History Main / SpySatellites

Consider the fact that most spy satellites orbit around 200 miles or so above the ground. This means that it has to travel at just below five miles per second to stay in orbit. The amount of live feed you can get, therefore, is next to zero and you'll have to have the satellite rotating to do it. Slanting will occur very rapidly. If you want to hold a satellite over a place for any major length of time, you need to put it into geostationary orbit (22,240 miles over the equator) or an elliptical 'Molniya-style' orbit. Any images will be uselessly slanted, unless you happen to want good shots of Ecuador and have a really powerful zoom lens. Essentially, this is one of the many sub-tropes of SpaceDoesNotWorkThatWay.

* In Creator/JackMcDevitt's ''Chindi'' (part of the ''Literature/PriscillaHutchins'' series), Hutch and friends find alien spy satellites around an alien world. The aliens went extinct in a global war several thousand years ago, but the satellites are much more advanced than anything this race ever built. Apparently someone wanted a front-row seat for the war. Even more disturbing is the fact that most of the satellites date back to the time of the war, but one of them is less than 100 years old.

* Used often in ''Series/PowerRangersInSpace'', though all PR seasons have used it to some extent whenever the Rangers are watching a monster attacking the CityOfAdventure. Unless it's specifically a tech-based season though, this is generally {{Magitek}} instead of full out SpySatellites.

* Averted in a [[ZigZaggingTrope zig zag fashion]] in Creator/TomClancy's ''Film/PatriotGames''. When UsefulNotes/{{CIA}} intelligence analysts use a spy satellite to figure out which of several camps belongs to a rogue faction of the IRA, they are forced to use a still picture and to make some rather ambitious inferences to determine that the camp belongs to the bad guys - the camera can't show them faces. On the other hand, when an DGSE platoon raids the camp at night, the infrared spy satellite watching the action appears to give a perfect 'camera in the sky' view of the action. As it only takes a few minutes to perform the actual strike part of the raid, orbital mechanics (which get discussed) aren't a problem in that particular instance (in fact, the raid was planned specifically so they could watch it on the satellite).

* ''Film/WrongIsRight'' opens with spy satellites orbiting the Earth and the protagonist WaxingLyrical about them. They actually have little to do with the plot, but are apparently involved in uncovering the terrorist plan to acquire two suitcase nukes that drives events.

Satellites also often display an absurd level of detail. The resolution of an optical system is primarily based on its aperture (i.e. diameter). For that reason, spy satellites have pretty big telescopes in the meter-plus-range, meaning their images have pixel resolution in the 1-cm-range on the ground (details are, of course, classified). This would be enough only for a pretty low image quality. The limiting factor is inherent in the physics of light, and not going to be averted by cool classified technology (existent or not).

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 spying purposes; their extreme altitude means that the image resolution would be too low to be useful. GEO satellites are used for communication and meteorological purposes. LEO satellites, on the other hand, are capable of capturing detailed images, 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.

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 spying purposes; their extreme altitude means that the image would be too rough to be useful. GEO satellites are used for communication and meteorological purposes. 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.

* Used often in the sixth season of ''PowerRangers'', though all PR seasons have used it to some extent whenever the Rangers are watching a monster attacking the CityOfAdventure. Unless it's specifically a tech-based season though, this is generally {{Magitek}} instead of full out SpySatellites.

* One former Soviet spy said that all Soviet military units had a detailed schedule of things they are supposed to do when a Western spy satellite is passing overhead. * 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 satellite flyby.

When done in the modern context with [=UAVs=], it is far more justifiable.

* Averted in a [[ZigZaggingTrope zig zag fashion]] in Creator/TomClancy's ''Film/PatriotGames''. When {{CIA}} intelligence analysts use a spy satellite to figure out which of several camps belongs to a rogue faction of the IRA, they are forced to use a still picture and to make some rather ambitious inferences to determine that the camp belongs to the bad guys - the camera can't show them faces. On the other hand, when an DGSE platoon raids the camp at night, the infrared spy satellite watching the action appears to give a perfect 'camera in the sky' view of the action. As it only takes a few minutes to perform the actual strike part of the raid, orbital mechanics (which get discussed) aren't a problem in that particular instance (in fact, the raid was planned specifically so they could watch it on the satellite).

* Averted in a [[ZigZaggingTrope zig zag fashion]] in Creator/TomClancy's ''Film/PatriotGames''. When {{CIA}} intelligence analysts use a spy satellite to figure out which of several camps belongs to a rogue faction of the IRA, they are forced to use a still picture and to make some rather ambitious inferences to determine that the camp belongs to the bad guys - the camera can't show them faces. On the other hand, when an DGSE platoon raids the camp at night, the infrared spy satellite watching the action appears to give a perfect 'camera in the sky' view of the action. As it only takes a few minutes to perform the actual strike part of the raid, orbital mechanics (which get discussed) aren't a problem in that particular instance.

* ''Literature/TheMartian'' has a use without the "spy" part: It's thanks to their satellites around Mars that NASA learns first of Mark Watney's survival, then of his excursion to salvage the Pathfinder probe. This gives them enough days to restore their old Pathfinder communication equipment, and re-establish contact within one day of Watney repairing the probe.

* The SWORD intelligence agency in Anime/Vexille has tried to spy on Japan but has repeatedly failed because of the electromagnetic shield that surrounds the archipelago. The shield scrambles all outgoing light waves which makes spy satellites unable to see anything but static. The main plot's infiltration mission is to get a team into Japan so they can set up a beacon that will act as a central focal point so a satellite can get a clear image of the country.

** 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 [[UsefulNotes/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.

* ''{{TabletopGame/Warhammer 40000}}'': 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.
* ''{{TabletopGame/BattleTech}}'' has several types of spy satellites available for use under advanced rules. The benefits they provide vary based on which type is in use.

* One former Soviet spy said that all Soviet military units had a detailed schedule of things they are supposed to do when a Western spy satellite is passing overhead.
* 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 satellite flyby.

* In 2011, the National Reconnaissance Office [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_National_Reconnaissance_Office_space_telescope_donation_to_NASA unexpectedly offered [=NASA=] two identical 2.4-meter space telescopes]] (each comparable to the Hubble Space Telescope in capability, but considered obsolete by current spy satellite standards). [=NASA=] announced the gift in 2012 and has since kept the units in storage while deciding what to do with them – possibilities include use in a wide-field infrared telescope that can directly image extrasolar planets, the observation of Earth's ionosphere and auroras, or sending one to Mars for double duty as a super-high resolution Martian surface camera and an observer of the asteroid belt and outer planets. And in case you were wondering, the terms of the donation [[TheDevTeamThinksOfEverything specifically state]] [=NASA=] can't [[{{Blackmail}} point it back at the Earth]].