Secret Empire: Eisenhower, the CIA, and the Hidden Story of America's Space Espionage

by Philip Taubman

At the dawn of the Cold War, the United States faced a terrifying reality: nuclear-armed adversaries and a world teetering on the brink of annihilation. But what if the most important battles weren’t fought on Earth—but in the skies above? In Secret Empire, veteran journalist Philip Taubman uncovers the hidden history of how President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the CIA, and a secret network of scientists and spies built the foundation of America’s space-based surveillance system. Behind the scenes, a shadow war of technology and intelligence unfolded, giving rise to spy satellites, high-altitude reconnaissance missions, and an entirely new domain of power—one that remains crucial to global security today. How did early space espionage shape modern surveillance and warfare? What classified technologies were developed in the race for orbital dominance? Why did the U.S. government keep key space intelligence programs secret for decades? Drawing on declassified documents, insider accounts, and previously unknown details, Secret Empire reveals the covert origins of space espionage and how it forever changed geopolitics. A must-read for those interested in Cold War secrets, intelligence history, and the untold story of how space became the ultimate battlefield.