The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is working with SpaceX to create its spy satellites that will stay in orbit and keep tabs on its foes and rivals, with the agency stepping up its efforts for the country. In its latest development, the NRO's director issued a dire warning to U.S. adversaries about how its "eyes in the skies" are always watching, focusing on foreign military advancements and more.
Its efforts will collect and gather data regarding "sites of interest" by other United States intelligence agencies and help in expanding more of its intel in its cases, capable of capturing quality and valuable information.
NRO's SpaceX-Built Spy Satellites Are Gearing Up
The expansion of the NRO's spy satellites is gearing up to complete its goal, as the SpaceX-built spacecraft is nearing the target number to bolster the agency's efforts in monitoring global foes and their activities. According to Ars Technica, the NRO wants to deploy at least 100 satellites to the Earth's orbit for its surveillance program, creating a new network of intelligence.
SpaceX's Starlink satellite assembly was used to fast-track this aspiration by the NRO to put more eyes in the sky, and its partnership already produced 80 satellites from SpaceX and launched alongside four Falcon 9 missions.
Through these satellites, which the NRO calls "proliferated architecture," the agency believes that it can warrant "high-resolution imagery" at immense speeds, improving on its previous efforts that were expensive and limited.
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NRO Director: US Adversaries Beware
Alongside this, NRO director Chris Scolese also issued a warning against U.S. adversaries regarding their current activities, saying that the agency is "constantly looking" from the skies. Thanks to this SpaceX technology, the smaller and cheaper satellites can cover more ground in their survey as they fly overhead, capable of capturing valuable information multiple times in a day.
Spy Satellites of the US
Many nations have invested in spy satellites as a way to keep tabs on their adversaries and use them for surveillance purposes, gathering intelligence, and more, with the United States known for its efforts in this space. However, it faced a threat last year when what was believed to be a Chinese spy balloon flew in different parts of the country, particularly near military bases, and it was said to be capable of collecting communications and data.
This is not the first rodeo for the NRO in their satellite developments and launches to bolster its capabilities to monitor international events, particularly in this age where its rivals also have measures of their own. Apart from monitoring global events, one of its top priorities is national security where it constantly surveils the world on potential threats, with its data also used for identification and profiling of rival nations' advancements.
SpaceX is popular for its Starlink satellite constellation which is looking to fill up the low-Earth orbit with its machines to provide internet from the skies, a feat which the NRO took advantage of to propel U.S. intelligence further. This new satellite constellation of the NRO is nearing its goal of deploying 100 of these spacecraft to monitor global events, now warning its adversaries about its capabilities.
