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The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is inviting proposals from commercial remote-sensing companies that utilize optical imaging satellites. This invitation comes in response to the agency’s desire to explore new and emerging imaging technologies that were not covered in the Electro-Optical Commercial Layer (EOCL) contracts awarded last year to Maxar Technologies, BlackSky, and Planet Labs.

The NRO’s recent Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), titled “Commercial Electro-Optical Capabilities,” specifies the types of technologies it is interested in, which includes nighttime imaging, non-Earth imaging, multispectral imaging, video, and infrared imaging. Proposals for these capabilities must be submitted by August 28.

NRO Director Chris Scolese had previously mentioned the agency’s plans to select additional EO imaging vendors under the Strategic Commercial Enhancements BAA. This program has already established agreements with various providers of commercial synthetic aperture radar, commercial radio-frequency, and hyperspectral data. Both U.S. companies and foreign firms with American subsidiaries are eligible to participate in the Strategic Commercial Enhancements agreements.

The purpose of the BAA is to identify new capabilities that have emerged in the industry in recent years. Though the NRO currently has access to substantial sources of commercial imagery under the EOCL contracts, it recognizes the need to stay updated with advancements in the field. The BAA specifies the government’s requirements for imagery products across the electro-optical spectrum, including panchromatic imagery, multispectral imagery, nighttime imaging, non-Earth imaging, video, and spectrally diverse imagery such as short-wave infrared, mid-wave infrared, and long-wave infrared.

One area of interest for the NRO is commercial non-Earth imagery, which involves the imaging of objects in space. Companies like Maxar are looking to capitalize on this emerging sector thanks to recent changes in the licensing process announced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These changes have lifted previous imaging restrictions for certain modes and types of non-Earth imaging.

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