“This is a purely non-combat spying mission”

As if there ever was a reconnaissance satellite that did combat. The key here is that they had to make excuses to the public for doing it at all, even though they could have done it 25 years ago.

The existence of a relay satellite or any other secure method of retrieving imagery in a timely and useful manner remain unmentioned.The Fuse is Lit (No Pasaran!)