Spy Agency Taps Innovative Startups For Space-Based Intelligence

The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) has awarded the first three contracts under its new Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) mechanism, designed to leverage innovative commercial imagery providers. The winners include Australian start-up HEO, British start-up SatVu, and US firm Sierra Nevada Corporation, which will provide a range of space-based intelligence capabilities. The CSO mechanism allows vendors to pitch unsolicited proposals, and the NRO anticipates issuing additional awards later this year to expand its multi-phenomenology capabilities. The awards were announced by NRO deputy director Maj. Gen. Christopher Povak at the National Security Space Association’s annual Defense and Intelligence Space Conference, as reported by Breaking Defense.