A National Reconnaissance Office mission supporting NRO’s proliferated architecture of satellites took off Wednesday aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from a launch complex at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The NROL-146 mission marks the first launch of NRO’s proliferated operational systems “featuring responsive collection and rapid data delivery,” the agency said Wednesday.
“The NROL-146 mission that launched today reflects the NRO’s commitment to developing innovative, faster, and more resilient technologies and providing greater capabilities to our IC, DoD, and allied partners,” said Chris Scolese, director of NRO and a four-time Wash100 awardee.
“These systems provide key information that can only be obtained from the vantage point of space,” Scolese added.
NRO said approximately six launches in support of the agency’s proliferated architecture are planned in 2024 and that it expects additional launches to occur through 2028.
