# Hitchhiker 2

> American prototype satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q11801722](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11801722)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/hitchhiker-2

## Summary
Hitchhiker 2 was an American prototype satellite launched in 1964 to test experimental technologies for military purposes, specifically as part of the P-11 signals intelligence (SIGINT) program. Operated by the United States Air Force and manufactured by Lockheed Corporation, it demonstrated early capabilities for polar-orbiting reconnaissance satellites during the Cold War.

## Key Facts
- **Launch Date**: August 14, 1964, at 22:00:13 UTC from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4 East.
- **Manufacturer**: Lockheed Corporation.
- **Mass**: 79 kilograms.
- **COSPAR ID**: 1964-045B.
- **Operator**: United States Air Force.
- **Part of**: P-11 satellite program (designated P-11 4202).
- **Launch Vehicle**: Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D.
- **Decay Date**: Re-entered Earth's atmosphere on March 8, 1979.
- **Country of Origin**: United States.

## FAQs
### Q: What was the primary mission of Hitchhiker 2?
A: Hitchhiker 2 served as a technology demonstration spacecraft for the U.S. Air Force’s P-11 SIGINT program, testing systems for future military reconnaissance satellites.

### Q: How long did Hitchhiker 2 remain in orbit?
A: It operated for nearly 15 years, decaying from orbit on March 8, 1979.

### Q: Who built and launched Hitchhiker 2?
A: Lockheed Corporation manufactured the satellite, and it was launched aboard an Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base.

## Why It Matters
Hitchhiker 2 played a critical role in advancing U.S. military satellite technology during the Cold War. As a prototype for the P-11 program, it tested systems that enabled persistent surveillance of Soviet communications and radar signals from polar orbit. Its success paved the way for operational ELINT (electronic intelligence) satellites, which became vital for global reconnaissance and strategic defense. Hitchhiker 2’s long orbital lifespan—unusual for early satellites—demonstrated the feasibility of sustained space-based intelligence-gathering, shaping the development of modern spy satellites.

## Notable For
- First satellite in the P-11 series to validate technologies later used in operational SIGINT missions.
- Prototype for low-mass, polar-orbiting satellites designed to detect and monitor electronic emissions.
- Operated for nearly 15 years, an exceptional duration for a 1960s-era satellite.
- Utilized the Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D launch vehicle, a workhorse of early U.S. space missions.
- Part of a clandestine program that significantly enhanced U.S. Cold War-era intelligence capabilities.

## Body
### Launch and Deployment
Hitchhiker 2 launched on August 14, 1964, at 22:00:13 UTC from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4 East aboard an Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D rocket. It was assigned the COSPAR ID 1964-045B and the satellite catalog number 00851.

### Design and Mission
- **Mass**: 79 kg.
- **Orbit**: Polar orbit, designed to surveil electronic signals globally.
- **Role**: Technology demonstrator for the P-11 program, testing systems for electronic intelligence (ELINT) collection.
- **Manufacturer**: Lockheed Corporation, under contract to the U.S. Air Force.

### Decay
Hitchhiker 2 re-entered Earth’s atmosphere on March 8, 1979, after nearly 15 years in orbit, an unusually long lifespan for a satellite of its era.

### Classification
- **Instance of**: Military satellite, technology demonstration spacecraft, prototype.
- **Aliases**: OPS 3316, P-11 4202, P11-AS.

### Historical Context
As part of the clandestine P-11 program, Hitchhiker 2 contributed to the U.S. military’s ability to monitor Soviet and other adversaries’ radar and communication systems during the Cold War. Its success informed the design of subsequent operational ELINT satellites, which became critical assets for national security.

## References

1. [Source](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/hitchhiker.htm)
2. Jonathan's Space Report
3. [Source](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1964-045B)
4. [Jonathan's Space Report](http://planet4589.org/space/log/launchlog.txt)
5. [Source](https://www.space-track.org/#decay)
6. [Source](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/displayTrajectory.action?id=1964-045B)