| Title: | Eye in the sky : the story of the Corona spy satellites |
| Authors: | Brian Latell, Editor ; John M. Logsdon, Editor ; Dwayne A. Day, Editor |
| Material Type: | book |
| Publisher: | [S.l.] : Smithsonian Institution Press, 1998 |
| Series: | Smithsonian History of Aviation |
| ISBN / ISSN / EAN : | 978-1-56098-830-4 |
| Size: | 24 cm |
| Bibliography note: | Includes index |
| Languages: | English |
| Subjects: | Project Corona (United States)--History ; Space surveillance--United States--History |
| Description: |
During the last few years, the Central Intelligence Agency has released to the public vast quantities of once highly sensitive Cold War records and imagery. Chief among the declassified materials are more than 800 000 reconnaissance photographs taken between 1960 and 1972 by 145 spy satellite missions known collectively as the CORONA program. As a means of gathering intelligence on military installations and movements in the Soviet Union, China, the Middle East, and other areas of international tension, these photographs supplied information that profoundly influenced presidential decision making during a volatile period in superpower relations. "Eye in the sky" presents the full story of the reconnaissance satellites' origins, technology, and far-reaching effects on foreign policy and national security. The contributors -those who were intimately involved in the CORONA program's design and management as well as leading scholars -relate how the program documented not only all Soviet intercontinental ballistic missile sites, but also all warship and submarine bases and military/industrial complexes without intruding into Soviet airspace. The book also describes how the satellites furthered such technological objectives as the recovery of objects from space and contributed to the mapping of the Earth. The editors conclude that the CORONA program yielded its most valuable information by proving the nonexistence of the widely perceived "missile gap" between the U. S. and the Soviet Union. This proof allowed the United States to substantially scale back its plans for new missiles and provided a firm basis for subsequent arms control agreements. Arguing that satellite reconnaissance was key to shaping the course of the Cold War, the book documents not only one of the most important breakthroughs in twentieth-century intelligence gathering but also an achievement in space technology that rivals the landing on the moon. |
| Permalink: | https://isulibrary.isunet.edu/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=2827 |
Copies in the Library (1)
| Barcode | Call number | Media type | Location | Section | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 005737 | UG1523 .E94 1998 | Book | ISU Central Campus library | Main collection | Available |
