US spy satellite agency declassifies high-flying Cold War listening post
Summary
Ars Technica reports that the National Reconnaissance Office has declassified Jumpseat, a Cold War-era program of signals intelligence satellites. Eight Jumpseat satellites (1971–1987) operated in highly elliptical Molniya-like orbits to monitor adversarial communications, with data flowing to DoD and NSA; the piece covers declassification statements, architecture (13-foot/7-foot antennas), and the program's historical significance, noting potential for further declassification.