History Main / SpySatellites

** As in the film version, Spy Satellites played a central role in the plot of ''Literature/PatriotGames'', with a portion of the plot centering around the CIA personnel trying to outwit the GenreSavvy [[TheTroubles Northern Irish]] [[WesternTerrorists extremists]] who made a point of avoiding being outside when the American satellites passed over head. At one point, a satellite gets a photo of a woman in a low-cut dress, as viewed from above. One of the analysts [[DiscussedTrope estimates]] that she had to be a C-Cup or bigger, because the limited resolution of the satellites meant that they wouldn't be able to see her cleavage if she were any smaller.

* The Americans in the VideoGame/CommandAndConquerGenerals universe make extensive use of spy satellites to track GLA movements. Notably, the satellites primarily do this by photography instead of video recording.

* {{Starcraft}}: The Terran's scanning ability seems to use one, as the building that uses it sports a huge receptor dish.

* ''ArtemisFowl'': Foaly makes extensive use of human spy satellites. And then there's the villain who claims the CIA changed a satellite's orbit just to track him...

* In ''XCOMEnemyUnknown'' , your primary means of tracking UFO activity is putting satellites in orbit to watch over a specific country. Taken to a ridiculous extreme in one cutscene, which has [[MissionControl Bradford]] ordering a satellite to move to a certain set of coordinates. When it spots nothing, he orders it to switch to a ''thermal'' camera, and then finally ''[[XRayVision X-Ray mode]]'', which gives you the layout of [[spoiler:the alien base]].

** Lisa once expresses fear that the IvyLeague might find out she once got a less-than-stellar grade. Cut to [[http://simpsonswiki.com/wiki/File:Harvard_University_satellite.png a satellite with the Harvard insignia turning its camera downwards]].

* Used with irony in one of the ''SplinterCell''. During one of the idle conversations of a guard, he mentions nobody uses spies or bugs anymore, they use satellites. Guards aren't exactly geniuses in the game ([[TheGuardsMustBeCrazy though they aren't crazy either]]), and he was definitely wrong about nobody using spies. Obviously, as you are one.

* In ''JusticeLeagueUnlimited'', TheQuestion claims that topically applied fluoride doesn't prevent tooth decay, but instead makes teeth detectable by [[TheConspiracy Their]] spy satellite.

* StrikeBack has semi-accurate depictions of slanting problems and the satellites drifting out of position, but otherwise adheres to this.

* ''Warhammer40K'': The ImperialGuard is known to make use of a "sensornet", which includes satellites and orbiting ships' sensor arrays. One CiaphasCain novel does mention the geosynchronous ones being on the planet's equator.

* Numerous Pentagon officials have unofficially claimed that modern spy satellites are so precise that they can see which side a coin on the ground is facing. However even if this is true, its worth noting that a spy satellite would have to know exactly where to look to even find the coin.

It is important to separate satellites into two main categories: LEO (low earth orbit) and GEO (geosynchronous earth orbit). The GEO satellites are able to stay over one location indefinitely, but cannot be used for imaging devices. Their extreme altitude means that the image would be too rough to be useful. GEO satellites are used for communications. LEO satellites, on the other hand, are capable of mounting cameras, but move so fast that they cannot keep a constant watch on a location, overshooting and often passing over any one point on Earth several times a day. Furthermore, they are extremely vulnerable to cloud cover and smokescreens. The only ones that aren't affected by this are the ones equipped with Synthetic Aperture Radars, but they can only see metallic objects. Which does mean, incidentally, that they are very good for spying on tank formations.

* The orbital particle beam cannon in ''UnderSiege 2: Dark Territory'' had a video lens that was powerful enough to focus on the breasts of a topless sunbather in Los Angeles in crystal-clear real time.

* ''{{Fringe}}'' is guilty of this one to a large degree. Not only did they pull up spy sat footage of an area, but it was from hours ago when there would have been no reason for a spy sat to even be looking there. The writers apparently want the viewer to believe that the entire surface of the Earth is not only under constant surveillance but also being archived.

* Similarly, American units were often similarly informed about Soviet satellite schedules. Sometimes this was due less to spycraft and more due to each side informing the other: Due to nuclear nonproliferation treaties, they had to be able to account for their nuclear bombers to ensure they weren't being covertly deployed, meaning they had to be parked on the ramp at certain times for the satelite flyby.

* In ''JusticeLeagueUnlimited'', TheQuestion claims that topically applied flouride doesn't prevent tooth decay, but instead makes teeth detectable by [[TheConspiracy Their]] spy satellite.

* {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d in ''EnemyOfTheState''. When Dean meets Brill on a rooftop, TheGovernment agents assigned to track Dean try to determine Brill's identity, but can only see the top of his head. When one agent asks why they can't just move the camera, the technician replies that the satellite is at least 200 miles in the air, so the only angle it can look at is straight down.
* Averted in ''BehindEnemyLines''. When the Admiral uses a spy satellite to try and find his lost pilot, he is only able to see the area for a few short minutes before the satellite moves out of position.

->You think you've private lives\\

-->--'''Music/TheAlanParsonsProject''', "Eye in the Sky"

* "The Electric Eye" by Music/JudasPriest.

* In XCOMEnemyUnknown , your primary means of tracking UFO activity is putting satellites in orbit to watch over a specific country. One cutscene has [[MissionControl Bradford]] ordering a satellite to move to a certain set of coordinates. When it spots nothing, he orders it to switch to a ''thermal'' camera, and then finally '''[[XRayVision X-Ray mode]]''', which gives you the layout of [[spoiler:the alien base]].

* In an episode of ''ThunderInParadise'', one of the heroes looks for a spy satellite nearby to [[HollywoodHacking hack into]] from his CoolBoat, finds one, and acts as a MissionControl for his partner.

* ''Film/ManOfSteel'' : [[spoiler:At the end of the movie, General Swanwick tries to use one to find out where Clark lives. Clark effortlessly knocks it out of the sky and tells Swanwick that if he ever tries to find him, ''he'll know''.]]

* Similarly, American units were often similarly informed about Soviet satelite schedules. Sometimes this was due less to spycraft and more due to each side informing the other: Due to nuclear nonproliferation treaties, they had to be able to account for their nuclear bombers to ensure they weren't being covertly deployed, meaning they had to be parked on the ramp at certain times for the satelite flyby.

* Used with irony in one of the ''SplinterCell''. During one of the idle conversations of a guard, he mentions nobody uses spies or bugs anymore, they use satellites. Guards aren't exactly geniuses in the game ([[TheGuardsMustBeCrazy though they aren't crazy either]]), and he was definitely wrong about nobody using spies. Obviously, as you are one.