The agency that operates the government’s surveillance satellites has partnered with Space Force and SpaceX in a recent launch.
The National Reconnaissance Office said its NROL-69 mission was launched Monday on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The reusable rocket booster landed safely after delivering the classified national security payload into orbit.
The NRO said the successful launch is evidence of the close working relationship between the office and the Space Force Space Systems Command.
“NRO and SSC’s partnership through the National Security Space Launch program is an important step in safeguarding our nation’s interests in space,” said Space Force Col. Eric Zarybnisky, director of the NRO’s Office of Space Launch. “Together, we are advancing national security by ensuring the U.S. maintains resilient and cost-effective space capabilities to meet evolving threats and deliver vital intelligence.”
The National Security Space Launch is a government launch acquisition partnership program between the NRO and Space Force aimed at securing continuous access to space for national security purposes. Monday’s launch is the first Phase 2 mission, following two Phase 1 missions in 2022.
The NRO has launched more than 150 satellites over the past two years, creating an imaging satellite constellation. This week’s launch marks the NRO’s fifth of the year, with at least a dozen more planned in the coming months.
The NRO says the satellite network is essential for intelligence gathering.
“For more than 60 years, the NRO has successfully met the needs of its U.S. intelligence, military, civil, and allied partners. It remains the world’s leader in unique intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems,” the NRO said in a statement. “The NRO’s next-generation systems will help ensure that the right data is delivered to the right user at the right time, faster than ever before.”
