* Astronomy

The US National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), National Security Agency (NSA) and US, Naval Research Laboratory has announced the declassification of the Cold War POPPY electronic intelligence (ELINT) reconnaissance program. NRO Deputy Director Dennis Fitzgerald hosted a private recognition ceremony at NRO headquarters for the key contributors and program participants who were responsible for the success of the program.
In the future, NSA will unveil a POPPY model for permanent display in their National Cryptologic Museum in Fort Meade, Maryland, US.

POPPY was the successor to the US’s first ELINT satellite, known as “GRAB” (Galactic Radiation and Background). Originally developed by the Naval Research Lab, POPPY became a multi-agency system when the NRO was established in 1962, shortly before the satellite’s first launch.
The POPPY system was designed to detect land based radar emitters and support ocean surveillance.
In its seven launches spanning from 1962 to 1971, POPPY made contributions to the US’s security during the cold war era.



UNCLASSIFIED
The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), National Security Agency (NSA) and Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has announced the declassification of the POPPY electronic intelligence reconnaissance program on Mon. Sept. 12, 2005. NRO Deputy Director Dennis Fitzgerald hosted a recognition ceremony at NRO headquarters in Chantilly, Virginia to honour the key contributors and program participants.

The following program
• The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) proposed and developed POPPY, an electronic intelligence (ELINT) satellite system in 1962.
• POPPY succeeded the Galactic Radiation and Background (GRAB) ELINT
• POPPY's mission was to collect radar emissions from Soviet naval vessels.
• The primary organizations that supported the POPPY Program included NRO,
NSA, NRL, the Naval Security Group, the Air Force Security Service, the Army Security Agency and the Office of Naval Intelligence.
• The POPPY Program was a component of the NRO Program C.
• NRL designed, developed, and operated POPPY satellites within Program C.
• NRO Program A provided launch support for POPPY.
• NSA received, analyzed, and reported findings derived from the intercepted radar
• The Naval Security Group, with support from Air Force Security Service and
Army Security Agency, coordinated field operations and maintained and operated
• The POPPY Program operated from December 1962 through August 1977.
• A total of seven POPPY satellites launched into space from 1962 to 1971. The launch dates are as follows: Dec. 13, 1962, June 15, 1963, Jan. 11, 1964, March 9,
1965, May 31, 1967, Sept. 30, 1969, and Dec. 14, 1971.
• POPPY's average useful life on orbit was 34 months.
• Photographs of POPPY satellites are releasable.

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