By Cliff Montgomery – Aug. 31st, 2011
The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) creates, launches and operates America’s intelligence satellites. It has been especially active in the past 12 months.
“We are nearly through the most aggressive launch campaign in over 25 years,” stated NRO Principal Deputy Director Betty Sapp in March 2011, at a House Armed Services Committee hearing.
The complete record of the March hearing was published in July. It offers citizens an all-too-rare, unclassified synopsis of U.S. intelligence programs being conducted in outer space.
“We have successfully launched five satellites into orbit in the last six months, with one more launch planned next month,” Sapp told lawmakers in March.
“These successful launches have been a very important and visible reminder of the space reconnaissance mission NRO started 50 years ago, and continues with such great success today,” she added.
