HEXAGON (KH-9)

Scott, Mark and I hit the Udvar-Hazy Center to check out a one day showing of a declassified spy satellite. I guess it’s not every day you can go check one of these things out so why not.

From here...

The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum and the National Reconnaissance Office hosted a one-day-only viewing opportunity of the newly declassified HEXAGON (KH-9) satellite in the parking lot of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center Saturday, Sept. 17. This was the first time the public was able to view this impressive spacecraft, and it was the only opportunity to see it in the Washington area for some time. Sixty feet long and 10 feet in diameter, the HEXAGONs were the largest spy satellites the United States had ever placed in space. The satellites took photographs of the Soviet Union and other targets around the world from 1971 to the early 1980s. The one-day display is in conjunction with the NRO's 50th anniversary celebration.

We even got to bypass the outrageous $15 parking fee by arriving around 4:00 or so. They had some info around the satellite talking about how it took pictures and dropped the film back to Earth. Someone was there talking for a bit that was part of the program telling a few people about some of the interesting challenges. After checking out the satellite in a temporary tent in the parking lot we walked in the center for a bit. Mark didn’t know what an SR-71 was so Scott and I had to give him a history lesson. They were setting up for some big donor event inside. It was an interesting visit.