Revolutionizing Earth Observation: The NRO’s Flexible Approach to Data Acquisition with Commercial Remote Sensing Companies

The NRO is changing its approach to acquiring Earth observation data by establishing a flexible contracting pipeline to incorporate the latest innovations from private remote sensing companies. This new strategy, announced at the GEOINT Symposium in Kissimmee, Florida, aims to use commercial imagery to complement national systems and meet the increasing demands of military and intelligence agencies. Pete Muend, head of the National Reconnaissance Office’s commercial space office, emphasized the importance of seamlessly integrating multiple commercial capabilities into the government’s broader architecture.

Brett Scott, who heads the NRO’s Geospatial Intelligence Information Systems Acquisition Directorate, highlighted the organization’s interest in leveraging cutting-edge technologies from the commercial space industry and providing incentives to companies. He acknowledged that these companies have a profit motive but emphasized the need to find effective and efficient ways to acquire these systems moving forward. The goal is to ensure that companies can reap rewards for their efforts while also meeting government needs for Earth observation data.

The NRO is finalizing plans for a significant procurement exclusively for commercial synthetic aperture radar imagery, known as the “radar commercial layer.” While decisions have not yet been made, discussions on this matter are already well underway. The proposed approach represents a departure from traditional acquisition strategies that have focused on specific imagery phenomenologies. By incorporating multiple types of imagery into its architecture, the NRO aims to improve its ability to provide timely and accurate Earth observation data to military and intelligence agencies.