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Enhanced Imaging System (EIS), officially referred to as "Enhanced Imagery System", previously known as 8X, and sometimes unofficially known as Misty 2 and KH-13, is an American reconnaissance satellite program. A derivative of the Improved Crystal satellites, EIS replaced Misty, and was intended to provide more coverage and dwell time than previous reconnaissance satellites; like Misty, it has stealth capabilities. Only one EIS satellite has been launched; USA-144, which was placed into orbit by a Titan IVB rocket on 22 May 1999.

History

In 1995, a Los Angeles Times article reported that the 8X program was intended as "a major upgrade to the KH-12", with a mass of as much as 20 tons, which would be used for detailed imaging with a wide field of view. The cost of the program was a subject of disagreement from some within the military at the time. By 1998, the program had been renamed Enhanced Imaging System. The Future Imagery Architecture program, which was intended to replace the Lacrosse and Improved Crystal satellites, was developed alongside EIS.

See also

• Corona series: KH-1, KH-2, KH-3, KH-4
• KH-5 ARGON, KH-6 LANYARD
• KH-7 and KH-8 GAMBIT
• KH-9 HEXAGON "Big Bird"
• Manned Orbital Laboratory (MOL) or KH-10
• KH-11

References

1. "INTELLIGENCE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2000: National Imagery and Mapping Agency (House Report 106-130)". U.S. Government Printing Office. 7 May 1999.
2. "National Intelligence Program FY 2010 Congressional Budget Justification: Volume IV" (PDF). National Reconnaissance Program. May 2009. p. 21.
3. David Darling and David J. Darling (2003). The complete book of spaceflight. John Wiley and Sons. ISBN 0-471-05649-9. Several launches with Key Hole designations, including KH-11, KH-12, and KH-13, have taken place since 1992. ... The ninth and final KH-11 satellite was launched in 1998, after which the KH-12 program, involving satellites about the ...
4. Tae-Woo Lee (2008). Military Technologies of the World. Abc-Clio. ISBN 978-0-275-99537-9. The advancement in the KH-series resulted in the KH-13, for which little information is yet available. ...
5. ^ Thomson, Allen (8 May 1998). "8X lives on as the Enhanced Imaging System". Federation of American Scientists. Retrieved 18 December 2010.
6. Thompson, Allen. "A Stealth Satellite Sourcebook" (PDF). Federation of American Scientists. Retrieved 18 December 2010.
7. Wade, Mark. "Improved Crystal". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 18 November 2010. Retrieved 18 December 2010.
8. Wade, Mark. "Misty". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 29 November 2010. Retrieved 18 December 2010.
9. Risen, James; Vartabedian, Ralph (1995-09-28). "U.S. Launches Costly Overhaul of Spy Satellites". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2012-09-25. Retrieved 2017-07-06.
10. Allen Thomson (1995-10-07). "8X: The monster that ate the budget".

Further reading

• John Pike (July 24, 1998). 8X Enhanced Imaging System. Federation of American Scientists. Accessed May 3, 2004 (October 17, 2001).
• US space-based reconnaissance reinforced. Jane's Defence Weekly. Accessed May 3, 2004.

v t e United States reconnaissance satellites
IMINT	Photographic KH-1 Corona KH-2 Corona KH-3 Corona KH-4A Corona KH-4B Corona KH-5 Argon KH-6 Lanyard KH-7 Gambit KH-8 Gambit 3 KH-9 Hexagon KH-10 Dorian Electro-optical Samos KH-11 Kennen Misty Enhanced Imaging System Synthetic-aperture radar Quill Lacrosse FIA
SIGINT	Low Earth orbit GRAB Poppy White Cloud Samos-F Highly elliptical orbit Jumpseat Trumpet Geosynchronous Earth orbit Canyon Magnum Mentor (Orion) Mercury Rhyolite/Aquacade Vortex GSSAP
MASINT	Primary mission FORTE GPS DMSP Vela Secondary mission MIDAS DSP SBIRS STSS
R&D	Primary mission MiTEx
Unknown	USA number USA-193

• Reconnaissance satellites of the United States
• Military equipment introduced in the 1990s