This Mission Patch is REAL

The first time I saw this on a web site, I imagined it was a parody. The second time I saw it — at Forbes — I had to check for a second that the piece wasn’t posted on April 1.

But no, this is the genuine mission patch for a spy rocket lofted into orbit this week by the Office of National Intelligence:

“NROL-39 is represented by the octopus, a versatile, adaptable, and highly intelligent creature. Emblematically, enemies of the United States can be reached no matter where they choose to hide,” says Karen Furgerson, a spokesperson for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). “‘Nothing is beyond our reach’ defines this mission and the value it brings to our nation and the warfighters it supports, who serve valiently all over the globe, protecting our nation.”

O.M.G.