The United States government has declassified details of a secret Cold War-era spy satellite programme known as JUMPSEAT, nearly four decades after its final launch. On Wednesday, January 28, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) confirmed that eight JUMPSEAT satellites were launched between 1971 and 1987 to collect signals intelligence from space.
According to the NRO, JUMPSEAT played a crucial role during the Cold War by monitoring enemy communications and weapons systems, particularly those of the former Soviet Union.
"The historical significance of JUMPSEAT cannot be overstated," said James Outzen, Director of the NRO's Centre for the Study of National Reconnaissance. He said the satellite's orbit gave the US a unique ability to gather critical intelligence.
Signals intelligence involves intercepting and analysing electronic signals, including military communications and missile emissions. Earlier US surveillance satellites operated in low Earth orbit, but JUMPSEAT was designed to fly in a highly elliptical Molniya orbit.
This orbit allowed the satellite to remain over high northern latitudes for long periods, making it especially effective for monitoring Soviet territory.
The programme originated from a joint effort between the NRO and the US Air Force under Project EARPOP. The first JUMPSEAT satellite was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California in 1971.
Once in orbit, the satellites successfully collected electronic emissions, communications intelligence and weapons-related data, which was transmitted back to US ground stations.
Although the final satellite launched in 1987, JUMPSEAT remained operational until 2006, highlighting its long-term value.
The NRO said the programme laid the foundation for modern US space-based surveillance systems. Today, the agency is developing a new network of smaller, more resilient satellites designed to withstand modern threats such as jamming.
