SpaceX's Falcon 9 Rocket Successfully Launches Secret Satellite From NRO

Falcon 9 rocket, just before launch. (photo: twitter @spacex)

JAKARTA - A secret satellite for the US National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) was launched into space from California on Sunday, April 17.

The NRO is the government agency tasked with developing, building, launching, and maintaining US satellites that provide intelligence to senior policymakers, the intelligence community, and the Department of Defense.

The NROL-85 satellite took off from launch pad 4E at 6:13 a.m. on a foggy morning from Vandenberg Space Force Base, northwest of Los Angeles, on a two-stage SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The rocket launched with a thrust of 1.7 million pounds and propelled the rocket into the morning sky.

Based on the timing of the launch and various other factors including military procurement documents, Independent space analysts who spoke to CBS News speculated that Falcon 9 carries two Marine Surveillance Systems, (NOSS satellites) that can electronically monitor and locate ships at sea.

"It was the first mission by the NRO to reuse SpaceX rocket boosters," said a Vandenberg source, in a statement and SpaceX's 14th flight to this year.

Watch Falcon 9 launch NROL-85 → https://t.co/sHZKdDacjG https://t.co/a9zuvHM5At

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 17, 2022

The first stage of the Falcon rocket flew back and landed at a seaside base northwest of Los Angeles. The first stage of the southbound liftoff enhances the upper stage of the rocket and the NRO payload en route to the upper atmosphere.

Two and a half minutes after launch, the booster rocket began to fall and rotate using three engines to change course back toward Vandenberg, landing in Landing Zone 4 about eight minutes after liftoff. The landing was SpaceX's 114th successful booster recovery and fifth in California.

The NRO itself only described the NROL-85 satellite as a 'critical national security payload.' SpaceX also did not reveal details about the other classified payloads.

"I am proud of the teamwork, skill, and determination that made this launch a success and ultimately convey important information to our nation's policymakers, military, and intelligence community," said NRO Director Chris Scolese, as quoted by the Daily Mail.

"It was incredible. The unified team, the rockets, the satellites, everything went smoothly and the launch went smoothly,” added Colonel Robert Bongiovi, Director of the Space Systems Command Launch Company.

The launch is one of three that the Air Force ordered SpaceX in 2019 for a combined fixed price of $297 million (IDR 4.2 trillion).