Tag: NRO
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Classified NRO Payload and Chinese Triple-Header Fill a Busy Launch Week
The week opens with a concentrated block of Chinese activity on July 29, followed by the NRO mission on July 30. Two of the three Chinese launches carry undisclosed payloads, and the NRO flight is classified, leaving much of the week’s activity opaque as to purpose. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation plans to…
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SpaceX launches intelligence-gathering satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office
A streak shot of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket as it launched the NROL-179 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office on June 18, 2026. Image: SpaceX Update June 19, 8 a.m. EDT (1200 UTC): The NRO confirmed deployment of its satellites. SpaceX launched its third mission this year supporting the National Reconnaissance Office’s constellation of intelligence-gathering…
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Launch Preview: 10 launches scheduled from sites across the world
A very busy launch manifest is expected in the upcoming week, with 10 launches scheduled from various sites across the world. Falcon 9 is expected to launch five of the 10 launches this week, with two Starlink missions, a mission for the National Reconnaissance Office, a mission for AST SpaceMobile, and a demo of the…
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NRO Nominee Says Commercial Space Needs Clear Demand Signals
How is the NRO adapting to commercial space dominance? Roger Mason, nominated to lead the National Reconnaissance Office, told senators that clear government demand signals are essential as private investment fundamentally transforms the space intelligence market. During his confirmation hearing, Mason emphasized that the NRO must better communicate its requirements to commercial providers while adapting…
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NRO Director Scolese Exits After Expanding Commercial Intel Partnerships
What did Chris Scolese accomplish as NRO director? Chris Scolese’s departure as National Reconnaissance Office director marks the end of a transformative four-year tenure that fundamentally reshaped America’s intelligence satellite strategy. Under his leadership, the NRO expanded commercial partnerships to counter growing threats from China and Russia while opening unprecedented public engagement channels for the…
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Russia Deploys Co-Orbital ASAT Weapons Targeting US Spy Satellites
Is Russia Now Targeting US Spy Satellites with Co-Orbital Weapons? Russia has transitioned from testing to operationally deploying co-orbital anti-satellite weapons that are actively shadowing valuable US government satellites, according to General Stephen Whiting, commander of US Space Command. The four-star general’s assessment marks a significant escalation in space-based threats, with Russia’s Nivelir program having…
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NRO Awards First Contracts to Commercial Space Firms Under New Procurement Program
The U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) has awarded its first three contracts under a new procurement program aimed at expanding access to commercial satellite intelligence capabilities, Deputy Director Maj. Gen. Christopher Povak said on Thursday. Speaking at the National Security Space Association’s Defense and Intelligence Space Conference, Povak said the contracts were issued through the…
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Launch Preview: Launches from China, U.S., and Norway scheduled for upcoming week
Eight orbital launch attempts are scheduled for this week, with SpaceX and Chinese launches comprising a majority of the launch manifest. SpaceX is scheduled to launch two batches of Starlink satellites into the constellation’s Group 6 shell, as well as a batch of reconnaissance satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office. Four rockets will launch from…
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NRO, SpaceX launch reconnaissance satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg SFB
A Falcon 9 rocket launches the NROL-48 mission from Vandenberg on Sept. 22, 2025. Image: SpaceX. The National Reconnaissance Office sent its 11th batch of small, reconnaissance satellites into low Earth orbit Monday morning. These are believed to be Starshield satellites, a government variant of SpaceX’s Starlink satellites, though the NRO hasn’t confirmed this. The…
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Launch Roundup: Starlink, NRO, and New Shepard missions
Another busy week of launches has arrived, with SpaceX dominating the launch manifest with four missions for the week. Three of these missions saw new batches of Starlink internet satellites launched into the company’s Starlink constellation, with the fourth mission launching a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office. Blue Origin finally launched its uncrewed NS-35…