satellites driven by verification of arms limitation treaties. Then the key technical achievements in both countries are discussed, covering primarily the American Corona and Gambit programs, and the Soviet Zenit and Yantar programs. The key similarities and differences in design decisions in the two countries are identified, and their implications explored. For example, both countries experimented with returning images to earth via radio links, but both ended up relying on re-entry capsules - the radio solution was used in both countries instead as the basis for missions to the moon and the planets. The paper then looks at the role of surveillance satellites in the modern world in which there has been some proliferation of nuclear weapons and of long range missiles. The paper concludes that such satellites continue to be an important stabilising influence. It also concludes that the original five nuclear powers (the USA, Russia, UK, France and China) could do more to reduce the impetus for proliferation. This paper is derived from research undertaken by the author in the preparation of his book on this subject to be published in late 2007.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-07-E4.2.05.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.