During the Cold War, the US enlisted the help of Kodak to create a satellite camera for spying on the Soviet Union. This 4-minute video by CNN is a look at the program and the former Kodak employees who "helped prevent World War III."
If your mantra in life is "bigger is better," then here's a lens for you. Over in Ukraine, someone is selling a gigantic lens from a Soviet spy satellite on the country's "craigslist".
So, you think taking your film to the local shop to get developed is a pain? Try being an American spy satellite in the 1960s. Getting your film developed then meant dropping it in a special 'film bucket' capsule from space, which the US Air Force then had to catch in mid-air.
Ever wonder how the US government managed to capture spy photos with satellites during the Cold War without the …