SpaceX Falcon 9 launch of the NROL-186 mission: date, time and how to watch
SpaceX is targeting Friday, June 28 for a Falcon 9 launch of the NROL-186 mission on behalf of the National Reconnaissance Office. Here are the details.
SpaceX is aiming to launch its Falcon 9 rocket as part of the NROL-186 mission on Friday, June 28, from the Space Launch Complex at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The window for the launch starts at 8:14 p.m. PT / 11:14 ET, and will last for two hours. If the rocket is unable to blast off during that period, another window will be available on Saturday, June 29, beginning at 8 p.m. PT / 11 p.m. ET.
SpaceX is conducting the mission on behalf of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), an agency of the U.S. Department of Defense.
The agency said the mission will be the second launch that will release a satellite into Earth’s orbit to advance “space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.”
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How to watch the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch of the NROL-186 mission
The mission launch will be streamed live beginning approximately 10 minutes before lift-off at spaceTV.net and on X @SpaceX.
The structure of the satellite is in keeping with NRO’s new idea of space architecture which makes use of multiple smaller satellites to create a network similar to constellations that will make it more resistant to attacks.
The exact destination of the the mission, classified as government or top secret, is unknown. The cost is pegged at $69.75 million.
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What is the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)?
The NRO is a U.S. government agency responsible for the design, construction, and operation of reconnaissance satellites.
These satellites are crucial for national security, providing intelligence and surveillance capabilities to various branches of the government, including the Department of Defense and the intelligence community.
Its network of reconnaissance satellites gathers information on global events, monitors potential threats, and supports military operations. The data collected by NRO satellites is used for national security, defense, and foreign policy purposes.