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Supporting Defense and Safety using Satellite Imagery
 Fig 2. 1m resolution IKONOS satellite image (captured Feb 2000) of reprocessing plant at Trombay, India. [Credit: Reference 2 and Spaceimaging.com.]  Fig 3. 1m resolution IKONOS satellite image (captured Feb 2000) of heavy water production facilities near Khushab reactor site, Pakistan. [Credit: Reference 2 and Spaceimaging.com.] Facing this new challenge of widely available high resolution satellite imagery, states in future will opt. deceptions and anti-satellite imaging counter measures to make their dedicated nuclear facilities hidden. For example Concealment can be done by building sites that are difficult to detect from satellite imagery, but this could increase safety concerns as no state up-till this time has tried it, for instance if one tries to go underground the cost would be extremely high. Such program will require many personnel, instrument and such activities will be easily observable in these high resolution images. Consider one smart solution by Russia at Krasnoyarsk-26, where three plutonium production reactors, a reprocessing plant, and associated storage and processing facilities were built entirely inside a granite mountain on the side of Yenisey river. From declassified Corona satellite images one can clearly identify security fence around site, the railroads and the entrances to the underground site. Cooling water reservoirs were visible near the river which could be used to provide cooling water piped in from the river. The discharge point of the cooling water could be detected by the visible photos through the absence of ice on river in the winter. Also ventilation shafts and a high stack used to release gaseous fission products from reactor or reprocessing plants. Also it can detect the underground reprocessing waste injection wells to the northwest of the underground complex. [2] |