Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S.

Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. was the name of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secret operation of studying the Tesseract. The studying was done the Joint Dark Energy Mission Facility located in an unspecified location in the Mojave Desert. The facility was run by S.H.I.E.L.D.'s director Nick Fury.

Creation
The project began on the orders of the World Security Council. It was formed to investigate phenomena beyond the range of conventional scientific understanding. S.H.I.E.L.D. and NASA provided scientific expertise to the project, and due to the highly sensitive nature of the research conducted there, S.H.I.E.L.D. also provided its security force.

Phase 1
When S.H.I.E.L.D. decided to test the Tesseract, Project: P.E.G.A.S.U.S. had a new directive. Nick Fury recruited Dr. Erik Selvig to study the cube and placed agent Clint Barton as security. Selvig's orders were to learn how to harness energy from the Tesseract.

Upon learning its behavior, Dr. Selvig contacted agent Coulson to inform him of his success. This brought the attention of Nick Fury who ordered for Phase 2 of the project. A little later, Loki of Asgard arrives and steals the Tesseract, controlling the minds of Dr. Selvig and Hawkeye in the process.

After Loki stole the Tesseract, the World Security Council temporarily shuts the down the project.

Cancelled Phase 2
When Stark hacked into S.H.I.E.L.D. files, he found out that Phase 2 of Project: P.E.G.A.S.U.S. was to harness energy from the Tesseract and use its power to make weapons.

Notable Highlights

 * The Tesseract was under the project.
 * Dr. Erik Selvig was part of the project.
 * Clint Barton served as the security force of the project.
 * The World Security Council was financing the project.

Season 1

 * Assemble (Part 1)
 * Assemble (Part 2)