The top secret URSALA, RAQUEL, and FARRAH satellites

In 1963 the Air Force launched the first “hitchhiker” satellites, suitcase-sized platforms that spun antennas to gather ELINT. By the 1970s the National Reconnaissance Office standardized the program, naming satellites URSALA, RAQUEL, FARRAH, GLORIA, and CARRIE. Missions shifted from national data collection to tactical support for Army, Navy, and Air Force units. Recent declassifications detail these satellites and earlier shuttle payloads, showing a move from ad-hoc ELINT platforms to standardized operational assets.