Lincoln Experimental Satellites

The Lincoln Experimental Satellites LES 8 and LES 9 were experimental communications satellites built for the Air Force by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Each LES was ten feet long and weighed approximately 1,000 pounds. The satellites were placed in synchronous Earth orbit at an altitude of 22,300 miles to experiment with improved methods for maintaining voice or digital data circuits among widely separated, fixed or mobile communications terminals. The circuits were jam-resistant to allow operation in a hostile environment.