> Lockheed Skunk Works' legendary boss Kelly Johnson was so distraught over the accident, he initially refused to work on the program any further and offered to refund the money the U.S. government had already paid.<p>I need to track down some good books on this guy, he sounds interesting.
There's one of these (along with a Blackbird) at the Museum of Flight just south of Seattle.<p><a href="http://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/lockheed-d-21b-drone" rel="nofollow">http://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/lockheed-d-21b-drone</a>
Yikes, all that work and expense for a program that flew <i>four</i> missions. Two transferred all the tech to both USSR and China, and the other two suffered mysterious film recovery mishaps that prevented any intelligence gathering. It's no wonder they were so eager to get spy satellites figured out.
For the original reconnaissance platform version, the idea that something so expensive and complicated could be considered one-use disposable is amazing. But then again they were looking at it as an alternative to very low orbiting satellites with finite film canister supplies...<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corona_(satellite)" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corona_(satellite)</a><p>Makes you wonder what they're testing at Groom Lake these days, which ISN'T public.<p><a href="https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/pictures-boeing-unveils-new-loyal-wingman-drone-at-456123/" rel="nofollow">https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/pictures-boeing-u...</a>
I saw one of these over at March Air Museum in southern California. They also have a cool display of the SR-71. Probably the coolest place in southern California to visit if you are interested in military aviation.