The technology did not develop quite as rapidly as some of its advocates predicted. There were problems. Susceptibility to radiation damage limits somewhat the use of commercial electronic circuitry. The development of even small launch vehicles has proved a bit more of a challenge than forseen. However, as the end of the millenium approaches the litesat technology is finally passing from the development phase to the operational phase, and potential users of cheaper satellites now consider how their needs may be met by this technology.
Reconnaissance satellites are far from new, dating from the early sixties.
There is much myth and little hard facts about the performance of these sophisticated birds operated by the US, Russia, and a handfull of developed nations. Claims of reading license plates and newspaper headlines abound. Of course, most license plates are mounted vertically, and the performance of high resolution imaging satellites is optimum only when looking directly downward. No matter how good the optics and imaging sensors on a satellite, the Earth's atmosphere limits the quality of an image from space. Astronomers concern themselves with seeing , the quality of an air parcel to be clear and without turbulence to see from the surface out into space.