SpaceX Launches First NRO Mission Of 2026

A long exposure shot of SpaceX launching the National Reconnaissance Office’s NROL-105 mission on a Falcon 9 rocket on Jan. 16. 2026, from Vandenberg SFB, California, and the return of the booster following stage separation. Credit: SpaceX

A long exposure shot of SpaceX launching the National Reconnaissance Office’s NROL-105 mission on a Falcon 9 rocket on Jan. 16 from Vandenberg SFB, California, and the return of the booster following stage separation.

Credit: SpaceX
SpaceX successfully carried an undisclosed number of satellites to orbit for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) when a Falcon 9 rocket launched Jan. 16 from Vandenberg SFB, California. The rocket lifted off at 11:39 p.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 4-East under mission NROL-105, the 12th...
Vivienne Machi

Vivienne Machi is the military space editor for Aviation Week based in Los Angeles.

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