SpaceX launches intelligence-gathering satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office

SpaceX launched its third mission this year supporting the National Reconnaissance Office’s constellation of intelligence-gathering satellites. The mission, dubbed NROL-179, launched an undisclosed number of satellites into orbit as part of what the NRO calls its proliferated architecture constellation. These are believed to be Starshield satellites, a government variant of SpaceX’s Starlink, though neither the NRO nor SpaceX has confirmed on the record that this is the case. Liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket from pad happened Friday, June 19, at 1:50:45 a.m. PDT (4:50:45 a.m. EDT / 0850:45 UTC). More

(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Jun 20)