ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Reconnaissance satellite

A reconnaissance satellite is a kind of satellite that takes pictures, or "reconnaissance", from outer space. It is like a camera that is thousands of miles away, flying around the earth and taking pictures from way up high. The pictures can be very detailed and show us all kinds of things on the ground. The military uses these satellites to watch for enemies or changes on the ground, and scientists also use them to monitor things like the weather and climate change.