A Falcon 9 rocket, operated by SpaceX, successfully launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 2:49 a.m. EDT on March 21. The rocket is tasked with delivering the classified NROL-57 mission for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).
This launch signifies a significant achievement in rocket reusability, as the same booster had previously been used to launch NASA’s SPHEREx space telescope and PUNCH solar probes just over nine days prior. The former record for the shortest interval between flights of a Falcon 9 first stage was 14 days.
According to the NRO, NROL-57 is part of the agency’s “proliferated architecture” initiative, which aims to deploy multiple smaller satellites to enhance resilience and operational capabilities.
While specific details about the payloads remain classified, there are indications that they may include “Starshield” satellites—adapted versions of SpaceX’s Starlink satellites designed for government reconnaissance.
Approximately 7.5 minutes after liftoff, the Falcon 9’s first stage successfully landed back at Vandenberg Space Force Base, marking this as the booster’s fourth flight.
This achievement underscores SpaceX’s progress in the rapid refurbishment and reuse of rocket components. NROL-57 is the eighth launch under this strategy, with all prior missions also executed using Falcon 9 rockets from Vandenberg.
The expanding constellation of these satellites aims to enhance operational flexibility and reliability in space-based intelligence operations. No official information has been released regarding the orbit or deployment details of the NROL-57 payloads.
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