Birth of Air Force Satellite Reconnaissance

This history of SAFSP is dedicated to all those men and women who fought the Cold War in silence - from above. No organization is better at gathering overhead intelligence than the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). Today's NRO grew out of 3 organizations: AF CIA and Navy. The AF office for satellite reconnaissance was called the Secretary of Air Force's Office of Special Projects [SAFSP]. This monograph describes the birth of Air Force satellite reconnaissance. When SAFSP was created in response to Presidential recognition of a national imperative 4 tenets captured the sense of urgency: direct access to national leadership covert management/operations highest national priority and rapid procurement. In addition 3 management principles led to SAFSP's success over 30+ years of providing reconnaissance intelligence: strong dedication to mission empowerment at all levels and reporting by exception.