May 24, 2021

NRO Director addresses HASC Subcommittee on Strategic Forces

On May 24, Dr. Scolese addressed the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Subcommittee on Strategic Forces at its FY22 Priorities for National Security Space Program Hearing. Dr. Scolese highlighted the accomplishments the NRO had met in the past year despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the innovation and vision for the future as the NRO reflects on

May 21, 2021

NRO remembers former Deputy Director Dr. F. Robert Naka

Dr. Fumio Robert “Bob” Naka served as Deputy Director of the NRO from July 1969 – August 1972, the first to be hired from outside of the CIA.Dr. Naka was born in San Francisco, California to Japanese immigrant parents. He graduated high school at the age of 16 and began studying engineering at the University of California at Los Angeles. He was

May 20, 2021

Dr. Meink Delivers Keynote at Ohio Space Forum

NRO’s Principal Deputy Director, Dr. Troy Meink, spoke about NRO’s role in national space to an online audience of several hundred during the 2nd annual Ohio Space Forum, May 18, 2021.According to the event organizers, “The Ohio Space Forum will bring together federal, military, industry, and academic leaders in the dynamic fields of space

April 27, 2021

Senator Angus King visits Westfields

On April 23, Senator Angus King met with the NRO Top 3 in Westfield’s Innovation Collaboration Center to receive multiple mission updates from leadership in the GEOINT and SIGINT directorates. The Ground Enterprise Directorate demonstrated the capabilities of THRESHER, a global situation awareness system, to Sen. King. Prior to this discussion,

April 27, 2021

HPSCI representatives visit Westfields

Rep. Brad Wenstrup and Rep. Chris Stewart visited NRO’s headquarters at Westfields April 22 to discuss NRO’s support to the warfighter. Both are members of House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI).  Wenstrup is the House Representative for Ohio’s second district and is a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. Prior to his career in

April 26, 2021

NRO celebrates 60th anniversary with successful launch of NROL-82

Today the Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations General Jay Raymond joined the National Reconnaissance Office Director Dr. Christopher Scolese for the successful NROL-82 mission launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy. The Delta IV Heavy launched at 1:47 p.m. PDT / 4:47 p.m. EDT

April 8, 2021

The NRO Time Capsule: Acknowledging the Future

NRO employees probably passed by it numerous times as they walked through the Westfield’s main lobby. They may actually have stood near it and never knew it was there. NRO has a time capsule. Sealed and dedicated on September 6, 2001 at the closing ceremony of a series of events commemorating NRO’s 40th anniversary, the time capsule contains 115

March 29, 2021

Dr. Meink engages virtually with Norfolk State University

On March 23, the NRO’s Principal Deputy Director, Dr. Troy Meink, spoke at a virtual recruiting event held for students attending Norfolk State University (NSU). NSU was founded in 1935 and is one of five Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in Virginia. It is ranked in the Top 25 HBCUs of 2021, and has more than 2000 students

March 26, 2021

Director Scolese tours Westfields compound

NRO Director Chris Scolese recently met with security officers at NRO’s headquarters in Chantilly, Va., for an impromptu ATV security tour outside the facility. The highlight was playing with Max, one of the canine inspectors!

March 26, 2021

General Raymond holds town hall at Westfields

Gen. John ”Jay” Raymond, chief of space operations for the United States Space Force (USSF), visited Westfields on Monday, March 22. He met with leadership and participated in a town hall meeting to engage with the workforce.   Director Scolese introduced Gen. Raymond and began the conversation by highlighting the fact that the Space Force is the