The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and the Australian Department of Defense designed and developed a national security payload, which launched at 2:30 a.m. Eastern time on July 13 aboard a Rocket Lab USA [RKLB] Electron rocket from Rocket Lab Launch Complex-1 in New Zealand for the NROL-162 mission, the NRO said on July 13. Another national security payload is to launch on an Electron rocket in the next such responsive space mission, NROL-199, on July 22. NRO Director Chris Scolese…
