Speaker Ricky Deutsch, former Operations Director for the now declassified top-secret reconnaissance satellite program called HEXAGON, will give a talk on the history of film-based space intelligence satellites.

During the Cold War, the US evolved reconnaissance resulting in today’s real-time video technology. Initially, film was used in satellites to monitor treaty compliance and intelligence gathering of the Soviet Union and other “denied areas.” Initiated by President Eisenhower, the transition was urgent and required cooperation between the CIA and the Air Force, guided by the National Reconnaissance Office.

From the famous “Blue Cube” in Sunnyvale, CA, Ricky generated mission critical commands to be sent to the satellite. He was awarded a Commendation Medal for support of this program.This talk by someone “who was there,” gives a first-person historical look at how high-resolution images were not only taken, but returned via parachute to be caught in mid-air.