Chris Scolese, director of the National Reconnaissance Office and a five-time Wash100 awardee, said the government and industry should leverage the potential of the architecture and other capabilities NRO has deployed in space and on the ground.
NRO said Wednesday Scolese made the call to action during the Intelligence and National Security Alliance Leadership Dinner.
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Proliferated Satellite Constellation
During the event, the NRO director talked about the deployment of a proliferated network of more than 150 satellites and the agency’s move to expand the computing power of its ground systems to facilitate the collection of more data.
“Today, we have the data and the tools to help answer some of the toughest intelligence challenges of our time; to strengthen security, readiness, and lethality; and to effectively respond to disasters and humanitarian crises around the world,” Scolese told the audience.
The 2025 Wash100 awardee noted that NRO’s satellite architecture is strengthening observational persistence and shortening revisit times to bolster U.S. space-based intelligence capabilities.
Strengthening Partnerships
During the event, Scolese mentioned NRO’s investments in advanced computing, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, and ground systems to improve data processing and advance the development of dashboards and other tools.
He also highlighted the importance of partnerships with key stakeholders to leverage the potential of the agency’s technological investments.
“The NRO is moving faster than ever before,” Scolese said. “It’s time for all of us to work together – government, industry, academia, allies, and other partners – by combining our respective authorities, capabilities, and talents to enable a more secure present and future.”
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