Canyon (satellite)

Canyon was a series of seven United States spy satellites launched between 1968 and 1977. Also known by its program number AFP-827, the satellites were developed with the participation of the Air Force. The Canyon project is credited as being the first American satellite system tasked for COMINT.

The satellites each had a mass of 700 kg and were launched from Atlas/Agena D rockets into near-geosynchronous orbits. They carried large parabolic reflecting dishes, estimated at 10m in diameter. The Canyon satellites were eventually replaced with the next generation of COMINT satellites, the Vortex/Chalet series. The program is still classified.

Seven Canyon satellites were launched from 1968 to 1977, all with Atlas Agena D vehicles from LC-13 at Cape Canaveral and there was one failure in 1971. The first four Canyons apparently remained attached to the Agena after achieving orbit, using its engine for maneuvering (the missions would have been concluded after Agena propellant depletion). Later Canyons were reputedly larger in size and did separate from the booster.

Canyon (disambiguation)

A canyon or gorge is a geographical feature.

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Enigma

An enigma is someone or something that is mysterious or puzzling.

Enigma or aenigma may refer to:

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Enigma (Marvel Comics)

Enigma (Tara Virango) is a fictional character, a superheroine who appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Tara is a native of Bangladesh and through her mutation from a nano-virus, she gained superhuman powers giving her some sort of connection to the Buddhist goddess, Tara.

Character history

Enigma makes her comic debut in Peter Parker: Spider-Man (vol. 2) #48. Tara seeks revenge against those who infected the Indian (Rajasthan) village of Malpura: AGK, Inc. She contacts Spider-Man in order to seek his help in bringing justice to the people infected and killed by the nano-virus. The AGK corporation was commissioned by the CIA to create an intelligent metal nano-virus capable of enhancing latent mutant abilities. AGK tested the virus on Malpura, killing four thousand people. Tara survived, but was infected with the virus, which granted her superhuman abilities.

Years later, Tara moved to New York City and adopted the identity of Enigma, patterning herself after the Buddhist goddess, Tara. She stole the fifty-million-dollar Star of Persia diamond from AGK's vaults and encountered Spider-Man, who she contacted mentally, giving him flashes of her memories of the Malpura disaster. The following night, she tracked Spider-Man to his apartment and led him on a chase across the city, ending when she presented him with a scarf and head-butted him. Upon waking, Spider-Man found that she had led him to AGK's headquarters.

Enigma (1982 film)

Enigma is a 1982 Anglo-American drama film directed by Jeannot Szwarc and starring Martin Sheen, Sam Neill, Brigitte Fossey, and Kevin McNally. Based on Michael Barak's novel The Enigma, the film centers on a CIA agent that tries to infiltrate Soviet intelligence in order to stop a murderous plot.

Plot

Alex Holbeck (Martin Sheen) is recruited as a CIA agent. He is sent to East Berlin on a mission to steal an Enigma code scrambler. This is part of an attempt to stop the Russian assassination of five Soviet dissidents which is planned for Christmas Day. What Alex doesn't know is that the CIA already has a code scrambler. By stealing the scrambler in Berlin, they are trying to convince the Russians that they don't have it.

On arrival in Berlin, Alex finds that the KGB knows he is there. Alex must use numerous disguises and escape from a number of capture attempts. He seeks shelter with his former lover, Karen (Brigitte Fossey) before moving on as this is too dangerous for her. Karen and a number of Alex's other old friends are arrested and tortured by the police in an attempt to gain information about Alex's whereabouts. As he gets more desperate, Alex enlists Karen's help again: she seduces Dimitri Vasilikov (Sam Neill), the KGB man in charge of the hunt for Alex, in order to obtain information. In the end Dimitri catches Alex and Karen and finds the scrambler hidden in an exhibition artifact. As he is in love with Karen, he lets them go, however, keeping the scrambler which was in fact not needed. On Christmas Day the assassination attempt is successfully thwarted.