8 Acknowledgement

Research & Editorial 

Lindsay Kooiman researched 

Reconnaissance Pocket History

CSNR staff provided research a

Photographs

Courtesy of CSNR Reference Co

Services Center.

Contact Us

National Reconnaissance Office

BPO/CSNR

14675 Lee Road 

Chantilly, VA 20151-1715

(703) 488-4733

csnr@nro.mil

Center for th

national Reco

Septembe
Winston Churchill famously desc

“iron curtain” across Europe as th

from most of the world. Amid the 

States and the U.S.S.R., the U.S. 

the curtain. These Cold War tens

modern reconnaissance, and eve

National Reconnaissance Office 

since the creation of the NRO, th

its mission to accommodate cha

and in intelligence priorities. It has 

from within the agency as well 

community. Through these chan

push the boundaries of innovatio

The National Rec

Office and the Col

The “Bomber Gap” and T

Beginnings of Overhea

In the early days of the Col

possession of nuclear weap

advantage over the Soviet U

shifting in 1949 when the Sov

bomb, thereby joining the U

power. As the Soviet Union de

of Europe and Asia, fears of S

and the U.S. recognized the 

gathering intelligence on S

By 1953, some U.S. officials 

the Soviets possessed or were 

significantly higher number of he

States. Worries over a possible 

Soviet strategic capabilities prom

establish the Technological Cap

The panel’s objective was to rev

and intelligence to prevent a So

recommendation of the TCP, Eis

Lockheed Corporation and the 

Air Force, to build a high-altitud

provide photographic intelligenc

Less than ten months passed 

Eisenhower authorized the proje

the first time. On 5 July 1956, a 

provided what DCI Allen Dulles 

the “million dollar photo.” It show

far fewer heavy bombers tha

photograph put the bomber ga

American apprehensions. How

capture of U-2 pilot Francis Ga

in 1960 put an end to airborne 

that nation, forcing the U.S. to re

2
6

“It is as if we were strugg

45 years, killed it, and then f

full of poisonous snakes—an

harder to keep track of tha

The NRO needed to accom

requirements. Humanitarian a

monitoring also competed fo

terrorism and tracking weap

Des

the 

face

cost 

the 

to 

The 

inclu

under increased scrutiny. Rev

NRO’s relevance and determin

processes. These reviews result

for the organization: public ack

existence and its restructuri

based alphabetic programs 

In September 1992, the O

Defense publicly acknowledge

although most aspects of t

classified. Operating in the op

the organization to examine 

1992, the NRO received Co

reorganize Programs A, B an

corresponding to its primary 

This structure was intended 

expenses, and eliminate compe

Personnel from all three pare

new directorates. This was by 

sweeping reorganization in the 

The NRO underwent chang

restructuring. During the Gulf 

reconnaissance was widely used 

to military units. Although bure

usefulness of real-time reconna

during that conflict, the lessons 

proved invaluable. The NRO r

with the military and began p

activities -in places such as Ir

the 1990’s. The evolution of 

this era broadened the agency

for countering even greater cha
to by its cover name, Grab. Onc

provided by Grab exceeded 

Formation of the NRO The Kennedy administration 

early successes of the CIA, A

reconnaissance programs. 

wanted to establish an overarc

collaboration and preventing fr

agencies and services. In an 

disputes and prevent conflict, 

and the CIA established the 

Prog

196

Reco

man

Und

the 

form

The 

prog

Calif

Prog

D.C. 

C. T

D f

reco

operating structure for satellite 

the Cold War. The NRO transfer

Air Force in 1974.

Poppy, Grab’s successor, was th

first system the new organizatio

launched. Program C update

the satellite to supply dat

on a broader range of Sovie

activities. Thus, Poppy surpasse

its predecessor and cemente

overhead electronic intelligenc

as a vital component in winnin

the intelligence Cold Wa

Although Samos was the 

employing near-real-time imag

reconnaissance satellites, the 

difficulties that prevented it fr

its intended mission. By 1961, 

Charyk, cancelled the Samos 

key technology to the Nation

Administration (NASA) for use 

surface. The newly formed NR

Corona program.

4
to by its cover name, Grab. Onc

provided by Grab exceeded 

Formation of the NRO The Kennedy administration 

early successes of the CIA, A

reconnaissance programs. 

wanted to establish an overarc

collaboration and preventing fr

agencies and services. In an 

disputes and prevent conflict, 

and the CIA established the 

Prog

196

Reco

man

Und

the 

form

The 

prog

Calif

Prog

D.C. 

C. T

D f

reco

operating structure for satellite 

the Cold War. The NRO transfer

Air Force in 1974.

Poppy, Grab’s successor, was th

first system the new organizatio

launched. Program C update

the satellite to supply dat

on a broader range of Sovie

activities. Thus, Poppy surpasse

its predecessor and cemente

overhead electronic intelligenc

as a vital component in winnin

the intelligence Cold Wa

Although Samos was the 

employing near-real-time imag

reconnaissance satellites, the 

difficulties that prevented it fr

its intended mission. By 1961, 

Charyk, cancelled the Samos 

key technology to the Nation

Administration (NASA) for use 

surface. The newly formed NR

Corona program.

4
6

“It is as if we were strugg

45 years, killed it, and then f

full of poisonous snakes—an

harder to keep track of tha

The NRO needed to accom

requirements. Humanitarian a

monitoring also competed fo

terrorism and tracking weap

Des

the 

face

cost 

the 

to 

The 

inclu

under increased scrutiny. Rev

NRO’s relevance and determin

processes. These reviews result

for the organization: public ack

existence and its restructuri

based alphabetic programs 

In September 1992, the O

Defense publicly acknowledge

although most aspects of t

classified. Operating in the op

the organization to examine 

1992, the NRO received Co

reorganize Programs A, B an

corresponding to its primary 

This structure was intended 

expenses, and eliminate compe

Personnel from all three pare

new directorates. This was by 

sweeping reorganization in the 

The NRO underwent chang

restructuring. During the Gulf 

reconnaissance was widely used 

to military units. Although bure

usefulness of real-time reconna

during that conflict, the lessons 

proved invaluable. The NRO r

with the military and began p

activities -in places such as Ir

the 1990’s. The evolution of 

this era broadened the agency

for countering even greater cha
Winston Churchill famously desc

“iron curtain” across Europe as th

from most of the world. Amid the 

States and the U.S.S.R., the U.S. 

the curtain. These Cold War tens

modern reconnaissance, and eve

National Reconnaissance Office 

since the creation of the NRO, th

its mission to accommodate cha

and in intelligence priorities. It has 

from within the agency as well 

community. Through these chan

push the boundaries of innovatio

The National Rec

Office and the Col

The “Bomber Gap” and T

Beginnings of Overhea

In the early days of the Col

possession of nuclear weap

advantage over the Soviet U

shifting in 1949 when the Sov

bomb, thereby joining the U

power. As the Soviet Union de

of Europe and Asia, fears of S

and the U.S. recognized the 

gathering intelligence on S

By 1953, some U.S. officials 

the Soviets possessed or were 

significantly higher number of he

States. Worries over a possible 

Soviet strategic capabilities prom

establish the Technological Cap

The panel’s objective was to rev

and intelligence to prevent a So

recommendation of the TCP, Eis

Lockheed Corporation and the 

Air Force, to build a high-altitud

provide photographic intelligenc

Less than ten months passed 

Eisenhower authorized the proje

the first time. On 5 July 1956, a 

provided what DCI Allen Dulles 

the “million dollar photo.” It show

far fewer heavy bombers tha

photograph put the bomber ga

American apprehensions. How

capture of U-2 pilot Francis Ga

in 1960 put an end to airborne 

that nation, forcing the U.S. to re

2
8 Acknowledgement

Research & Editorial 

Lindsay Kooiman researched 

Reconnaissance Pocket History

CSNR staff provided research a

Photographs

Courtesy of CSNR Reference Co

Services Center.

Contact Us

National Reconnaissance Office

BPO/CSNR

14675 Lee Road 

Chantilly, VA 20151-1715

(703) 488-4733

csnr@nro.mil

Center for th

national Reco

Septembe