WASHINGTON — A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on March 24 successfully launched the classified NROL-69 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office, putting the agency on a path to build the largest ever U.S. government satellite network.The NROL-69 mission launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 1:48 p.m. Eastern, representing the first National Security Space Launch (NSSL) mission of 2025 and the first NRO mission under SpaceX’s NSSL Phase 2 contract awarded by the U.S. Space Force in August 2020.Monday’s launch follows closely on the heels of the NROL-57 mission, which lifted off also on a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on March 21 at 2:49 a.m. Eastern. NROL-57 marked the eighth launch supporting the agency’s new proliferated architecture of small satellites.“Over the past two years, NRO has launched more than 150 satellites, creating the largest and most capable government constellation on orbit in our nation’s history,” the NRO said in a statement. “Continuing with this momentum, 2025 is set to be another dynamic year, with approximately one dozen NRO launches scheduled.”The intelligence agency said roughly half of these planned launches will expand its proliferated architecture, with additional deployments planned through 2029.This new imaging satellite constellation, built in partnership with SpaceX and Northrop Grumman, is designed to support military operations. The NRO, which designs and operates classified U.S. government surveillance and intelligence satellites, has characterized this rapidly expanding network as critical to modernize U.S. intelligence-gathering from space.
Sandra Erwin writes about military space programs, policy, technology and the industry that supports this sector. She has covered the military, the Pentagon, Congress and the defense industry for nearly two decades as editor of NDIA’s National Defense…
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