Here is a breakdown of one of the pods, starting with the ablative shield, then the gold shield, then the actual pod that contains the film and ending with the rocket that would guide it down to earth.
Again for ease of reading and posterity the sign says:
Hexagon KH-9 reconnaissance satellites featured four recovery vehicles or "buckets" that dropped back to earth from orbit carrying exposed reconnaissance camera film for processing. A mapping camera attached for some missions at the front of the satellite added a fifth, smaller bucket. US Air Force aircraft snatched the parachuting buckets in midair over the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii.
Hexagon film return buckets had to be maneuverable, vacuum-sealed, temperature controlled, lightweight, strong, and recoverable. Once ejected from the Hexagon vehicle, a small retro-rocket slowed the vehicles for atmospheric re-entry, with smaller thrusters providing, and then slowing a stabilizing spin.
The outer cover of high-temperature resin charred away to carry off heat during re-entry. Another thermal cover, plus an array of thermostats and sensors kept the film at the correct temperature in space and during descent. Once the vehicle reached about 50,000 feet, parachutes slowed its decent. Battery-operated radio signal emitters helped aircraft locate the buckets, which could float if they landed in the ocean. McDonnell-Douglas built the KH-9s Mark 8 recovery vehicles, white General Electric made the mapping camera's smaller Mark V vehicles.
Technical Notes
Film load: 52,000 to 77,500 fee of film maximum per vehicle.
Film weight: 500 lbs maximum per vehicle
Vehicle weight: 956 lbs.
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