SpaceX successfully launched a classified mission, designated NROL-146, on May 22, 2024, marking the company’s 52nd launch of the year. The mission involved deploying the National Reconnaissance Office’s (NRO) first batch of next-generation spy satellites into orbit.

The Falcon 9 rocket took off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 4:00 a.m. Eastern time. This launch also marked the fifth mission of the Falcon 9 for the NRO. Following separation from the upper stage, the rocket’s first stage, which completed its 16th mission, landed on a drone ship in the Pacific Ocean.

Due to the classified nature of the mission, SpaceX did not provide images of the rocket’s upper stage and ended the webcast after the successful landing of the first stage booster. This landing marked SpaceX’s 310th successful recovery of a first-stage booster.

The NRO, responsible for designing and operating classified U.S. government surveillance and intelligence satellites, collaborated with SpaceX and Northrop Grumman to deploy a new imaging satellite constellation. The agency has not disclosed the exact number of satellites launched in this mission or the total size of the new constellation. However, the NRO plans to conduct a total of six launches in 2024 to enhance its small satellite architecture.

The objective of increasing the number of spacecraft in orbit is to enable more frequent revisits to critical areas of interest, facilitating faster delivery of vital intelligence. The NROL-146 mission signifies the NRO’s commitment to deploying responsive collection and rapid data delivery systems, enhancing operational capabilities following successful demonstrations in recent years.