Arguably, the Blackbird has greater survivability than most U.S. space-based reconnaissance systems.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center for Security Policy | Congress Must Preserve A Vital Strategic Reconnaissance Capability �� The SR-71

Our experience tells us that the contribution made to U.S. national security in the future by space-based reconnaissance, communications, navigation and other systems will only continue to grow.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT CLINTON

The SR-71 has proven its value as a complementary system to U.S. space-based reconnaissance assets during the prolonged period from 1985 to 1987 when the United States was unable to place new satellites in orbit.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center for Security Policy | Congress Must Preserve A Vital Strategic Reconnaissance Capability �� The SR-71

Passing over the landing site early Monday, the space agency's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured a dramatic image of Curiosity plunging toward the surface, dangling from its fully deployed, 51-foot-wide parachute.

WSJ: NASA's Curiosity Rover Lands on Mars

Curiosity has "ears" to hear commands relayed from NASA's Deep Space Network via the Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance spacecraft orbiting Mars.

CNN: Curiosity opening Martian frontier?

These modular bots, currently being developed in Germany, work both independently and as a group and are designed for use in applications such as military reconnaissance, surveillance, and even space exploration.

ENGADGET: Modular robots join forces to search and rescue

"There's no physical difference in the moon, " said Noah Petro, scientist for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

CNN: Rare supermoon eclipse comes Sunday

The enigmatic "Mona Lisa" countenance was digitized and traveled via laser almost 240, 000 miles from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, to the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS