Gallery: Declassified US Spy Satellite Photos & Designs

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Wraps Come Off Cold War SpySat Program

Thor booster sits at Vandenberg Air Force Base launch site, topped by POPPY spysat. Photo Courtesy: NRO

Presentation of a Painting of the Hexagon Satellite

U.S. Air Force

Force Director Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Jack Hudson (right) presented National Reconnaissance Office Director and Air Force Gen. (Ret.) Bruce Carlson (left) with a painting of the Hexagon satellite by nationally recognized artist and Dayton, Ohio resident, Dr. Richard Black.

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Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor. 

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