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The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is requesting proposals from commercial remote-sensing companies that utilize optical imaging satellites. This is in addition to the Electro-Optical Commercial Layer (EOCL) contracts awarded to Maxar Technologies, BlackSky, and Planet Labs last year. The NRO is specifically interested in new and emerging imaging technologies that were not included in the previous contracts.

The agency’s recently issued Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) titled “Commercial Electro-Optical Capabilities” outlines the desired technologies, including nighttime imaging, non-Earth imaging, multispectral imaging, video, and infrared imaging. Interested parties have until August 28th to submit their proposals.

NRO Director Chris Scolese revealed the agency’s plan to select additional EO imaging vendors under the Strategic Commercial Enhancements BAA in April. This program aims to broaden the NRO’s partnerships with providers of commercial synthetic aperture radar, commercial radio-frequency, and hyperspectral data.

The Strategic Commercial Enhancements agreements are accessible to both U.S. companies and foreign companies with American subsidiaries. The purpose of this BAA is to assess the current state of the industry and identify new capabilities that have emerged in recent years.

The BAA highlights that the government requires imagery products across the entire 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 is commercial non-Earth imagery, which involves imaging objects in space. Companies like Maxar are hopeful that changes in the licensing process announced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will create new commercial opportunities in this nascent sector. NOAA has removed previous imaging restrictions for certain imaging modes and non-Earth imaging.

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