Humankind’s First Ventures into Space

Bringing Hangar E’s history to life

by John C.

My story is quite long, but I do want to share something of interest regarding Lockheed Missiles and Space Company, Hangar E, Cape Canaveral, Florida, for the years 1960 to 1966. It’s a story about the Agena, the “Workhorse of the Space Age.” Without the Agena, there would be no Hubble Space Telescope, Gemini, MIDAS or Mariner.

I worked on Project Ranger, Lockheed's Agena, which was to take close-up pictures of the moon for the Apollo program. It involved the Atlas, Agena and Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) spacecraft, amongst many other programs. I donated photos and a chronicle of Lockheed’s history at Hangar E to the National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia.

1962 Lockheed Agena Print Ad