WASHINGTON — The U.S. Spy satellite agency is expanding its partnerships with private companies to enhance its intelligence-gathering capabilities. The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) announced February 10 it has signed Strategic Commercial Enhancements agreements with HEO, SatVu and Sierra Nevada Corp.
Expanding Capabilities
This move represents a continued effort by the NRO to utilize commercial space capabilities in conjunction with its government-owned systems. According to NRO Director Chris Scolese, the agency is “always looking for innovative ways to bring on new partners” to ensure access to the latest technologies.
The agreements are part of the SCE program, designed to evaluate commercially generated data for potential integration into intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations. The NRO is testing the performance, utility, and scalability of different sensing technologies before committing to long-term contracts.
What Each Company Brings
HEO, an Australian startup, will provide imagery of objects in orbit. SatVu, based in London, will deliver medium-wave infrared imagery, detecting heat signatures from Earth’s surface. Sierra Nevada, a U.S. Aerospace and defense contractor, will contribute radio-frequency (RF) sensing capabilities.
The NRO’s Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) uses a two-stage process: an initial phase focused on modeling and simulation, followed by a second phase that assesses on-orbit performance and the maturity of operational products. Pete Meund, director of the NRO’s commercial systems program office, stated the NRO is “using a variety of acquisition processes and contract models to bring in new talent and providers and cut the time from concept to delivery.”
This latest round of selections follows previous awards including five electro-optical imaging contracts in December 2023, six hyperspectral imaging contracts in March 2023, six RF contracts in September 2022, and five radar contracts in January 2022.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of the Strategic Commercial Enhancements program?
The SCE program is designed to let the NRO evaluate commercially generated data and determine how it could be integrated into intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations.
What types of imagery will be provided by these companies?
HEO will provide non-Earth imagery, SatVu will deliver medium-wave infrared imagery, and Sierra Nevada will support radio-frequency sensing.
How does the NRO evaluate these commercial offerings?
The NRO uses a two-stage process: an initial phase focused on modeling and simulation, followed by a second phase that assesses on-orbit performance and the maturity of operational products.
If budget allows, the NRO anticipates issuing additional awards later this year to further expand its access to multi-phenomenology data. Could this lead to a more diverse and resilient intelligence infrastructure?
