# KH-6 Lanyard

> series of unsuccessful U.S. reconnaissance satellites

**Wikidata**: [Q2351103](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2351103)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KH-6_Lanyard)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/kh-6-lanyard

## Summary
The KH-6 Lanyard was a series of unsuccessful U.S. reconnaissance satellites developed during the Cold War. Operated by the National Reconnaissance Office, its missions spanned only from March to July 1963.

## Key Facts
- **Operator**: National Reconnaissance Office
- **Active Period**: March 1963 to July 1963
- **Manufacturers**: Lockheed Corporation (spacecraft), Kodak (payload)
- **Power Source**: Bell Model 8096 engine
- **Country of Origin**: United States
- **Related Satellites**: KH-6 8002 and KH-6 8003 (individual satellites in the series)
- **Classification**: Spacecraft model and reconnaissance satellite
- **Instance Of**: Spacecraft model
- **Subclass Of**: Reconnaissance satellite

## FAQs
### Q: What was the primary purpose of the KH-6 Lanyard?
A: The KH-6 Lanyard was designed as a U.S. reconnaissance satellite to covertly collect intelligence and military data, though the specific program was unsuccessful.

### Q: Why was the KH-6 Lanyard considered unsuccessful?
A: The KH-6 Lanyard program is specifically described in the source material as a "series of unsuccessful U.S. reconnaissance satellites," indicating it failed to achieve its intended objectives.

### Q: When did the KH-6 Lanyard operate?
A: The KH-6 Lanyard program ran for a short period, starting in March 1963 and ending in July 1963.

## Why It Matters
Despite its short operational lifespan and classification as unsuccessful, the KH-6 Lanyard represents a critical, albeit flawed, step in early U.S. satellite reconnaissance technology development during the Cold War. As part of the broader reconnaissance satellite class, its efforts contributed to the learning process and technological groundwork for subsequent, more successful intelligence-gathering programs. Understanding its failures provides valuable insight into the challenges and evolution of space-based reconnaissance capabilities.

## Notable For
- Its designation as the first reconnaissance satellite specifically developed by the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).
- Its exceptionally short operational window of only about 4 months (March-July 1963).
- The integration of a Kodak-designed payload specifically for high-resolution imagery reconnaissance.

## Body
### Basic Information
*   **Name**: KH-6 Lanyard (also known as Keyhole 6, LANYARD, KH-6 LANYARD)
*   **Description**: Series of unsuccessful U.S. reconnaissance satellites
*   **Instance Of**: Spacecraft model
*   **Subclass Of**: Reconnaissance satellite
*   **Country of Origin**: United States
*   **Operator**: National Reconnaissance Office
*   **Commons Category**: KH-6 LANYARD
*   **Wikipedia Title**: KH-6 Lanyard (available in multiple languages: commons, en, fr, gl, ja, ru)
*   **Freebase ID**: /m/02wvkx

### Technical Specifications
*   **Manufacturer**: Lockheed Corporation (spacecraft), Kodak (payload)
*   **Powered By**: Bell Model 8096 engine
*   **Schematic**: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/KH-6_LANYARD.jpg](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/KH-6_LANYARD.jpg)

### Related Entities
*   **KH-6 8002**: Individual U.S. reconnaissance satellite in the KH-6 Lanyard series
*   **KH-6 8003**: Individual U.S. reconnaissance satellite in the KH-6 Lanyard series

## References

1. [Source](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/kh-6.htm)
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013