Dec. 19, 2022

The story of the Manned Orbiting Laboratory – part three

Part Three of the story of the Manned Orbiting Laboratory articleThis is the third part about the Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL). Read part two here.By 1966, after years of planning, the MOL program made major strides to place a man in orbit to collect high-resolution reconnaissance photography. Congress authorized funding to build Space Launch

Dec. 7, 2022

NRO-Vandenberg spends Military Appreciation Day on the gridiron

CHANTILLY, VA — On Oct. 14, NRO Vandenberg (NROV) Commander Lt. Col. Matthew J. Hale headed a team of senior leaders to attend Lompoc High School’s homecoming football game. Lompoc High School is located about 20 minutes south of Vandenberg Space Force Base in northern Santa Barbara County, California. The evening also marked the high school’s Military

Nov. 28, 2022

The story of the Manned Orbiting Laboratory – part two

CHANTILLY, VA — This is continuation of the story of the Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL). Read part one here.President Lyndon Johnson approved the Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) in 1965 so development could proceed. MOL was originally planned to have six launches, each with a mission length of 30 days. This was an ambitious goal: 30 days would be the longest

Nov. 3, 2022

The story of the Manned Orbiting Laboratory – part one

CHANTILLY, Va. — This is the opening segment in a running series telling the story of the Manned Orbiting LaboratoryThe Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) was as ambitious as it was secret, made to push the limits of what was possible in space at the time. MOL was designed to test new abilities and fulfill a top-secret reconnaissance mission of providing rapid

Sept. 28, 2022

NRO Announces Commercial Radio Frequency Study Contract Awards

CHANTILLY, Va. – The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) today announced the award of six study contracts for commercial radio frequency (RF) remote sensing. Companies receiving awards under NRO’s Strategic Commercial Enhancement’s (SCE) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Framework include Aurora Insight, HawkEye 360, Kleos Space, PredaSAR, Spire

Sept. 25, 2022

Vandenberg’s final Delta IV Heavy launch with NROL-91 mission

CHANTILLY, Va. – The National Reconnaissance Office—in partnership with the United Launch Alliance and the U.S. Space Force’s Space Launch Delta 30 and Space Systems Command—marked the end of an era with the NROL-91 mission today at 3:25 p.m. Pacific Time / 6:25 p.m. Eastern Time. This was the fifth and final United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy

May 25, 2022

NRO announces largest award of commercial imagery contracts

CHANTILLY, Va. – The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) today announced the results of its largest-ever commercial imagery contract effort, awarding Electro-Optical Commercial Layer (EOCL) contracts to BlackSky, Maxar, and Planet. Valued at billions of dollars over the next decade, these contracts mark a historic expansion of the NRO’s

April 17, 2022

NRO successfully reuses SpaceX launch booster for first time with NROL-85 mission

CHANTILLY, Va. — The National Reconnaissance Office successfully launched the NROL-85 mission aboard a reflown SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex-4E located at Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) in California today at 6:13 a.m. Pacific Time. Click here to read the entire Press Release

April 11, 2022

NRO Director Dr. Chris Scolese spoke with the House Armed Services Committee Subcommittee on Strategic Forces hearing on April 6

CHANTILLY, Va. — On Wednesday, April 6, NRO Director Dr. Chris Scolese, gave his Statement for the Record (SFR) at the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Subcommittee on Strategic Forces hearing on “Fiscal Year 2023 National Security Space Programs” along with four other witnesses. In his opening remarks, Dr. Scolese informed the subcommittee about NRO’s

April 7, 2022

Have you heard of the “Blue Cube?"

CHANTILLY, Va. — Throughout its almost 50-year existence, few in the nation knew about the “Blue Cube” located in Sunnyvale, California. The Air Force Satellite Control Facility (AFSCF) was once home to a light blue, cube-shaped building, which was the distinguishing feature of the compound. This building represented the origins of U.S. space operations.In 1958, as