National Applications Office
Encyclopedia
The National Applications Office was a United States Department of Homeland Security
program that provides local, state, and federal officials with extensive access to spy-satellite imagery. It has access to military satellites to observe the United States. It has been described as a clearinghouse for requests by law enforcement, border security, and other domestic homeland security agencies to access feeds from spy satellites that have collected data for mainly scientific and military uses in the past. The name of the agency has been described as "deceptive."
Access to spy satellite surveillance tools allows Homeland Security and law enforcement officials to see real-time, high-quality images. This allows them to identify gang safehouses, border smuggler staging areas, or even hideouts of would-be terrorists. The spy surveillance satellites are considered by military experts to be far more powerful than those currently available to civilian officials. For example, they can take color photos, see through cloud cover and forest canopies, and use different parts of the light spectrum to locate traces left by chemical weapons. However, the full capabilities of these systems are among the most carefully held governmental secrets.
As of October 2, 2007, the United States Congress
has filed an injunction against the NAO, that orders it not to begin operations. This is due largely to questions about civil liberty issues. Some in Congress want to shut down the agency because of concerns that the satellites could be used to create a “Big Brother” in the sky directed willy-nilly at anyone’s house, place of worship or school.
The NAO's charter was signed in February 2008. On November 9, 2008 the Government Accountability Office released a recommendation that the NAO's role be more strictly defined. This might be seen as evidence that the aforementioned civil liberty issues have not been sufficiently addressed.
In 2009 homeland secretary Janet Napolitano terminated the office.
United States Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security is a cabinet department of the United States federal government, created in response to the September 11 attacks, and with the primary responsibilities of protecting the territory of the United States and protectorates from and responding to...
program that provides local, state, and federal officials with extensive access to spy-satellite imagery. It has access to military satellites to observe the United States. It has been described as a clearinghouse for requests by law enforcement, border security, and other domestic homeland security agencies to access feeds from spy satellites that have collected data for mainly scientific and military uses in the past. The name of the agency has been described as "deceptive."
Access to spy satellite surveillance tools allows Homeland Security and law enforcement officials to see real-time, high-quality images. This allows them to identify gang safehouses, border smuggler staging areas, or even hideouts of would-be terrorists. The spy surveillance satellites are considered by military experts to be far more powerful than those currently available to civilian officials. For example, they can take color photos, see through cloud cover and forest canopies, and use different parts of the light spectrum to locate traces left by chemical weapons. However, the full capabilities of these systems are among the most carefully held governmental secrets.
As of October 2, 2007, the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
has filed an injunction against the NAO, that orders it not to begin operations. This is due largely to questions about civil liberty issues. Some in Congress want to shut down the agency because of concerns that the satellites could be used to create a “Big Brother” in the sky directed willy-nilly at anyone’s house, place of worship or school.
The NAO's charter was signed in February 2008. On November 9, 2008 the Government Accountability Office released a recommendation that the NAO's role be more strictly defined. This might be seen as evidence that the aforementioned civil liberty issues have not been sufficiently addressed.
In 2009 homeland secretary Janet Napolitano terminated the office.
External links
- National Applications Office: Fact Sheet Department of Homeland Security, August 15, 2007
- U.S. Reconnaissance Satellites: Domestic Targets Documents Describe Use of Satellites in Support of Civil Agencies and Longstanding Controversy, National Security ArchiveNational Security ArchiveThe National Security Archive is a 501 non-governmental, non-profit research and archival institution located in the George Washington University in Washington, D.C.. Founded in 1985 by Scott Armstrong, it archives and publishes declassified U.S. government files concerning selected topics of US...
, The George Washington University, April 11, 2008 - Satellite Surveillance: Domestic Issues, Congressional Research Service, March 21, 2008
- National Applications Office Charter
- Government Accountability Office Recommendations