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Credit: SpaceX
SpaceX led another series of next generation for the US National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) this morning (April 20).
A Falcon 9 rocket that was withdrawn from a mission at 8:29 a.m. Edt (1229 GMT; 5:29 pm local, California) from a mission that NRO named NROL-145 called NRO called NRO called Nro.
NROL-145 was the 10th start to support the “Proliferated Architecture” by NRO, a new network, which consists of many inexpensive small satellites and not of some very capable but expensive ones.
The first stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket comes after the start of the NROL-145 mission for the US National Reconnaissance Office from the Vandenberg Space Force Base of the US Enlightenment on April 20, 2025 at a ship. | Credit: SpaceX
“Hundreds of small satellites in orbit are of an invaluable value for the mission of the NRO,” said NRO director Chris Scolese in a press release about the proliferated architecture network that you can find here.
“You will provide a larger repetition rates, increased coverage and the more timely provision of information – and ultimately helps us to deliver more of what our customers need even faster,” added Scolese.
Everything seemed to be going well today; The first stage of the Falcon 9 landed about eight minutes after the start on a drone ship in the Pacific Ocean. According to SpaceX, it was the 12th start and touchdown for this special booster.
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SpaceX ended his live stream shortly after the NRO request. We have received no views from the upper stage of Falcon 9 or in information about the payloads. That is not surprising; The NRO is usually quite tight over its spaceship and its activities.
However, it is believed that the proliferated architecture vehicle modified versions of SpaceX’s Starlink-Internet satellites from SpaceX, with some high-tech espionage equipment attached.
The first proliferated architectural mission was launched in May 2024. All 10 of them flew 9 rockets from Vandenberg on Falcon.
