Newly declassified records reveal decades-long US spy satellite program using small ELINT payloads like URSALA, RAQUEL, and FARRAH
EDITOR BRIEF
Recently released records detail a secret US program that launched small “hitchhiker” satellites from 1963 onward to collect radar and other electronic intelligence. These suitcase-sized payloads, including URSALA, RAQUEL, FARRAH, GLORIA, and CARRIE, were often carried by larger reconnaissance satellites and evolved from bespoke experiments into more standardized ELINT systems supporting military operations.
INSIGHTS
The disclosures show how the US intelligence community used relatively low-cost, rapidly developed satellites to respond to shifting Cold War threats long before today’s smallsat boom. The program highlights an enduring trend: pairing large flagship spacecraft with agile auxiliary payloads to expand intelligence coverage and adapt quickly to new targets.
