The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) has successfully launched its ninth mission supporting the agency’s proliferated architecture satellite constellation using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The mission, dubbed NROL-192, marks a milestone for SpaceX as it will be the 400th launch of a previously flown Falcon booster.
Liftoff from Vandenberg Space Force Base occurred at 5:25 a.m. PDT on Saturday, April 12, and was completed in under eight minutes. The Falcon 9 first stage booster, tail number B1071, made its 24th launch, supporting four NRO missions, three rideshare flights, and 14 Starlink launches.
NRO Director Chris Scolese praised the development of the proliferated architecture satellite constellation, calling it “the world’s most capable, resilient, and technologically advanced” system. The constellation has already shortened revisit times, increased observational persistence, and enhanced data processing speeds.
Scolese stated that the NRO plans to increase its launch cadence and will launch two more missions in April, with further missions planned until 2029. While the exact rocket provider for future launches is unclear, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 remains the preferred choice.
The NRO’s proliferated architecture constellation aims to enhance national security by providing faster data processing, fusion, and transmission speeds, as well as greater resilience and security. With this development, the agency seeks to strengthen national security with improved prospects for lethality when necessary.
Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2025/04/12/live-coverage-spacex-to-launch-starshield-satellites-for-the-nro-on-falcon-9-rocket-from-vandenberg