Archive Unknown begins in the Nevada desert with Operation Plumbbob—the 1957 nuclear weapons tests that defined the Cold War. Through my grandfather’s classified work and the documents he left behind, we uncover the hidden history of America’s atomic age.

The World’s First Top-Secret Spy Satellites

For 30 years during the Cold War, Ken Johnson worked at Lockheed with top-level security clearance on projects like Polaris missiles, stealth aircraft, and more. Decades later, his grandson discovers a box of his personal files and belongings. Each episode investigates one item to uncover hidden stories of innovation, secrecy, and the Cold War’s mysterious legacy.