In the latest post of the “Secret History Series,” the author delves into the Cold War paranoia that led the U.S. intelligence community to develop spy satellites to gather information on the Soviet Union. The CIA’s project, codenamed Corona, involved launching high-resolution reconnaissance satellites over the Soviet Union while maintaining a cover story. Surprisingly, Corona’s first images were groundbreaking, revolutionizing technical intelligence. The program, run like a startup, involved Lockheed and Stanford University and led to significant advancements in satellite technology and intelligence gathering. Overall, the post highlights the innovative and secretive nature of the U.S. intelligence community during this time.
https://steveblank.com/2010/01/18/the-secret-history-of-silicon-valley-part-14-weapons-system-117l-and-corona/