Polaris Intelligence
Polaris
Intelligence
AboutNational IntelligenceOrganizationsProductsMissionsSpacecraftConstellationsForecastsLatest Information
Explore
© Polaris Intelligence 2026Admin

U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)

US
gov defenseFounded 1961
United States
Admin Edit

All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.

The National Reconnaissance Office started as a secret program in 1960 established jointly by the U.S. Air Force and the Central Intelligence Agency.

Mentioned as: National Reconnaissance OfficeTechnical ProductApr 17, 2019Why the Space Force can’t merge with the NRO

An Enterprise Disruption panel featuring NGA’s Chirag Parikh, SMC’s Col. Russell Teehan and the NRO’s Stewart Cameron is scheduled on Thursday from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Mentioned as: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)Narrative GeneralApr 8, 2019U.S. space dominance dominates 35th Space Symposium agenda

The National Reconnaissance Office took over NGA’s EnhancedView contract in August and awarded a $300,000,000 one-year contract for continued access to updated and archival Earth imagery from satellites operated by DigitalGlobe, a Maxar Technologies company.

Mentioned as: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)Org RelationshipApr 8, 2019Planet’s NGA contract extended for Earth imagery, automated data

The WFIRST spacecraft features a 2.4-meter primary mirror provided to NASA by the National Reconnaissance Office.

Mentioned as: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)Narrative GeneralMar 28, 2019WFIRST faces funding crunch

Acquisition personnel working on National Reconnaissance Office space programs and personnel who spent less than 50 percent of their time on space acquisitions were not included in GAO’s 8,000-person estimate.

Mentioned as: national reconnaissance officeNarrative GeneralMar 14, 2019Watchdog report: Pentagon does not keep close tabs on space programs and workforce

A congressionally mandated Pentagon report in August 2018 stated that a whole-of-government approach would be needed to achieve the president’s vision for a Space Force and recommended improved integration with organizations including the National Reconnaissance Office and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.

Mentioned as: the national reconnaissance officeNarrative GovernanceFeb 10, 2019NRO nominee thrust into Space Force debate

The National Reconnaissance Office operates ground stations at Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado; Fort Belvoir, Virginia; and White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.

Mentioned as: National Reconnaissance OfficeOrg RelationshipFeb 10, 2019NRO nominee thrust into Space Force debate

Congress amended the National Security Act of 1947 in the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 to require the president to appoint the NRO director with the advice and consent of the Senate.

Mentioned as: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)Narrative GeneralFeb 10, 2019NRO nominee thrust into Space Force debate

Betty Sapp has been the director of the National Reconnaissance Office since 2012.

Mentioned as: National Reconnaissance OfficeTechnical ProductFeb 10, 2019NRO nominee thrust into Space Force debate

The National Reconnaissance Office was created in 1961.

Mentioned as: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)Narrative GeneralFeb 10, 2019NRO nominee thrust into Space Force debate

The National Reconnaissance Office develops and operates overhead reconnaissance satellites and conducts intelligence-related activities.

Mentioned as: National Reconnaissance OfficeTechnical ProductFeb 10, 2019NRO nominee thrust into Space Force debate

The National Reconnaissance Office launches satellites from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

Mentioned as: National Reconnaissance OfficeOrg RelationshipFeb 10, 2019NRO nominee thrust into Space Force debate

The Air Force recommended in a September memo that the next director of the National Reconnaissance Office also serve as the director of the Air Force Space Rapid Capabilities Office to establish unity of command and reduce duplication in space programs.

Mentioned as: National Reconnaissance OfficeOrg RelationshipFeb 10, 2019NRO nominee thrust into Space Force debate

The White House nominated Chris Scolese on 2019-02-07 to be the next director of the National Reconnaissance Office.

Mentioned as: National Reconnaissance OfficeTechnical ProductFeb 8, 2019NASA center director nominated to lead NRO

SpaceX launched the National Reconnaissance Office’s classified NROL-76 satellite in 2017.

Mentioned as: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)Narrative GeneralDec 23, 2018SpaceX launches first GPS 3 satellite

SpaceX launched the Air Force’s X-37B spaceplane and a classified National Reconnaissance Office payload in 2017.

Mentioned as: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)Narrative GeneralDec 18, 2018Air Force launch commander ‘not confident’ GPS 3 will lift off Wednesday

The 2018-12-06 memo on the Space Development Agency study was sent to the secretaries of the military services, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Strategic Command, and the director of the National Reconnaissance Office.

Mentioned as: National Reconnaissance OfficeOrg RelationshipDec 13, 2018DARPA’s next project: Design a Space Development Agency

The Aerospace Corporation is a nonprofit federally funded think tank that provides technical advice to the U.S. Air Force and the National Reconnaissance Office on military space programs.

Mentioned as: National Reconnaissance OfficeTechnical ProductDec 10, 2018Aerospace Corp. to lay out strategy to ‘outpace the threat’ in space

DigitalGlobe will support the National Reconnaissance Office with the WorldView-1, WorldView-2, and WorldView-3 satellites as long as they continue to perform.

Mentioned as: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)Org RelationshipNov 14, 2018DigitalGlobe: New commercial players not threatening our government business

The National Reconnaissance Office in September assumed responsibility for the EnhancedView contract that used to be managed by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.

Mentioned as: National Reconnaissance OfficeOrg RelationshipNov 14, 2018DigitalGlobe: New commercial players not threatening our government business
Page46of47