Zirconic

This article is about the space program. For the metal, see Zirconium.

Zirconic was a National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) codename for a program to develop reconnaissance satellites with stealth technology. Zirconic included the Misty and Prowler spacecraft. Zirconic was the special compartment established by the NRO to conceal the existance of the program within the Byeman Control System (BYEMAN), which was used to maintain control of classified information related to the agency's most closely-held projects and programs.

History

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The NRO has researched the concept of stealth technology-based reconnaissance satellites as far back as 1963.[1] A patent was issued to Teledyne Technologies in 1994 for a “satellite signature suppression shield”.[1] The stated goal was to “suppress the laser, radar, visible, and infrared signature of a satellite”.[1] The Zirconic special compartmentalization was created under the Presidency of Ronald Reagan, within the already further restrictive BYEMAN system.[2] The specific technological program at the time was named Nebula, and anyone accessing related data required “Zirconic clearance.”[2]

Jeffrey T. Richelson first disclosed the Zirconic program in his 2002 book, The Wizards of Langley: Inside the CIA's Directorate of Science and Technology.[3] The program came to wider public awareness in December 2004, with the Washington Post and New York Times publicizing it.[1] The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) voted to terminate the program.[1] However, the program continued due to the influence of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, as well as the House and Senate appropriations committees.[1]

Senator Jay Rockefeller notably attempted to end the program for several years.[1] After Senator Rockefeller and other Democratic Party Senators in Congress hinted at the existence of the still-classified program, Senate Republicans questioned if the Democrats had violated Congressional rules.[4] "Intense" opposition from members of both parties had gone on for two years behind closed doors.[4] George J. Tenet and Porter J. Goss were identified as major supporters of the program.[3]

The Washington Post reported that Lockheed Martin was a lead contractor on Zirconic.[3] By 2004, the cost of the program had grown from $5 billion USD to over $9 billion.[3] The program cost was reported to be in the range of hundreds of millions of dollars per year.[4] The stealth satellite program was identified as the largest line item in the $40 billion intelligence related budget.[3] The particular satellite in question was to have been the third and final launch in the program identified as Misty, which had two prior launches in 1990 and 1999.[3]

The satellite would have been capable of taking photographs during daylight hours and in clear weather.[4] However, the new satellite would have lacked the ability to capture satellite imagery in all-weather conditions.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Richelson, Jeffrey T. (14 December 2004). "The Spy Satellite So Stealthy that the Senate Couldn't Kill It". National Security Archive. Archived from the original on 24 August 2017.
  2. ^ a b Leonard, David (3 January 2005). "Anatomy of a Spy Satellite". Space.com. Archived from the original on 27 January 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Priest, Dana (11 December 2004). "New Spy Satellite Debated On Hill". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 21 August 2008.
  4. ^ a b c d Jehl, Douglas (12 December 2004). "New Spy Plan Said to Involve Satellite System". New York Times. Archived from the original on 1 January 2019.
  5. ^ Richelson, Jeffrey T. (1 May 2005). "Satellite in the Shadows". Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Archived from the original on 1 August 2019.
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