SpaceX is gearing up for a middle-of-the-night launch from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base, carrying a classified payload of satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).
The Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to lift off at 3:10 a.m. ET (12:10 a.m. PT) November 30, with a four-hour launch window.
The mission, which is shrouded in secrecy, is part of the NRO's expanding "proliferated architecture," a cutting-edge network of small satellites designed to bolster U.S. intelligence and defense capabilities.
This marks the fifth batch of satellites launched under the program, which the agency says will be the "largest government constellation in history."
The NRO's proliferated system reflects a shift in how the U.S. approaches space-based intelligence gathering.
Traditionally reliant on fewer, highly advanced satellites in higher orbits, the agency is now moving toward constellations of smaller, low-cost satellites.
"The NRO's proliferated system will increase timeliness of access, diversify communications pathways and enhance resilience," the agency said in a statement ahead of the launch.
"With hundreds of small satellites on orbit, data will be delivered in minutes or even seconds. This will ensure the analysts, warfighters, and civil agencies NRO serves receive actionable information faster than ever before."
According to a statement from NRO Director Chris Scolese, the new satellites provide "greater revisit rates, increased coverage, and more timely delivery of information," enabling intelligence analysts and military forces to receive critical data rapidly.
Revisit rates—the ability to capture images of the same location over short intervals—are a crucial upgrade in capabilities provided by the new system.
The NRO began deploying its proliferated architecture with the launch of NROL-146 in May 2024, followed by NROL-186 in June, NROL-113 in September and NROL-167 in October.
More launches are expected into 2028, according to the NRO.
The agency's decision to proliferate its satellite constellation mirrors trends in the commercial space sector, where companies like SpaceX's Starlink have launched thousands of satellites to create expansive, interconnected networks.
By adopting similar strategies, the NRO aims to achieve near-constant surveillance capabilities—keeping watch over strategic areas and delivering intelligence faster than ever before.
While the NRO is clear about the benefits of its proliferated architecture, it remains tight-lipped about the specific purpose of these satellites.
Speaking at a recent event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Scolese highlighted the importance of "persistence" and "fast revisit rates."
But what exactly these satellites are persistently monitoring—or why—is classified.
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