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 3A, Poppy 3B, 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 4A (Solrad 6), Poppy 4B, Poppy 4C (RADOSE), LOFTI 2A, Surcal 3 |
