A reconnaissance satellite or intelligence satellite is an Earth observation satellite or communications satellite deployed for military or intelligence applications.
A list of the types of U.S. reconnaissance satellites deployed from 1960 onward
Aerial view of Osama bin Laden's compound in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad made by the CIA.
KH-4B Corona satellite
U.S. Lacrosse radar spy satellite under construction
Earth observation satellite
An Earth observation satellite or Earth remote sensing satellite is a satellite used or designed for Earth observation (EO) from orbit, including spy satellites and similar ones intended for non-military uses such as environmental monitoring, meteorology, cartography and others. The most common type are Earth imaging satellites, that take satellite images, analogous to aerial photographs; some EO satellites may perform remote sensing without forming pictures, such as in GNSS radio occultation.
Six Earth observation satellites comprising the A-train satellite constellation as of 2014.
GOES-8, a United States weather satellite.
RapidEye Earth exploration-satellite system in action around the Earth.