The Dish: Behind the Scenes at NRO

Sitting down with Maj. Jason Rose, Mission Manager for NROL-70 Jun 21, 2024

Following a successful launch, mission manager Major Jason Rose talks about his experience working the final Delta IV Heavy launch, NROL-70. In this post-launch interview, Maj. Rose shares insights on the preparation leading up to launch, his reflections working multiple Delta IV Heavy launches, as well his thoughts on being the last mission manager for the last Delta IV Heavy launch.

Sitting down with Ben Fallon, NRO's outgoing Director of Congressional and Public Affairs May 15, 2024

New from "The Dish", we sit down with Ben Fallon, NRO's outgoing Director of Congressional and Public Affairs, to get his perspective on how the NRO is modernizing strategic communications and increasing transparency to increase the trust of the American people. Raising awareness of the NRO and its mission is critical towards building that trust, developing industry partnerships, and recruiting talent that will advance our national security.

Sitting down with Megan Keller, NRO's Chief of Talent Acquisition and Development Oct 20, 2023

New from "The Dish," we sit down with Megan Keller, NRO's Chief of Talent Acquisition and Development to explore a career in human resources and how to launch your own future at NRO. Topics include NRO benefits, navigating the application and onboarding process, and how you can be a part of the mission.

Sitting down with Captain Chris Daugherty, Mission Manager for NROL-107 Sep 07, 2023

In an interview with SILENTBARKER/NROL-107 Mission Manager Captain Chris Daugherty, we take an inside look at his role, the mission, and the hard work from he and his team to successfully put the payload on orbit.

Sitting down with Maj. Jason Rose, Mission Manager for NROL-68 Aug 26, 2023

Following a successful launch, mission manager Major Jason Rose talks about his experience working the second to last Delta IV Heavy launch, NROL-68. In this post-launch interview, Maj. Rose shares insights on the preparation leading up to launch, his memories working multiple Delta IV Heavy launches, as well his thoughts on being the last mission manager for the last Delta IV Heavy launch.

Sitting Down with Col. Chad Davis and the Office of Space Launch Jul 12, 2023

New from "The Dish," past NROL mission managers sat down with Col. Chad Davis to commemorate his time as launch director. From navigating launch challenges to learning leadership lessons, and all the dad jokes in between, take a look into his tenure.

Sitting down with Captain Mike Shenk, Mission Manager for NROL-91 Oct 14, 2022

Speaking on location from Vandenberg Space Force Base following a successful launch, mission manager Capt. Mike Shenk talks about what his experience was like working the last two Delta IV Heavy launches from the West Coast. In this post-launch interview, Capt. Shenk shares insights on the preparation leading up to launch, the moments before the final countdown, as well as the friendships and memories from NROL-91 that he'll continue to look back on.

Sitting down with Maj. Chestnut, Mission Manager for NROL-162, -199 Aug 19, 2022

Speaking on location in New Zealand, NROL-162 and -199 OSL Mission Manager, Maj. Joe Chestnut talks about the two missions, about working with the New Zealand Space Agency, which licensed the launch, and with Rocket Lab, the launch provider. NROL-162 launched from New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket from Launch Complex-1 e July 13. NROL-199 launched from the same location on a Rocket Lab Electron rocket Aug 4. NROL-162 and -199 launch services were acquired using NRO's Rapid Acquisition of a Small Rocket (RASR)contract. RASR enables the NRO to explore new opportunities for launching small satellites through a streamlined, commercial approach. These missions demonstrate NRO's capability to launch multiple rockets from overseas locations within days of one another. This speed and agility are critical as NRO innovates faster, working with government partners to keep the world safe and secure. NROL-162 and -199 carried national security payloads designed, built, and operated by the NRO in partnership with AUS DoD. This recording was conducted just prior to the successful launch of NROL-199.

Sitting Down with Maj. Schirner, Mission Manager for NROL-85 May 03, 2022

Maj. Schirner was the mission manager for NROL-85, which launched out of Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, on April 17 at 6:13 a.m. Pacific Time. In our first post-launch interview with a mission manager, Maj. Schirner discusses what his experience was like working with the NROL-85 team on this mission. Featured in this podcast: NROL-85 Mission Manager Maj. Jon Schirner and Deputy Director of NRO's Office of Public Affairs Andrea Williams ***The views, information, or opinions expressed during "The Dish" podcast are solely those of the individual(s) involved and do not necessarily represent that of the National Reconnaissance Office or its employees.***

Sitting Down with Dr. Margaret Weitekamp for Women's History Month Apr 04, 2022

For Women’s History Month, NRO invited Dr. Margaret Weitekamp, Curator and Department Chair of the Space History Department for the National Air and Space Museum. Dr. Weitekamp studied as a women’s historian for her undergrad and graduate degrees and has written several publications on women in space. Prior to her joining the Air and Space Museum, she spent a year in residence at NASA headquarters as an American Historical Association NASA Aerospace history fellow. Launch into her spectacular story on the one year anniversary of The Dish. Featured in this podcast: Curator and Department Chair of the Space History Department for the National Air and Space Museum Dr. Margaret Weitekamp and Director of NRO's Center for the Study of National Reconnaissance Dr. James Outzen ***The views, information, or opinions expressed during "The Dish" podcast are solely those of the individual(s) involved and do not necessarily represent that of the National Reconnaissance Office or its employees.***

Sitting Down with NROL-87 Mission Manager Maj. Emily Stanhouse Feb 02, 2022

One of the coolest jobs at the NRO is being Mission Manager of a launch. In an exclusive interview with #NROL87 Mission Manager Maj. Emily Stanhouse, we take an inside look at the role, the mission, and the hard work it takes to successfully put a payload on orbit. Featured in this podcast: NROL-87 Mission Manager Maj. Emily Stanhouse and NRO Public Affairs Officer Jordan Robinson ***The views, information, or opinions expressed during "The Dish" podcast are solely those of the individual(s) involved and do not necessarily represent that of the National Reconnaissance Office or its employees.***

Sitting Down With Edwin Chapman, GEOINT Learning Center SME Jan 21, 2022

Each NRO launch (NROL) patch tells a story. Hear about the history of NROL patches on this episode of The Dish. Keep an eye on NRO's social media for the release of "NRO Launch: A Pictorial History (1996-2021)" and for more launch content. Featured in this podcast: GEOINT Learning Center subject matter expert Edwin Chapman and NRO Public Affairs Officer Victoria Stonesifer. ***The views, information, or opinions expressed during "The Dish" podcast are solely those of the individual(s) involved and do not necessarily represent that of the National Reconnaissance Office or its employees.***

Sitting Down For Hispanic Heritage Month Sep 15, 2021

For Hispanic Heritage Month, the NRO Office of Public Affairs sat down with three members of the NRO workforce to discuss diversity in leadership, Hispanic and Latin American culture, and the work of the NRO Hispanic Advisory Network employee resource group. Featured in this Podcast: NRO Communications Systems Directorate Chief of Staff Jessenia Merced-Gonzalez, NRO Communication Systems Directorate Principal Deputy Director and Senior Champion for the NRO Hispanic Advisory Network Ledia Rivera, NRO Business Plans and Operations Budget Analyst and NRO Hispanic Advisory Network member Roberto Mendives, and NRO Public Affairs Officer Victoria Stonesifer ***The views, information, or opinions expressed during “The Dish” podcast are solely those of the individual(s) involved and do not necessarily represent that of the National Reconnaissance Office or its employees.***

Sitting Down with the Center for the Study of National Reconnaissance Sep 06, 2021

The NRO turned 60! To celebrate, The Dish sat down with 3 managers from the NRO's Center for the Study of National Reconnaissance (CSNR). Featured in this podcast: CSNR Deputy Director Patrick Widlake, CSNR Chief Historian Michael Suk, CSNR Chief of Recognition, Exhibits and Outreach Annie Hakes, and NRO Office of Public Affairs Officer Victoria Stonesifer ***The views, information, or opinions expressed during “The Dish” podcast are solely those of the individual(s) involved and do not necessarily represent that of the National Reconnaissance Office or its employees.***

Sitting down with NROL-111 Leadership Jul 19, 2021

Last month, the NRO successfully launched NROL-111, a Northrop Grumman Minotaur 1 rocket, from NASA Wallops Flight Facility. In this Episode of The Dish, NRO's Public Affairs team captured an exclusive interview with NRO Director Dr. Chris Scolese, NRO Principal Deputy Director Dr. Troy Meink, and IC Space Executive for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) J.P. Parker to hear their insights about the mission. Featured in this podcast: NRO Director Dr. Chris Scolese, NRO Principal Deputy Director Dr. Troy Meink, IC Space Executive for ODNI J.P. Parker, and NRO Public Affairs Director Maura Beard ***The views, information, or opinions expressed during “The Dish” podcast are solely those of the individual(s) involved and do not necessarily represent that of the National Reconnaissance Office or its employees.***

Sitting Down with NROL-111 Mission Manager Capt. Jon Chung Jul 01, 2021

Just days before NRO's most launch, the Office of Public Affairs interviewed NROL-111 mission manager Capt. Jon Chung. In this episode, Capt. Chung discusses being a mission manager, the NROL-111 team and his preparations for launch. Featured in this Podcast: NROL-111 Mission Manager Capt. Jon Chung and Public Affairs Officer April Smith ***The views, information, or opinions expressed during “The Dish” podcast are solely those of the individual(s) involved and do not necessarily represent that of the National Reconnaissance Office or its employees.***

Sitting Down with Dr. Eleanor Silverman, NRO Enterprise Capabilities Architect Jun 21, 2021

Dr. Eleanor Silverman is the first Enterprise Capabilities Architect for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). In this episode of The Dish, the NRO Office of Public Affairs sits down to learn about Dr. Silverman's and her new role. Featured in this Podcast: NRO Enterprise Capabilities Architect Dr. Eleanor Silverman and NRO Public Affairs Officer Victoria Stonesifer ***The views, information, or opinions expressed during “The Dish” podcast are solely those of the individual(s) involved and do not necessarily represent that of the National Reconnaissance Office or its employees.***

Sitting Down with Alex Kordell on the Director's Innovation Initiative Jun 18, 2021

From June through August, the NRO Director's Innovation Initiative (DII) will accept proposals for cutting-edge scientific research ideas to discover innovative concepts and creative solutions that could transform overhead intelligence capabilities for future national security needs. In this episode of The Dish, NRO's Office of Public Affairs interviews DII Program Manager Alex Kordell on the process behind the DII program, how to avoid mistakes in the submission process, and what makes a proposal go #AboveandBeyond. Featured in the Podcast: Alex Kordell, DII Program Manager; April Smith, NRO Office of Public Affairs ***The views, information, or opinions expressed during “The Dish” podcast are solely those of the individual(s) involved and do not necessarily represent that of the National Reconnaissance Office or its employees.***

Sitting Down with NRO Pioneer Sam Araki May 28, 2021

For Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the NRO Asian Pacific American Network (NAPAN) in partnership with the NRO Office of Public Affairs sat down with NRO Pioneer Sam Araki. Mr. Araki discussed his early life, his career and his most recent publication "The 4C1000 Seven Tenets for the 21st Century - The Innovation Secret at the National Reconnaissance Office and Silicon Valley" which can be read here: https://www.nro.gov/Portals/65/documents/history/csnr/articles/NRO_Journal_4C1000_Seven_Tenets_for_The_21st_Century_Pre-Print_7-2020.pdf?ver=2020-07-09-114911-710 Featured in this Podcast: NRO Pioneer and former President of Lockheed Missiles and Space Sam Araki and NRO Asian Pacific American Network member Sam Mackin ***The views, information, or opinions expressed during “The Dish” podcast are solely those of the individual(s) involved and do not necessarily represent that of the National Reconnaissance Office or its employees.***

Sitting Down with the DNI and NRO Director for NROL-82 Launch May 26, 2021

One month ago today, NRO Director Dr. Chris Scolese and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines joined Chief of Space Operations for the Space Force, Gen. Jay Raymond, for the NROL-82 launch. In a quick interview, Dr. Scolese and DNI Haines gave their thoughts on the success of the NRO and the path to the successful launch. Featured in this Podcast: National Reconnaissance Office Director Dr. Chris Scolese, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, and Office of Public Affairs Director Maura Beard. ***The views, information, or opinions expressed during “The Dish” podcast are solely those of the individual(s) involved and do not necessarily represent that of the National Reconnaissance Office or its employees.***

Sitting Down with Dr. Susan Durham During Women's History Month Mar 31, 2021

During Women's History Month, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Office of Public Affairs sat down with the Director of NRO's Advanced Systems & Technology (AS&T) Directorate, Dr. Susan Durham. Dr. Durham gave her views on rising through the ranks, her advice for the generation of women following in her footsteps, the mantras that get her through tough days, and more. Featured in this podcast: Director AS&T Dr. Susan Durham and NRO Public Affairs Officer April Smith ***The views, information, or opinions expressed during “The Dish” podcast are solely those of the individual(s) involved and do not necessarily represent that of the National Reconnaissance Office or its employees.***

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