Ref post 18 and satellite commas interception.
lEO satellites designed for real time war operations. Data relayed using ground sites, relay satellites and data links. Eminently interceptable, and wouldn't be highly encrypted due to data latency issues for targeting.
SOVIET SATELLITES REPORTED OVER AREA - NYTimes.com
RORSAT and EORSAT - Staring at the Sea
http://faculty.fordham.edu/siddiqi/w...orsat_1999.pdf