Camera, Balloon Recon, HYAC

Fiberglass housing and painted black with a f/5 lens.

The HYAC (high-acuity) direct-scanning panoramic camera was designed to combine high resolution and a 120 degree wide swath of coverage from high altitudes using 70mm film. In 1958, plastic reconnaissance balloons carryng three HYAC I cameras and other types of cameras were launched for WS461L, a program ostensibly to gather meteorological information but in fact a secret Air Force balloon reconnaissance program over the Soviet Union. As with a similar ill-fated 1956 program, the majority of the balloons fell into Eastern European countries and Soviet hands; the resulting political furor ended the project. This HYAC 1 camera was only used for testing.

Walter Levison of Itek Corp. developed this aerial camera made of fiberglas to reduce radar reflectivity and flown at altitudes of 15,000 to 30,000 meters.