The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is a member of the United States Intelligence Community and an agency of the United States Department of Defense which designs,builds,launches,and operates the reconnaissance satellites of the U.S. federal government. It provides satellite intelligence to several government agencies,particularly signals intelligence (SIGINT) to the National Security Agency (NSA),imagery intelligence (IMINT) to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA),and measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT) to the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). The NRO announced in 2023 that it plans within the following decade to quadruple the number of satellites it operates and increase the number of signals and images it delivers by a factor of ten.
The director of national intelligence (DNI) is a senior cabinet-level United States government official,required by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 to serve as executive head of the United States Intelligence Community (IC) and to direct and oversee the National Intelligence Program (NIP). All 18 IC agencies,including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA),the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and the National Security Agency (NSA),report directly to the DNI.
J. Michael "Mike" McConnell is a former vice admiral in the United States Navy. He served as Director of the National Security Agency from 1992 to 1996 and as the United States Director of National Intelligence from February 2007 to January 2009 during the Bush administration and first week of the Obama administration. As of January 2024,he is the Vice Chairman at Booz Allen Hamilton.
Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation is the parent of Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.,an American government and military contractor,specializing in intelligence. It is headquartered in McLean,Virginia,in Greater Washington,D.C.,with 80 other offices around the globe. The company's stated core business is to provide consulting,analysis and engineering services to public and private sector organizations and nonprofits.
Edward "Pete" Cleveland Aldridge Jr. is an aerospace engineer and former government official in the U.S. Defense Department. He was also selected as a payload specialist for the Space Shuttle mission STS-62-A,scheduled to launch in July 1986. The mission was canceled after the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in January 1986,and Aldridge never flew.
Donald MacLean Kerr,Jr. served as the Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence from 2007 to 2009. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Thursday,October 4,2007. In March 2009,he received the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal.
Bruce Allen Carlson,was the 17th Director of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). He is a former four-star general in the United States Air Force and served as the sixth Commander,Air Force Materiel Command,Wright-Patterson Air Force Base,Ohio. The command conducts research,development,test and evaluation,and provides acquisition management services and logistics support necessary to keep Air Force weapon systems ready for war. After over 37 years of service,he retired from the Air Force on January 1,2009. Carlson served as a general authority and a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from April 2009 to October 2015.
Scott F. Large is an American intelligence officer who served as the sixteenth Director of the National Reconnaissance Office from 2007 to 2009. He previously served as the Principal Deputy Director of the National Reconnaissance Office from April to October 2007,and as the Central Intelligence Agency's Associate Deputy Director for Science and Technology.
Lieutenant General John T. "Tom" Sheridan retired from the US Air Force in August 2011. His last assignment was as Commander,Space and Missile Systems Center,Los Angeles AFB,California;he was succeeded by Ellen M. Pawlikowski in June 2011. He has been VP of the SI's National Security Space program since 16 April 2012,.
The Director of the National Reconnaissance Office (DNRO) of the United States is responsible to the Secretary of Defense and the Director of National Intelligence for all national space and assigned airborne reconnaissance activities. The DNRO provides top-level management direction to the NRO in response to Secretary of Defense and Director of National Intelligence requirements.
Keith Ralph Hall is a United States government official who served as the 12th director of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).
Martin Clark Faga was the tenth director of the National Reconnaissance Office (DNRO).
Betty Jean Sapp is the former Director of the National Reconnaissance Office (DNRO). She served as a United States Air Force Officer in a variety of roles,before joining the Central Intelligence Agency in 1997. She was the first female Director of the NRO,serving nearly seven years.
Susan K. Mashiko is a retired United States Air Force major general who served as the Deputy Director,National Reconnaissance Office,Chantilly,Virginia. Her responsibilities include assisting the director and principal deputy director in managing the strategic and tactical operations of the NRO. Also,as the commander,Air Force Space Command Element,she manages all air force personnel and resources assigned to the NRO and serves as the senior adviser to the DNRO on all military matters. Mashiko is the first Japanese American woman to be promoted to flag rank.
John Frederick "Jeff" Kimmons is a retired American lieutenant general,who served as United States Army Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence,Commanding General,United States Army Intelligence and Security Command and chief of staff to the Director of National Intelligence. He was instrumental in the development of Army Field Manual,FM 2-22.3,Human Intelligence Collector Operations,which was the Army's response to actions at Abu Ghraib prison. Kimmons retired from active service on December 1,2010,after 35 years.
Major General Robert Alan "Rosie" Rosenberg of United States Air Force was Director of Defense Mapping Agency from July 1985 to September 1987. Throughout his 30-year career with the U.S. Air Force,he was instrumental to the U.S. satellite program. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2005.
Donna D. Shipton is a United States Air Force lieutenant general who serves as commander of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. The center is responsible for total life cycle management for aircraft,engines,munitions,electronic,computer,network,cyber and agile combat support systems. The center employs more than 28,000 people and has a budget of over $300 billion. Previously she served as military deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition,Technology and Logistics.
Christopher Stephen Povak is a United States Space Force major general who serves as the deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office and commander of the Space Force Element to the National Reconnaissance Office. He previously served as the deputy director of the Space Warfighting Analysis Center.
Michael Anthony Guetlein is a United States Space Force general who serves as the second vice chief of space operations. He recently served as the first commander of Space Systems Command from 2021 to 2024. He previously served as the deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office from 2019 to 2021.
Troy E. Meink is an American government official who is the nominee to serve as Secretary of the Air Force. He previously served as the principal deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).
