PARCAE 

AMERICA’S EARS IN SPACE

NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE

ORIGINS OF PARCAE

After the success of the GRAB and Poppy signals collection 

programs, and with increasing concerns about the Soviet 

Navy, the Naval Research Laboratory as part of the NRO’s 

Program C, developed the next system that would collect the 

needed information on the Soviet Union’s naval fleet. That 

system, Parcae, was the programmatic follow-on to GRAB 

and Poppy. Later on, the NRO developed the next generation 

of Parcae, referred to as Improved Parcae, which added the 

capability to collect against and recognize selected foreign 

communications systems. 

Parcae and Improved Parcae were Low Earth Orbit electronic 

intelligence collection systems that downlinked the collected 

data to ground processing facilities located at selected 

locations around the world. Once received, the data was 

provided to the National Security Agency for processing and 

reporting to U.S. policymakers. 

Launched from 1976 to 1996, under mission numbers 7108 

to 7120, Parcae and Improved Parcae were successfully 

operated by the NRO until 2008. In July 2023, the NRO 

Director declassified the fact of the existence of the Parcae 

and Improved Parcae satellites in addition to limited details 

about their purpose. 

Parcae Model with Solar Panels Extended.

Right: Parcae Model with Solar 

Panels Stowed.
GRAB & POPPY

AMERICA’S EARS IN SPACE

CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE

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NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE

Grab Pre-Launch

ORIGINS OF SIGNALS INTELLIGENCE

The Galactic Radiation and Background (Grab) electronic 

signals intelligence satellite was the world’s first successful 

reconnaissance satellite. The U.S. Navy’s Naval Research 

Laboratory (NRL) launched the initial of two successful 

Grab missions on 22 June 1960. For the first time, the U.S. 

was able to intercept and analyze signals from Soviet air 

defenses deep into Soviet territory.

All preceding U.S. signals collection platforms, which were 

either airborne or ground-based, only could penetrate 200 

miles inside Soviet territory. Grab’s intelligence provided 

evidence that the Soviets could detect and defend itself 

against a U.S. nuclear attack. Earlier National Intelligence 

Estimates (NIEs) concluded that the Soviets did not have 

these capabilities. 

The Poppy reconnaissance satellite was Grab’s successor. In 

1962 the NRL, by then part of NRO’s Program C, developed 

this larger and more advanced satellite. The NRL launched 

the first Poppy satellite on 13 December of 1962, and 

the Poppy program completed seven missions. The NRL 

launched the last Poppy mission on 14 December 1971.

 

Grab and Poppy missions supported a wide range of 

intelligence applications that included providing cues 

to the location of Soviet radar sites, conducting ocean 

surveillance, and working with photoreconnaissance 

satellites to develop a complete picture of the 

Soviet Military threat. These two early spaceborne 

reconnaissance satellites provided invaluable intelligence 

to U.S. policymakers and laid the foundation for the 

NRO’s future signals intelligence satellite reconnaissance 

capabilities.

Grab

Stretched Poppy

Multi-Faced Poppy Grab - Hut

Poppy Receiving Console

Poppy One Operator Console

The NRO is the leader in developing, acquiring, launching, and operating the nation’s intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance satellites 

to secure and expand America’s advantage in space. We are building a diversified and resilient architecture of spacecraft and ground systems 

designed to meet the challenges of a changing space environment by accelerating innovation and leveraging strategic partnerships, backed 

by a diverse and highly skilled workforce. At the NRO, we See It, Hear It, Sense It so our nation’s warfighters and policymakers have decision 

advantage amid increasing global competition.