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In 1959 the CIA was interested in gathering surveillance data, particularly from over Eastern Siberia, and considered a unique powered balloon and free flying glider. The proposed concept involved a powered high altitude balloon that would carry a high performance glider to its designed altitude. The balloon would then be maneuvered along prevailing winds to the area of interest with the tethered glider, which carried the surveillance equipment, and once the mission was complete the balloon would release the glider. The glider, equipped with a homing control system and the surveillance payload, would glide to the area of the homing beacon and be recovered. Unknown if they attempted the project.
These events occurred as Eisenhower was loosing faith in the U-2 program as the USSR filed complaints about the U-2's overflights, uttering that the flights were a provocation which could lead to some form of retaliation, and the strides in Soviet anti-aircraft development was becoming apparent to CIA operations planners and the White House that the U-2's vulnerability was increasing.
Unknown if the project stemmed from the study of "The Feasibility of a Powered Balloon as a High Altitude Platform for Intelligence Collection Devices," CIA, 14 April 1959, however it also considered powered surveillance balloons. The basic balloon-glider concept is similar in technology to the NASA Hidron project (however, Hidron was a free flying balloon with a turbulence detection system on the glider). Still looking for detailed drawings of the CIA concept.
These events occurred as Eisenhower was loosing faith in the U-2 program as the USSR filed complaints about the U-2's overflights, uttering that the flights were a provocation which could lead to some form of retaliation, and the strides in Soviet anti-aircraft development was becoming apparent to CIA operations planners and the White House that the U-2's vulnerability was increasing.
Unknown if the project stemmed from the study of "The Feasibility of a Powered Balloon as a High Altitude Platform for Intelligence Collection Devices," CIA, 14 April 1959, however it also considered powered surveillance balloons. The basic balloon-glider concept is similar in technology to the NASA Hidron project (however, Hidron was a free flying balloon with a turbulence detection system on the glider). Still looking for detailed drawings of the CIA concept.
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