| has gloss | eng: Lockheed Agena Agena was a rocket upper stage that typically accompanied its payload into orbit to provide electric power, communications and precise stabilization to its payload. It was initiated at the height of the Cold War, primarily to support the super-secret CORONA payload, the world's first spy satellite. The vehicle was upgraded in two major steps to support heavier and more sophisticated CORONA cameras, film, and recovery provisions. Meanwhile, Agena was adapted for dozens of other military, civilian, and even foreign payloads, including the first successful cameras to the Moon, Venus and Mars. In the manned Gemini program, Agena provided a target for orbital rendezvous and docking; it also boosted Gemini astronauts to world-record speed and altitude. |
