The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is considering a new approach to acquiring Earth observation data. Pete Muend, head of the NRO’s commercial space office, announced plans to establish a flexible contracting pipeline that will incorporate the latest innovations from private remote sensing companies. This departure from the traditional acquisition strategy of the NRO represents an opportunity to use commercial imagery to complement national systems and address increasing demands for Earth observation data from military and intelligence agencies.
The proposed approach involves introducing a new contracting vehicle with an “open-ended rolling environment” that can accommodate various types of imagery, such as electro-optical or synthetic aperture radar. This allows for greater flexibility in terms of the types of imagery that can be acquired and integrated into government systems.
Brett Scott, head of the NRO’s Geospatial Intelligence Information Systems Acquisition Directorate, highlighted the organization’s interest in leveraging cutting-edge technologies from the commercial space industry. He emphasized the importance of finding effective and efficient ways to acquire these systems moving forward while also meeting the government’s needs for Earth observation data.
While decisions have not yet been made regarding this matter, discussions are already underway. The NRO is finalizing plans for a significant procurement exclusively for commercial synthetic aperture radar imagery, known as the “radar commercial layer.” This procurement represents an opportunity for private remote sensing companies to provide innovative solutions to meet the needs of military and intelligence agencies.