The U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is an agency within the U.S. Department of Defense and a member of the United States Intelligence Community that designs, builds, launches, and operates reconnaissance satellites for the U.S. federal government. It provides satellite intelligence, including signals intelligence (SIGINT), imagery intelligence (IMINT), and measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT), to various government agencies like the NSA, NGA, and DIA. The NRO partners with organizations such as the U.S. Space Force, Northrop Grumman, and SpaceX, and its activities include developing advanced satellite technology and launching assets into orbit. Keywords associated with the NRO include: reconnaissance satellites, intelligence, national security, and space-based surveillance.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
A National Reconnaissance Office satellite launched to orbit on 2020-11-13 aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket.
On 2020-08-07, the U.S. Air Force awarded SpaceX a $316,000,000 contract to launch a National Reconnaissance Office satellite in fiscal year 2022.
The National Reconnaissance Office buys imagery for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and will continue to procure the bulk of commercial geoint data from Maxar while also intending to award contracts to other commercial providers.
The integration of Planet and BlackSky imagery into G-EGD coincides with the National Reconnaissance Office seeking to expand its pool of commercial imagery suppliers.
Expanding G-EGD to new suppliers would help the National Reconnaissance Office and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency determine how commercial imagery acquired from new providers will be made available to users.
A classified space surveillance satellite program named Silent Barker is planned for deployment in 2022 and is jointly funded by the U.S. Air Force and the National Reconnaissance Office.
The Joint Task Force Space Defense, commanded by Army Brig. Gen. Thomas James, operates the National Space Defense Center jointly with the National Reconnaissance Office.
NROL-101 will be the 17th National Reconnaissance Office mission launched on an Atlas V.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is in final preparations to launch the NROL-101 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office.
NROL-101 will be ULA’s 29th mission launched for the National Reconnaissance Office.
The Space Force has adopted practices from the National Reconnaissance Office aimed at reducing layers of bureaucracy to build satellites faster.
United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy attempted in August and September to launch the National Reconnaissance Office’s NROL-44 satellite but ground equipment problems caused scrubs.
Two years ago, the National Reconnaissance Office took over from NGA the job of acquiring commercial satellite imagery.
NGA passes emerging requirements to the National Reconnaissance Office and works with the NRO to evaluate what commercial companies can provide.
BlackSky views the National Reconnaissance Office as a key target customer and was one of several vendors that received NRO study contracts in 2019.
The National Reconnaissance Office acquires imagery that is used by National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency analysts.
United Launch Alliance began assembling an Atlas V rocket on 2020-09-11 that will launch a classified National Reconnaissance Office satellite before the end of the year.
United Launch Alliance is also preparing a Delta IV Heavy to launch the NROL-44 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office.
A United Launch Alliance Delta 4 Heavy rocket carrying a National Reconnaissance Office classified spy satellite for mission NROL-44 aborted during the ignition sequence on 2020-08-29.
A United Launch Alliance Delta 4 Heavy National Reconnaissance Office mission is scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral on 2020-08-27.