Discoverer 14 changed the face of reconnaissance
On the left, the Agena booster is prepped for assembly on the Discoverer 14 satellite. This section of the spacecraft holds the Discoverer 14 satellite in the nose of the booster. On the right, the Discoverer 14 satellite, also known as Corona 14, was launched on August 18, 1960, from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The satellite was attached to two-stage launch boosters, the first being the Thor booster, which helped the spacecraft to excel to over 17,000 miles per hour and the second was the Agena booster, which propelled the satellite into space when the intended altitude was reached. (Courtesy photo)