| Designation | Code name
or Nickname | Optics | Notes | | 1959–1972 | KH-1 to
KH-4 | Corona | Resolution: 7.5 m, 2.75 m, 1.8 m
Focal length: 0.6 m | First known series of US spy satellites; photographs returned by film canister ejection. |
| 1960–1962 | – | Samos | Res: 30 to 1.5 m
Foc len: 0.7 to 1.83 m | Most flights used radio to relay images; some film returns; probably cancelled due to poor-quality imagery |
| 1961–1964 | KH-5 | Argon | Res: 140 m
Foc len: 76 mm | Film return |
| 1963 | KH-6 | Lanyard | Res: 1.8 m
Foc len: 1.67 m | Shortlived operation for imaging a specific site; used a camera from the Samos program; film return |
| 1963–1967 | KH-7 | Gambit | Res: 0.46 m | Film return |
| 1966–1984 | KH-8 | Gambit | Res: 0.5 m | Film return |
| 1971–1986 | KH-9 | Hexagon
Big Bird | Res: 0.30 m | Film return |
| cancelled | KH-10 | Dorian | Manned Orbiting Laboratory; space station based on Gemini program |
| 1976–1995 | KH-11 | Crystal
Kennan | Res: 0.15 m
Mirror: 2.3 m | First known digital imaging spy satellite. |
| 1990?–present? | KH-12 | Ikon
Improved Crystal | Res: 0.15 to 0.10? m
Mirror: 2.4 to 4? m | Digital imaging; possible "live" intelligence gathering |
| 1999?–present? | KH-13 | 8X? EIS? | Res: 0.10? to 0.04? m
Mirror: 4? m | Very little known; possibly includes radar imaging or maybe stealth technology |