nro.gov
NRO declassifies JUMPSEAT: eight Cold War HEO SIGINT satellites revealed
The National Reconnaissance Office has declassified JUMPSEAT, revealing eight U.S. signals‑intelligence satellites launched between 1971 and 1987 into highly elliptical orbits that loitered over the North Pole to monitor Soviet electronic emissions. The disclosure identifies JUMPSEAT as America's first‑generation HEO SIGINT program.
