The National Reconnaissance Office, the shadowy intelligence agency that runs (most of?) the U.S. inventory of spy satellites released a trunk-load of information about the Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) program. Set up in the 1960s MOL’s cover was to test long term operations for scientific research in orbit.
The actual, classified, mission of the MOL program was to place a manned, beer-can shaped surveillance satellite into orbit that would allow USAF personnel to take immediate snap shots from space and zip it over to Vandenberg ASAP.
From NRO:
At the time, several military and contractor studies estimated that manned surveillance satellites could acquire photographic coverage of the Soviet Union with resolution better than the best system at the time (the first generation Gambit satellite). Additionally, the Air Force billed the MOL as a reconnaissance system that could more efficiently and quickly adjust coverage for crises and targets of opportunity than unmanned systems. The Air Force controlled development of the satellite, which was consistent with MOL’s unclassified mission, while the NRO ran development of the covert reconnaissance mission of the program, including the camera system and other subsystems.
Apparently it would be manned by rotating crews of two Air Force astronauts using a Gemini capsule as a vehicle to accomplish crew swap outs.
A 1967 conceptual drawing of the Gemini B reentry capsule separating from the MOL at the end of a mission
The MOL program even selected 17 military pilots (almost all USAF) to begin 30-40 days missions starting in 1972, but they never left the ground.
Canceled in 1969 after spending $1.56 billion (about $10.11 B today), but never launching a manned vehicle into space (although two unmanned Gemini B mockups were sent), the NRO dropped (silent) video and over 20,000 (redacted) images and documents on the internet on Oct.23
Enjoy.
