SpaceX to launch falcon 9 with US spy satellites and Starlink spacecraft

Falcon 9 rocket will deploy Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit about 62 minutes after liftoff

Tech Desk - Nov 30, 2024

An undated image of SpaceX starship. — SpaceX

SpaceX is preparing to launch a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a batch of US spy satellites from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base on Saturday, November 30, 2024.

The mission, named NROL-126, is scheduled to lift off during a four-hour launch window starting at 3:10 am EST. In addition to the spy satellites, the Falcon 9 will carry 20 of SpaceX’s own Starlink broadband satellites.

This marks SpaceX's fifth mission in support of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The NROL-126 mission embraces the NRO’s "proliferated architecture," a strategy involving smaller satellites to enhance capability and resilience.

The Falcon 9 is expected to deploy the Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit approximately 62 minutes after liftoff. The rocket’s first stage will return to Earth about eight minutes after launch, landing on the SpaceX drone ship stationed in the Pacific Ocean. Details regarding when the NRO satellites will separate from the rocket’s upper stage have not been disclosed.

SpaceX typically streams its launches live on X (formerly Twitter), starting five to 15 minutes before liftoff. However, the mission description for NROL-126 does not confirm whether a webcast will be available for this launch.

This mission follows four earlier NRO proliferated architecture launches aboard Falcon 9 rockets this year: