In 1954 the U.
S.
The air force began concentrating instead on new programs that eventually launched the first.
Because of technical issues and bureaucratic resistance, however, WS-117L was seriously behind schedule by the time Sputnik orbited Earth in 1957 and was eventually cancelled.
The goal was to take photographic images from space and relay them back to Earth via radio.
Air Force launched an ambitious program known as WS-117L to develop the world\'s First reconnaissance satellite.
In 1954 the U.
S