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Wild Bill 2, 4 (Aftrack 27, 33)

Wild Bill 2 and 4 (Aftrack 27/Mission 7202 and Aftrack 33/Mission 7216) were ELINT/SIGINT payloads in the Aftrack program.

Purpose of the Wild Bill ELINT packages was to search for signals from the HEN HOUSE ABM/AES radar that had been seen under construc- tion at Sary Shagan on images obtained by photographic reconnaissance satellites.

While most Aftrack payloads, including Wild Bill, Wild Bill 1 and Wild Bill 3, were integrated in the Agena stage, which was part of an reconnaissance satellite, the Wild Bill 2 and Wild Bill 4 payloads used a free flying Agena stage used to orbit some Poppy satellites.

Nation: USA
Type / Application: ELINT, SIGINT
Operator:
Contractors:
Equipment:
Configuration: Instruments on upper stage
Propulsion: ?
Power: Batteries
Lifetime:
Mass:
Orbit: 238 km × 2762 km, 70.34° (#2); 174 km × 813 km, 69.87° (#4)
Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
Wild Bill 2 (Aftrack 27, Mission 7202) 1962 βτ 6 13.12.1962 Va 75-1-1 P Thor-DM21 Agena-D with Poppy 1A, Poppy 1B, Injun 3, Surcal 2, Calsphere 1
Wild Bill 4 (Aftrack 33, Mission 7216) 1963-021A 15.06.1963 Va 75-1-1 P Thor-DM21 Agena-D with Poppy 2A (Solrad 6), Poppy 2B, Poppy 2C (RADOSE), LOFTI 2A, Surcal 3

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