National Reconnaissance Office

The agency that builds and flies American spy satellites, classified until 1992

Overview

The NRO, formed in 1961 after the first Corona satellite successes, designs, launches, and operates the reconnaissance satellites of the United States. Its very existence stayed classified until 1992. The office pioneered photographic and radar imaging and signals interception from orbit, giving analysts the ability to count Soviet missiles and verify arms control treaties. Its spacecraft support warning, mapping, and targeting across the entire government, and its classified budget is among the largest in the intelligence community. Its launch manifests remain classified, and Congress reviews its budget through a small cleared subcommittee.