On Thursday, March 20 at 11:49 p.m. PT, Falcon 9 launched the NROL-57 mission from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.This was the fourth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched NROL-126, Transporter-12, and SPHEREx.
William Harwood @rocketksc.bsky.socialF9/NROL-57: LIFTOFF! SpaceX launched an unknown number of NRO satellites this morning from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California; liftoff from pad 4E came at 2:49am EDT (0649 UTC); this was SpaceX's 33rd F9 launch this year and the 450th overall
Per https://www.fly.faa.gov/adv/adv_spt.jsp this has been pushed back to NET March 26:SPACEX STARLINK 11-7, VANDENBERG SFB, CAPRIMARY: 03/26/25 2200Z-0424ZBACKUP: 03/27/25 2200Z-0424Z
Thread for the Starlink Group 6-80 launch.Launch NET 30 March 2025, at ~19:16 UTC (~3:16 pm EDT), from CCSFS SLC-40, on booster 10xx-xx. The first stage will attempt to land aboard one of two East Coast ASDS.Payload 24 Starlink V2 Mini satellites, to a 43.00? degree inclination orbit on a southeastern trajectory. Initial orbit nnn x nnn km.Please use the Starlink Discussion Thread for all general discussion on Starlink.Check the Starlink Index Thread for links to more Starlink information.L2 SpaceX: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?board=60.0
Launch has appeared on CADENA OIS:Primary Launch Day 30 Mar 1916Z-2345Z Backup Launch Day (1) 31 Mar 1850Z-2321Z Backup Launch Day (2) 01 Apr 1824Z-2255Z Backup Launch Day (3) 02 Apr 1758Z-2229Z Backup Launch Day (4) 03 Apr 1732Z-2203Z Backup Launch Day (5) 04 Apr 1706Z-2137Z Backup Launch Day (6) 05 Apr 1640Z-2111Z
Thread for the Starlink Group 11-13 launch.Launch NET 31 March 2025, at ~00:23 UTC (NET 30 March ~5:23 pm PDT), from Vandenberg SLC-4E, on booster 10xx-xx. The first stage will land aboard Of Course I Still Love You.Payload 22 Starlink V2.0 Mini satellites, to a 53.16? degree inclination orbit on a southeastern trajectory. Initial orbit nnn x nnn km.Please use the Starlink Discussion Thread for all general discussion on Starlink.Check the Starlink Index Thread for links to more Starlink information.L2 SpaceX: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?board=60.0
Launch has appeared on CADENA OIS:Primary Launch Day 31 Mar 0023Z-0554Z Backup Launch Day (1) 01 Apr 0001Z-0432Z Backup Launch Day (2) 01 Apr 2339Z-0410Z Backup Launch Day (3) 02 Apr 2316Z-0347Z Backup Launch Day (4) 03 Apr 2254Z-0325Z Backup Launch Day (5) 04 Apr 2232Z-0303Z
SpaceX is targeting Monday, March 24 for a Falcon 9 launch of the NROL-69 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Liftoff is targeted for 1:48 p.m. ET. If needed, a backup opportunity is available on Tuesday, March 25 at 1:34 p.m. ET.A live webcast of this mission will begin about ten minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the new X TV app.This is the second flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched a Starlink mission. Following stage separation, Falcon 9 will land on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Chun @satofishiL-11 daysThis morning, we spent over three hours in the Dragon simulator running through the deorbit and splashdown sequence. It was our final simulation at the Hawthorne training center.When I first arrived here in December 2023, @haleykesparza told me, “Make yourself at home.” I didn’t quite believe her at the time—everything felt strange and unfamiliar. But now, more than a year later, we’ve finally graduated. This place has truly become our home—but now it’s time to say goodbye.In the afternoon, the SpaceX leadership team gave us a mission update. We’re now targeting March 31 at 23:20 EDT for our primary launch window, with two backups on April 1 at 00:53:10 and 02:26:20 EDT. The booster for this mission will be B1085.6—marking the first time a sixth-flight Falcon 9 booster will support a crewed launch.Tomorrow, Crew Dragon C207 Resilience, with our Fram2 icon on it, will be transported to the hangar at pad 39A, where it will soon be integrated with Falcon 9.
Quote from: GewoonLukas_ on 03/22/2025 06:09 amLooking at the gap in satellite numbers it appears 11 satellites were launched aboard this mission.Explaining why this was RTLS possible.
Looking at the gap in satellite numbers it appears 11 satellites were launched aboard this mission.
UPDATED MARCH 21, 2025...FALCON 9The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch NROL-69 for the National Reconnaissance Office from pad 40 on March 24 at 1:48 p.m. EDT. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch. A Falcon 9 will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on March 30 at 8:23 p.m. - 12:23 a.m. EDT. A Falcon 9 will launch the Fram2 spaceflight participant mission, the first ever human mission to polar orbit, from pad 39A on March 31 at 11:20 p.m. - 2:26 a.m. EDT. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches. A Falcon 9 will launch the Bandwagon-3 rideshare mission from pad 40 on mid-April TBD. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch. A Falcon 9 will launch the CRS-32 resupply mission to the ISS from pad 39A on April 21 around 4 a.m. EDT. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch.
Starlink G11-7 Pre-LaunchDerived from a pre-launch Starlink-G11-7 state vector, provided by SpaceX. SupGP data is provided for the entire stack, as well as one for a single satellite.Launch: 2025-03-26 22:00:00 UTC.Deploy: 2025-03-26 23:00:54.820 UTC.Launch window: 2025-03-26 22:00:00 UTC to 2025-03-27 02:00:00 UTC.
NROL-69 MissionOn Monday, March 24 at 1:48 p.m. ET, Falcon 9 launched the NROL-69 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.This was the second flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched a Starlink mission.
William Harwood @rocketksc.bsky.socialF9/NROL-69: LIFTOFF! at 1:48pm EDT (1748 UTC); this was the 2nd NRO launch in 3 days, SpaceX's 34th F9 launch so far this year and the 451st overallc
National Reconnaissance Office Release #5-25FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 24, 2025Office of Public Affairs703-808-1198, [email protected]NRO and U.S. Space Force partner to launch NROL-69 missionFifth NRO launch of 2025 continues dynamic mission scheduleCHANTILLY, Va. — The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), in partnership with U.S.Space Force Space Systems Command (SSC), Space Launch Delta 45, and SpaceX, successfullylaunched the NROL-69 mission aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on March 24, 2025, at 1:48 p.m. EDT. The Falcon 9reusable rocket booster returned safely to Landing Zone 1 after delivering the national securitypayload to orbit.Today’s successful mission highlights the close working relationship between NRO and SSC toensure reliable and cost-effective access to space for national security missions.“NRO and SSC’s partnership through the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program is animportant step in safeguarding our nation’s interests in space,” said Col. Eric Zarybnisky,director, NRO’s Office of Space Launch. “Together, we are advancing national security byensuring the U.S. maintains resilient and cost-effective space capabilities to meet evolvingthreats and deliver vital intelligence.”NROL-69 is the first NRO mission launched with SpaceX from the NSSL Phase 2 contractawarded in August 2020. NSSL, a government launch acquisition partnership program betweenSSC and the NRO aimed at ensuring continued assured access to space for national securitymissions, is overseen and operated by SSC, headquartered at Los Angeles Air Force Base inCalifornia.Previously, NRO and SSC launched two NSSL Phase 1A missions with SpaceX fromVandenberg Space Force Base with NROL-87 and NROL-85 in 2022.“The combined team of our skilled personnel plus SpaceX in partnership with the NROthoroughly examined the flight hardware and integration elements to minimize mission risks,”said Col. Jim Horne, Senior Materiel Leader of Launch Execution. “And our SSC team whooperate the range systems and infrastructure was fantastic. It was our first NSSL mission thiscalendar year, and it hit the mark, right in the middle.”Over the past two years, NRO has launched more than 150 satellites, creating the largest andmost capable government constellation on orbit in our nation’s history. Continuing with thismomentum, 2025 is set to be another dynamic year, with approximately a dozen NRO launchesscheduled. NROL-69 is NRO’s 5th launch of 2025, following NROL-153, NROL-57, and tworideshare missions aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-12 and Transporter-13.For more than 60 years, the NRO has successfully met the needs of its U.S. intelligence, military,civil, and allied partners. It remains the world’s leader in unique intelligence, surveillance, andreconnaissance systems. The NRO’s next-generation systems will help ensure that the right datais delivered to the right user at the right time, faster than ever before.Additional information on upcoming launches will be made available at NRO.gov/launch .
UPDATED MARCH 24, 2025...FALCON 9The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on March 30 at 3:16-7:16 p.m. EDT. A Falcon 9 will launch the Fram2 spaceflight participant mission, the first ever human mission to polar orbit, from pad 39A on March 31 at 11:20 p.m. - 2:26 a.m. EDT. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches. A Falcon 9 will launch the Bandwagon-3 rideshare mission from pad 40 on mid-April TBD. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch. A Falcon 9 will launch the CRS-32 resupply mission to the ISS from pad 39A on April 21 at 4:15 a.m. EDT. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches. A Falcon 9 will launch the Axiom-4 spaceflight participant mission to the International Space Station on late May, around noon EDT. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch.
Elon Musk @elonmuskWe are honing in on the V3 Starship design. @SpaceX is tracking to a Starship launch rate of once a week in ~12 months. That will yield ~100 tons to @Starlink orbit with full reusability. Profound breakthrough.
Elon Musk @elonmuskStarship departs for Mars at the end of next year, carrying Optimus. If those landings go well, then human landings may start as soon as 2029, although 2031 is more likely.
Lukas C. H. @GewoonLukas_It'll be interesting to see whether a 2nd object will get cataloged, as traditionally NOSS launches carried 2 satellites. However with the last launch for NOSS, NROL-85, only a single object was cataloged, which could indicate a separation failure or debut of a new generation.
https://twitter.com/OrbitalFocus/status/1904611680270839845QuoteMission UpdateUSA 498NRO L-69 missionSpace-Track has catalogued a single satelliteEstimated orbit added to the Orbital Focus table based on timing of visual observations of the Falcon 9 from Europe and the location of the Falcon 9 re-entry zonehttp://orbitalfocus.uk/2025#060
Mission UpdateUSA 498NRO L-69 missionSpace-Track has catalogued a single satelliteEstimated orbit added to the Orbital Focus table based on timing of visual observations of the Falcon 9 from Europe and the location of the Falcon 9 re-entry zonehttp://orbitalfocus.uk/2025#060
