http://www.nro.gov/PressReleases/prs_rel40.html
NRO HONORS PIONEERS OF NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE
August 18, 2000
Forty years ago today, the world received its first pictures from space when a CORONA satellite capsule carrying film was caught in midair by an Air Force C-119 aircraft. With this recovery, space photo reconnaissance became a reality.
In honor of this anniversary, the National Reconnaissance Office is proud to announce the selection of 46 Pioneers who made significant and lasting contributions to the discipline of national reconnaissance. Also acknowledged are 10 Founders of national reconnaissance, scientists who contributed to the founding of this space discipline. Ceremonies to recognize the Pioneers and the Founders are scheduled for Sept. 27 at the NRO's headquarters in Chantilly, Va.
The Pioneers of National Reconnaissance* are:
[cut out - no known names of JASON members]
The Founders of National Reconnaissance are:
William O. Baker, Ph.D.
A physical chemist and signals intelligence expert at AT&T Bell Laboratories, Dr. William Baker served as scientific counselor to the NSA, CIA, USN, and NRO on overhead reconnaissance systems. He also served on the President's Science Advisory Committee and the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board.
Merton E. Davies
An engineer, reconnaissance system designer, imagery interpreter, and space cartographer, Mr. Merton Davies invented the Spin-Pan camera and worked on designs for a family of film-based reconnaissance satellites that led to CORONA. Employed throughout his career at RAND, he also served on the panels that established reconnaissance requirements and advised on competing systems.
Sidney D. Drell, Ph.D.
A theoretical physicist, Dr. Sidney Drell served on the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board and the President's Science Advisory Committee. He served as a key scientific consultant to Program B, and served on the Technology Review Panel of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence where he was instrumental in securing approval and support for several NRO special projects.
Richard L. Garwin, Ph.D.
A physicist, Dr. Richard Garwin served on the President's Science Advisory Committee, and chaired its panels on Military Aircraft, Anti-submarine and Naval Warfare. He established standards and found solutions for electromechanical design of modern spacecraft. As a champion of Electro-Optical Imaging, he helped Henry Kissinger understand its role for our national defense.
Amrom H. Katz (posthumous)
A physicist involved in lens and camera design, Mr. Amrom Katz performed the first experimental simulation of electro-optical satellite imaging. At RAND, he co-directed a project on overflight reconnaissance, and co-proposed film-recovery satellites as an immediate alternative to the near-real-time readout satellite, a proposal eventually established as the CORONA Project.
James R. Killian, Jr., Ph.D. (posthumous)
President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dr. James Killian chaired the panel that recommended building the U-2 aircraft and reconnaissance satellites. He chaired the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board and the President's Science Advisory Committee. He also worked on Department of Defense-CIA agreements that structured the NRO.
Edwin H. Land, Ph.D. (posthumous)
An imagery intelligence expert, Dr. Edwin Land was the Polaroid CEO and chaired the Intelligence Subcommittee of the Technology Capabilities Panel. As Chairman of the President's Science Advisory Committee Intelligence Panel, he advised the NRO on new and existing overhead systems. He played a vital role in advising President Nixon on the capabilities of Electro-Optical Imaging.
Frank W. Lehan (posthumous)
An electrical engineer, Mr. Frank Lehan was a President's Science Advisory Committee member and served on the Land Panel that advised the NRO and Program B on overhead reconnaissance systems. He was instrumental in the decision to proceed with an important high altitude signals intelligence satellite system, and contributed to the reflector design for that system.
William J. Perry, Ph.D.
A mathematician, Dr. William Perry served in the U.S. Army, and advised NSA and the CIA in programs to intercept and evaluate Soviet missile telemetry and communications intelligence. He chaired the "Perry Panel" that advised the CIA on all overhead signals intelligence collection, and later served as Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and Secretary of Defense.
Edward M. Purcell, Ph.D. (posthumous)
Harvard Nobel Laureate and radar expert, Dr. Edward Purcell worked on all early overhead reconnaissance projects that operated at extreme altitudes. His main contribution involved methods to make these vehicles, if not invisible to radar, hard to observe with radar. He also chaired the Land Panel subcommittee that selected the Program B follow-on film recovery reconnaissance system.