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NGA in History - Defining Moments

Gambit 1 KH-7 Reconnaissance Satellite

On July 12, 1963, the first successful GAMBIT 1 KH-7 reconnaissance satellite mission was launched, giving the United States access to higher-resolution satellite imagery. A total of 36 successful KH-7 missions were launched between 1963 and 1967. Working in unison with the wide-area CORONA satellite, the KH-7 was used for close-up surveillance during the Cold War, identifying high-value targets such as Soviet missile silos.

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