National Reconnaissance Office

The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is one of 16 agencies that constitute the Intelligence Community and is chiefly concerned with the collection and maintenance of satellite imagery and capabilities.

The office was created to develop, collect, and share satellite imagery between federal agencies that used the intelligence product, and to coordinate development and maintenance of technologies for satellite reconnaissance capabilities. The agencies chiefly involved were the CIA, Pentagon, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force, and NASA. Since the early 2000s several other agencies are involved and use the office's intelligence product.