Rocket Lab Launches Reconnaissance Satellite For National Security Mission

JAKARTA Rocket Lab, aerospace company from the United States, launched a special mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The mission was launched on Wallops Island, Virginia on Thursday, March 21.

This is not the first time Rocket Lab has teamed up with NRO. However, the NROL-123 mission with the titleLive and Let Flyini was the first mission to be launched from the United States. Four previous NRO missions were launched in New Zealand.

At 2:25 p.m., the NRO Orbital mission launched from the Launch Complex 2 Rocket Lab using an Electron rocket. Through the launch, Rocket Lab assisted NRO in sending three research missions into space.

Not much information about the payload from the launch this time because Rocket Lab and NRO never disclosed it. This is not surprising because the NRO is building a fleet of spy satellites.

Therefore, the type of payload or orbital is kept secret. At least, the launch process was broadcasted webcast even though the broadcast ended more quickly. According toSpace, stopping this broadcast may be a request from the NRO.

Rocket Lab was chosen to be the launch service provider for the NRO mission as the company won the Rapid Acquisition of a Small Rocket (RASR) contract. Therefore, Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck is proud of the launch this time.

"The RASR contract process is an innovative and forward-minded approach from the NRO that allows the agency to take advantage of the speed and responsiveness of commercial launch services and we are very pleased to make it happen," Beck said.

The Rocket Lab founder added that the launch of the NROL-123 mission with Electron was an honor. This shows that, "NRO has put their trust in Rocket Lab since our first launch in 2020."