The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) last Friday night successfully launched the second mission of its proliferated space architecture aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, executing on plans to sustain relatively routine delivery of spy satellites into orbit.
The NROL-186 mission, which lifted off at 11:14 p.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., follows the first launch in May of the agency’s proliferated space architecture. The May 22 launch aboard a Falcon 9 also occurred at Vandenberg.
“Our new, proliferated systems enhance our ability to collect and deliver critical information at the speed of our users demand,” Chris Scolese, NRO’s director, said in a statement. “The diversity of our overhead architecture allows us to remain agile and resilient amid increasing competition and emerging threats, ensuring we are well positioned now and in the future to deliver on our mission of keeping our nation safe.”
NRO said it is planning about six launches this year for its proliferated architecture, with additional launches expected through 2028.
NROL-186 was also done in partnership with U.S. Space Force Space Launch Delta 30.
NRO’s first proliferated architecture launch in May followed demonstration satellite launches the past few years to verify cost and performance, Troy Meink, principal deputy director of NRO, said in April. NRO is expanding its space architecture—which includes government and commercial satellites—at a faster clip because of lower launch costs, more launch locations, and lower payload costs.