The National Reconnaissance Office, in collaboration with the U.S. Space Force Space Launch Delta 30 and SpaceX, launched the NROL-57 mission on March 21.
The agency said Friday the mission was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex-4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
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Boosting Space-Based Intelligence Capabilities
NROL-57 is the eighth mission of NRO’s proliferated architecture and the second of 12 planned proliferated missions for 2025. It is intended to boost the United States’ space-based intelligence capabilities and strengthen national security. The latest mission is part of an initiative meant to develop the nation’s largest intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance constellation.
Growing Satellite Constellation
With over 150 satellites deployed in the last two years, NRO has built the largest government constellation in U.S. history. Aside from NROL-153, launched in January, and NROL-57, the agency expects to deploy 10 more satellites this year. Around six of this year’s satellites will be tasked with enhancing NRO’s proliferated architecture. More proliferated launches will be launched until 2029.
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