4 ms·

Some time ago, I was watching the discovery channel with my father. There was a show about the declassification of a top-secret satellite. My dad says "Oh, I gu

Some time ago, I was watching the discovery channel with my father. There was a show about the declassification of a top-secret satellite. My dad says "Oh, I guess I can talk with you about this now." Turns out he had been working on top-secret satellites in Lockheed Martin in a secure place called the skunk-projects (he had to work in a full on sealed vault. Maybe it was called skunk-works. I don't quite remember the name). Anyway, interesting and funny conversations followed.

tjmc 15y ago
Huge props to your dad. Skunk Works (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skunk_Works http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skunk_Works) was where the SR-71 Blackbird was born. From an aviation/engineering perspective it'd be hard to find a better job
Joakal 15y ago
Does this mean he can open source the schematics? I can pass it on to the open space projects.
- seabee 15y ago
  Where do you think he'd get the schematics from? I can't imagine they would ever leave the secure vault - declassification doesn't mean releasing to the public domain.
  - adolph 15y ago
    Surely he has them on some thumb drive with other keepsakes in the attic or something.
    - anamax 15y ago
      > Surely he has them on some thumb drive with other keepsakes in the attic or something. Do you really think that that's how folks (who aren't ex-Clinton officials, that is, Sandy Berger) handle classified materials? Hint - they don't take them home as keepsakes. They'd go to jail for that, or less.
    - ericHosick 15y ago
      If I recall, this was in the late 60's. So. Umm. Ya. I think they were still using slide rulers.
- runjake 15y ago
  I'm not even sure it was wise for his dad to disclose information, even if it was on the Discovery Channel. Just because something goes public, it doesn't excuse you from your obligations. I worked on TS stuff and would see highly-classified stuff in Janes publications all the time. These days, I see a lot of (perhaps formerly) very classified stuff on Wikipedia, Google and so on. Summary: Always keep your mouth shut.
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bradleyland 15y ago
Funny, and somewhat related. A lot of the materials work for the Skunk Works projects (and some of their own) occurred at a small division of the Lockheed facility in Marietta, GA. My great uncle worked there, and used to provide me with copies of a publication called "Lockheed Horizons", which I would devour at every opportunity. He told me that the name given to the top secret development division was "Possum Works".
watmough 15y ago
Congratulations to your dad! You know there are lots of books on this topic that might feed some interesting conversations with your dad? I recently read Skunkworks, and there was a lot of info on the politics involved, and the fights between the spy plane guys and the satellite guys. One defining incident being the shoot down of Gary Powers in his U2 severely embarrassing the US government.

tjmc 15y ago

Huge props to your dad. Skunk Works (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skunk_Works http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skunk_Works) was where the SR-71 Blackbird was born. From an aviation/engineering perspective it'd be hard to find a better job

Joakal 15y ago

Does this mean he can open source the schematics? I can pass it on to the open space projects.

seabee 15y ago
Where do you think he'd get the schematics from? I can't imagine they would ever leave the secure vault - declassification doesn't mean releasing to the public domain.
- adolph 15y ago
  Surely he has them on some thumb drive with other keepsakes in the attic or something.
  - anamax 15y ago
    > Surely he has them on some thumb drive with other keepsakes in the attic or something. Do you really think that that's how folks (who aren't ex-Clinton officials, that is, Sandy Berger) handle classified materials? Hint - they don't take them home as keepsakes. They'd go to jail for that, or less.
  - ericHosick 15y ago
    If I recall, this was in the late 60's. So. Umm. Ya. I think they were still using slide rulers.
runjake 15y ago
I'm not even sure it was wise for his dad to disclose information, even if it was on the Discovery Channel. Just because something goes public, it doesn't excuse you from your obligations. I worked on TS stuff and would see highly-classified stuff in Janes publications all the time. These days, I see a lot of (perhaps formerly) very classified stuff on Wikipedia, Google and so on. Summary: Always keep your mouth shut.

xiaoqinmjj 15y ago

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bradleyland 15y ago

Funny, and somewhat related. A lot of the materials work for the Skunk Works projects (and some of their own) occurred at a small division of the Lockheed facility in Marietta, GA. My great uncle worked there, and used to provide me with copies of a publication called "Lockheed Horizons", which I would devour at every opportunity. He told me that the name given to the top secret development division was "Possum Works".

watmough 15y ago

Congratulations to your dad! You know there are lots of books on this topic that might feed some interesting conversations with your dad? I recently read Skunkworks, and there was a lot of info on the politics involved, and the fights between the spy plane guys and the satellite guys. One defining incident being the shoot down of Gary Powers in his U2 severely embarrassing the US government.