Archive Unknown: The Johnson Files cover art

Archive Unknown: The Johnson Files

Archive Unknown: The Johnson Files

By: Archive Unknown
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 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.Archive Unknown World
Episodes
  • Part 5: How the Polaris Missile Made Mutually Assured Destruction Real

    Part 5: How the Polaris Missile Made Mutually Assured Destruction Real
    Nov 4 2025

    The Cold War’s deadliest idea wasn’t just a theory — it was built, tested, and launched from beneath the ocean.
    In this episode of Archive Unknown, Nick Johnson traces the origins of the Polaris missile program, uncovering how America’s first submarine-launched nuclear weapon turned the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction into reality.
    From Lockheed’s secret labs to test launches at sea — and the quiet notes his grandfather left behind — this is the story of the weapon that kept the Cold War cold.
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    8 mins
  • Part 4: The Jet That Flew Faster Than a Speeding Bullet - SR71 & A12

    Part 4: The Jet That Flew Faster Than a Speeding Bullet - SR71 & A12
    Oct 31 2025

    How do you build a plane faster than a bullet?
    In this episode of Archive Unknown, Nick Johnson traces the secret history of the SR-71 Blackbird — the spy jet born from Cold War fear and engineered to outrun every missile on Earth — and follows the hidden connections that link his grandfather’s career at Strategic Air Command to the fastest aircraft ever made.
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    12 mins
  • Archive Unknown Trailer

    Archive Unknown Trailer
    Oct 29 2025

    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.
    Show More Show Less
    1 min
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