Eye in the Sky: The Story of the CORONA Spy Satellites (Smithsonian History of Aviation and Spaceflight) [Hardcover]

Dwayne A. Day (Editor), John M. Logsdon (Editor), Brian Latell (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Smithsonian History of Aviation and Spaceflight | Publication Date: March 1998

Presenting the full story of the CORONA spy satellites' origins, "Eye in the Sky" explores the Cold War technology and far-reaching effects of the satellites on foreign policy and national security. Arguing that satellite reconnaissance was key to shaping the course of the Cold War, the book documents breakthroughs in intelligence gathering and achievements in space technology that rival the landing on the moon. 63 photos.

Editorial Reviews

From Scientific American

The cold war propelled the U.S. and the Soviet Union to stunning technological heights--both figuratively and literally. Among the most impressive--and most deeply concealed--of those achievements is satellite reconnaissance, on which the U.S. continues to spend billions of dollars every year. This book chronicles in satisfying detail the origins of U.S. satellite reconnaissance by focusing on the pioneering Corona program, under which some 800,000 satellite images were made between 1960 and 1972.

From Kirkus Reviews

A history of the top secret CORONA spy satellite missions (not officially revealed until 1992), believed by many experts to be the most important modern development in intelligence gathering. Day (a research associate at the Space Policy institute at George Washington Univ.), Logsdon (director of the Space Policy Institute), and Latell (editor of the CIA's journal Studies in Intelligence) have gathered together essays by many figures active in the program, producing a fascinating record of the evolution and impact of this crucial and revolutionary program. The Cold War created a pressing need for more and better intelligence. While the U2 spy planes greatly increased the kind and quality of information the intelligence establishment could generate, the downing of a U2 by the Soviets demonstrated that the planes were not invulnerable. The CORONA program was initially conceived as a way of keeping a close eye on the Soviet military without violating Russian borders. The development both of cameras capable of taking detailed photographs from great distances and of the satellites capable of carrying them into orbit and responding to exceedingly precise commands, required a series of technological breakthroughsall accomplished in great secrecy. As the book documents, the volume (800,000 photographs between 1960 and 1972) and quality of the information the satellites generated took the intelligence establishment by surprise, allowing the US to identify all of the Soviet ballistic missile sites, military bases, and secret industrial complexes. The unparalleled documentation allowed the US to plan its own missile program with accuracy, saving a considerable amount of money, and to negotiate arms treaties from a position of strength. Because of CORONA, the Soviet Union and other potential enemy nations, once cloaked in secrecy, became open books. A story of a little known American achievement that played an essential role in containing hostilities during the Cold War. (63 b&w photos, 13 line illustrations, not seen) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 306 pages
• Publisher: Smithsonian Institution Press (March 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560988304
• ISBN-13: 978-1560988304
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #755,235 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #72 in Books > Computers & Technology > Computer Science > Artificial Intelligence > Computer Mathematics

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A detailed account of early U.S. satellite imaging, April 15, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eye in the Sky: The Story of the CORONA Spy Satellites (Smithsonian History of Aviation and Spaceflight) (Hardcover)

The genesis of this book was a conference in May 1995 which brought together many of the main players in the CORONA project at the time it was declassified. The book contains chapters by different authors on specific aspects of the project including its historical context, technical development, impact of the resulting intellignce, etc. A short chapter on the corresponding Soviet "Zenit" project is also included. The different chapter authors bring interesting perspectives and specialist knowledge at the expense of some repetition. The photographs are also very nice. This is a more scholarly and comprehensive treatment than the Peebles book on the same subject.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Presentation of an amazing US intellegence program, November 22, 1998

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NY reviewer (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eye in the Sky: The Story of the CORONA Spy Satellites (Smithsonian History of Aviation and Spaceflight) (Hardcover)

>This book is less a narrative and more a series of accounts byindividuals throughout the life of the CORONA project. As such, itreads a bit differently from a single-author non-fiction book. However, this form adds detail, personal perspective, and color to the account of the project. I hope that future books can be written using this material and the newly declassified government material to write a full account of the CORONA program and its heirs and its impact to international affairs. END

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The "little" program that helped win the Cold War..., November 16, 2008

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J. Page "tdrss" (Southwest USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eye in the Sky: The Story of the Corona Spy Satellites (Smithsonian History of Aviation and Spaceflight) (Paperback)

"Eye in the Sky" is an excellent book on the Discover/CORONA satellite program. What sets this book apart from other CORONA texts (including the declassified CIA history) is the chapter on the Soviet ZENIT program and its similarities to CORONA. This chapter alone is worth the cost of the book, since this comparison is not covered in any depth in the other CORONA books.

The appendices are good, with similiar information found on the internet and in Curtis Peeble's book on CORONA. The scientific coverage on the camera development is good too. If you're a spy satellite buff, this is a definite addition to your library (with some Burrows, Richelson, Peebles).