Back Quote by Annie Jacobsen
“Back in the 1950s, there was a top-secret program code-named SUNTAN being conducted at a top-secret facility called Skunk Works. Its objective? To develop a liquid-hydrogen-powered spy plane. Because liquid hydrogen is incredibly volatile, early experiments were conducted inside a bomb shelter with eight-foot-thick walls.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Secret History of the U.S. Space Program by Annie Jacobsen, 2019
A Cold War era project attempted to build a spy plane powered by volatile liquid hydrogen, testing it in a heavily reinforced bomb shelter.
In simple terms: A secret 1950s project tried to make a hydrogen‑fuel spy plane, testing it in a bomb shelter.
Key Takeaway
Consider safety vs. innovation.
Themes
innovation
risk
military technology
Mood
tense
curious
Type
historical
technical
When to use this quote
- military R&D
- experimental engineering
- risk assessment
Key Concepts
Cold War
hydrogen fuel
aeronautics
Questions to Reflect On
- What safety protocols are essential for volatile fuels?
- How do secrecy and risk interact?
A Different Perspective
Hydrogen’s volatility limited practical use.
![“I looked for it [heavy hydrogen, deuterium] because I thought it should exist. I didn't know it would have industrial applications or be the basic for the most powerful weapon ever known [the nuclear bomb] ... I thought maybe my discovery might have the practical value of, say, neon in neon signs.” quote by Harold Urey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/78e/harold-urey-42546_application_i-looked-for-it-heavy-hydrogen-deuterium_1237859.jpg)
![“I looked for it [heavy hydrogen, deuterium] because I thought it should exist. I didn't know it would have industrial applications or be the basic for the most powerful weapon ever known [the nuclear bomb] ... I thought maybe my discovery might have the practical value of, say, neon in neon signs…” quote by Harold Urey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2b4/harold-urey-42546_chemistry_i-looked-for-it-heavy-hydrogen-deuterium_2368902.jpg)
