COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The National Reconnaissance Office, which has conducted eight launches since last year in support of its proliferated space architecture, is planning two back-to-back satellite launches in April.
The missions are part of a surge in NRO launches, the agency’s Director Christopher Scolese said Tuesday in a pre-recorded message posted to the agency’s website. In the last two years, NRO has launched 150 satellites — at least 100 of those flying last year alone.
Details about NRO’s proliferated constellation — which the agency developed over several years, largely in secret — are tightly held. But its mission is, in part, to provide rapid data collection and delivery across multiple orbits. Scolese said its performance to date is “setting a new standard for data collection, speed, and responsiveness.”
“This enhanced constellation is already shortening revisit times and increasing observational persistence, delivering enhanced coordination and empowering faster data processing, fusion, and transmission speeds,” he said. “All with greater resilience and security.”
These capabilities make it “harder for our adversaries to hide,” Scolese added, and allow NRO to provide insights to users on the ground in seconds.
RELATED
The NRO designs, launches and operates spy satellites for the U.S. government. In recent years, it has expanded its use of commercial services to enhance and augment the capabilities provided by the satellites it owns and operates.
While officials haven’t identified which companies are building its new satellite constellation, Reuters previously reported that Northrop Grumman and SpaceX are involved in the effort. The agency has said the constellation will have a hybrid architecture, indicating it likely involves a mix of defense and non-traditional firms.
The agency plans to continue building out the constellation with launches through 2029, Scolese said.
Along with its heavy focus on launch, the NRO is also investing in improvements to the ground systems that operate those satellites. That includes upgrading data processing and cybersecurity capabilities and using machine learning and advanced data and analytics to improve satellite tasking and data collection and processing.
Courtney Albon is C4ISRNET’s space and emerging technology reporter. She has covered the U.S. military since 2012, with a focus on the Air Force and Space Force. She has reported on some of the Defense Department’s most significant acquisition, budget and policy challenges.
