There are about 17 of these sensing satellites in orbit. Mostly staring at the earth but 2 or 3 staring at the sun.
PBS Nova did a 2 hour show on this a while back and it is remarkable what they are learning about how the earth works.
NASA is corrupt. When Pres. Eisenhower talked about the military industrial complex, he was referring, in part, to the space program if the "Politically Incorrect Guide to the Sixties" is to be believed.