The US Stole a Soviet Spacecraft for 24 Hours - Without Ever Being Noticed

In the early years of the Space Race, the CIA pulled off one of the most unlikely heists of the Cold War era.

Under President Dwight D. Eisenhower's orders, CIA agents got their hands on a functional prototype of the victorious Soviet Lunik space probes launched in 1959.

In collaboration with the Mexican secret services, the CIA managed to kidnap the prototype for 24 hours after it left a Soviet exhibition hall in Mexico City.

The bold move was an unexpected maneuver that, if gone wrong, could have led to a nuclear fallout between the US and the USSR.

[adamfrazer]

Once again, Dark delivers a slice of history I wasn't aware of - damn fine work 👍🍻

[tjingle]

“to this day, the soviets haven’t suspected a thing” now that the cat’s out of the bag..

[froginasock]

1:17, "On January 2nd, 1959, the USSR launched it's first impactor spacecraft, the Luna 1"
*shows footage of American V2 tests*

[michaelhowell]

I think this is the first time I've heard of an event that occurred during the Cold War that didn't describe the ordeal as happening at the "height" of tensions of the Cold War.

[dr.ofdubiouswisdom]

It would've been great - if years later, inside the capsule they discovered that iconic long nose cartoon drawing with the phrase: "Kilroy Wuz Here!"

[brianhalberg]

I love watching all the various Dark Docs, Dark Skies, Dark Space at al, and I also love that the narration is by a human (I think) and not a computer generated voice that can't master where to place the emphasis on words or sentences. The guy's voice and delivery is also particularly suited to the topics. Having said that, I have to add, please don't feel the need to illustrate every single word or sentence with footage. One minute we're hearing about Luna and we're seeing film of Sputnik or a captured V2 rocket launch in New Mexico. In some of the other channels we're hearing about a battle during the Korean War and the visual is of US serviceman with their captured Japanese flags. Keep up the good work and stay accurate.

[dagobertkrikelin]

Mexico City was a nice place in those days.

[unbrokenandalive]

Unbelievable!!! The various and sundry covert actions of the two superpowers during the Cold War era never ceases to astound me. The Rosenberg's theft of US radar, jet propulsion and atomic weapons documents, the CIA'a Project Azorian Soviet sub acquisition, and even the copycat space shuttle Buran program - along with this fascinating "borrowing" of Lunik in a joint venture with Mexico and the US - are SO MUCH more entertaining and shocking than any of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels. Great post!!!

[DFXKX]

Oh to have been a a fly on the wall of a former Lunic Engineer when that operation came to light.

"Wait, the Yankees did WHAT!?"

[InvestmentJoy]

I can't imagine the fallout would have been as bad as say flying spy planes over the ussr, lying about it, then having the non existent spy plane shot down and the pilot captured.

[loqutus]

Wow. Clandestine overdrive there. Great historical documentary Sir. Thank you once again

[Judec]

This was a real ‘Mission Impossible’ mission!

[biomecraft]

Man, the Space Race was epic and childish simultaneously.

[harryzain]

I love espionage stories for those days... its was so movie material all of it.

[jacknimble]

So heisting Kennedy's body (temporarily) on the way back from Dallas was apparently a piece of cake 🍰

[site_alpha_Liberty_Cat]

'Borrowed" Yea, that's the ticket...

[blakegoulds]

You guys over at "Dark" have been KILLING IT FOR MONTHS NOW.

[lookronjon]

Good story. I can imagine that this is only a drop in the bucket of what the US government had done. Good on them for not getting caught on this one.

[adamfrazer]

How about a hand for Mexico 🇲🇽 for this ? 👏

[pchris]

I liked the music choice in this one. The music on your other channels doesn't always feel like it fits the subject of the video but this music felt spot on