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.
Lee Rosen served on missions for Space Systems Command and the National Reconnaissance Office during a 23-year U.S. Air Force career.
In 1980, the National Reconnaissance Office determined which satellite programs would transition to the Space Shuttle and which would continue using expendable launch vehicles.
The National Reconnaissance Office conducted an ELINT Mix Study to examine the transition of low-altitude signals intelligence programs to the Space Shuttle.
The National Reconnaissance Office decided not to modify the GAMBIT and HEXAGON photo-reconnaissance satellite programs for Space Shuttle flights.
The National Reconnaissance Office decided to upgrade existing low-altitude signals intelligence systems rather than combine them or replace them with high-altitude satellites.
The National Reconnaissance Office planned to launch upgraded signals intelligence satellites together with Improved PARCAE ocean surveillance satellites on the Space Shuttle.
The National Reconnaissance Office removed FARRAH satellites from the Space Shuttle manifest during the mid-1980s and chose to launch them on converted Titan II ICBMs instead.
The National Reconnaissance Office awarded a 23-month dedicated contract to HawkEye 360 for tactical RF data and analytics capabilities aligned to EUCOM mission requirements.
The National Reconnaissance Office, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and a European Ministry of Defense are locked in as government anchor tenants for HawkEye 360.
The Heritage Foundation’s Index recommends considering organizational changes for the U.S. Space Force, including elevating it to a standalone service or combining the service with the National Reconnaissance Office.
The National Reconnaissance Office was publicly acknowledged in 1992.
Congress approved funding for the National Reconnaissance Office’s Electro-Optical Commercial Layer (EOCL) in its recent budget.
Ringleader leverages the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) and upcoming National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) constellations.
SatVu will deliver medium wave infrared imagery under the initial tranche of NRO commercial awards.
HEO will provide non-Earth imagery under the initial tranche of NRO commercial awards.
The NRO awarded six hyperspectral imaging contracts in March 2023 as part of Strategic Commercial Enhancements.
Sierra Nevada Corporation will supply radio frequency capabilities under the initial tranche of NRO commercial awards.
The contracts announced on Tuesday are intended to allow the National Reconnaissance Office to access multiple remote sensing phenomenologies from electro-optical to radio frequency and beyond.
The National Reconnaissance Office uses the Commercial Solutions Opening contracting mechanism to bring in new partners and technologies for its mission.
The U.S. National Reconnaissance Office awarded contracts to three remote sensing companies to expand commercial remote sensing capabilities.