NextSpaceflight, updated July 4:Launch NET October 2023, either LC-39A or SLC-40I think this listing's previous launch month was NET September = Q3 in NextSF jargon.
I know there's been quite a lot of confusing jumps on the schedule of certain classified missions for SpaceX. This is not just for them but also ULA and such and if you remember it's also been a problem for a while as well (see USSF-44 being delayed 2 years). Not sure what's going on but it doesn't look like military payloads have had the best of luck lately trying to be on schedule. This is in relation with the USSF-124 mission jumping back and forth on nextspaceflight from NET November to NET October 31st, etc. We'll see what happens with that mission - same with USSF-52 and friends.
Any new news? 4th quarter is days away.Quote from: Alexphysics on 09/22/2023 12:53 amI know there's been quite a lot of confusing jumps on the schedule of certain classified missions for SpaceX. This is not just for them but also ULA and such and if you remember it's also been a problem for a while as well (see USSF-44 being delayed 2 years). Not sure what's going on but it doesn't look like military payloads have had the best of luck lately trying to be on schedule. This is in relation with the USSF-124 mission jumping back and forth on nextspaceflight from NET November to NET October 31st, etc. We'll see what happens with that mission - same with USSF-52 and friends.
I wouldn't make travel plans anytime soon.
Found an L-91 beer in the fridge. Still tastes good.
NRO Mission Patch:Quote from: Newton_V on 11/18/2023 09:44 pmFound an L-91 beer in the fridge. Still tastes good.
Quote from: GewoonLukas_ on 11/18/2023 10:21 pmNRO Mission Patch:Quote from: Newton_V on 11/18/2023 09:44 pmFound an L-91 beer in the fridge. Still tastes good.does anyone who knows more than me get any more info from patch?
Hummingbirds have varied specialized characteristics to enable rapid, maneuverable flight, exceptional metabolic capacity, adaptations to high altitude, sensitive visual and communication abilities, and long-distance migration in some species.
NextSpaceflight; updated recently:Launch NET second quarter 2024; changed from NET June 2024?The until-recently NextSF jargon used "NET end-of-quarter month" for NET "that quarter."Can we expect launch in June?If so, launch will be from SLC-40.
SLC-40Jun 20 21:35 Astra 1P/SES-24 JRTIJun 23 17:03 Starlink 10-2 ASOGJun 25 09:07 Starlink 8-9 JRTIJun 28 10:55 Starlink 10-3 ASOG
Two yet-to-be-confirmed missions may take place in the next quarter as well. These are the NROL-69 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office and the first operational flight of AST SpaceMobile’s BluBird satellites.
There was an industry day help for Lane 1 in August. It includes the NRO, SDA, and USSF planned contract awards & launches. https://sam.gov/opp/7111789df59149cd81596402c35e33d3/view
Any new news?
A Falcon 9 will launch from pad 40 on TBD. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch.
A1174/25 NOTAMN Q) FAJO/QWMLW/IV/BO/W/000/999/4501S07550E999A) FAJO B) 2503241015 C) 2503301934D) 24 MAR 1015-2058, 25 MAR 2001-2044, 26 MAR 1947-2030, 27 MAR1933-2016, 28 MAR 1919-14082002, 29 MAR 1905-1948, 30 MAR 1851-1934E) AREA BOUNDED BY (4500S 07242E, 4500S 07500E, 4717S 07500E): SPACEXNROL-69 STAGE 2 ROCKET RE-ENTRY TAKING PLACE. APPLICABLE AIRSPACEDOWNGRADED TO CLASS G.F) SFC G) UNL
F1151/25 NOTAMNQ) YMMM/QWMLW/IV/BO/W/000/999/4929S07959E460A) YMMMB) 2503242015 C) 2503301934D) 2503242015 TO 2503242058 2503252001 TO 2503252044 2503261947 TO 2503262030 2503271933 TO 2503272016 2503281919 TO 2503282002 2503291905 TO 2503291948 2503301851 TO 2503301934E) ROCKET LAUNCH WILL TAKE PLACEFLW RECEIVED FROM GOVERNMENT OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:HAZARDOUS OPS WILL BE CONDUCTED FOR ATMOSPHERIC RE-ENTRY ANDSPLASHDOWN OF SPACEX NROL-69 ROCKET STAGE 2 WI THE FOLLOWING AREAS:4249S 07500E5302S 08747E5418S 08405E4717S 07500E TO BEGINNINGF) SFC G) UNL
Primary Launch Day 24 MAR 1742Z-1824Z Backup Launch Day (1) 25 MAR 1728Z-1810Z Backup Launch Day (2) 26 MAR 1714Z-1756Z Backup Launch Day (3) 27 MAR 1700Z-1742Z Backup Launch Day (4) 28 MAR 1646Z-1728Z Backup Launch Day (5) 29 MAR 1632Z-1714Z Backup Launch Day (5) 30 MAR 1618Z-1700Z
191844Z MAR 25NAVAREA IV 332/25(11,26).WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.FLORIDA.1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING 241742Z TO 241824Z MAR, ALTERNATE 251728Z TO 251810Z, 261714Z TO 261756Z, 271700Z TO 271742Z, 281646Z TO 281728Z, 291632Z TO 291714Z AND 301618Z TO 301700Z MAR IN AREAS BOUND BY: A. 28-38.31N 080-37.17W, 28-51.00N 080-14.00W, 28-44.00N 080-03.00W, 28-30.00N 080-18.00W, 28-27.40N 080-31.49W. B. 30-14.00N 078-53.00W, 31-58.00N 077-03.00W, 32-18.00N 076-17.00W, 32-02.00N 075-57.00W, 31-15.00N 076-21.00W, 29-55.00N 078-35.00W.2. CANCEL THIS MSG 301800Z MAR 25.
NROL-69, CAPE CANAVERAL SFS, FLPRIMARY: 03/24/25 1742Z-1824ZBACKUP: 03/25/25 1728Z-1810Z
Which first stage will be used for this launch? (semi-rhetorical question)Falcon 9 first stages are now cleared for use up to forty times for non-crewed launches, although that number is apparently more restricted for Cargo Dragon or Cygnus than these other payloads.Available first stages, with UTC date of most recent recovery:1072.2 Jun 25 ?1085.6 Jan 151073.22 Jan 30 1077.19 Feb 11 Starlink 12-251067.26 Feb 151080.17 Feb 181076.22 Feb 211083.10 Feb 271092.2 Feb 271086.6 Mar 3
Edit March 21: Errors corrected.
LAUNCH UPDATE: NROL-69 is scheduled to launch on a @SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station NET March 24. This mission is NRO’s 5th launch of 2025 and 1st this year in partnership with @USSF_SSC. 🤝
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.
Targeting Monday, March 24 for a Falcon 9 launch of the @USSF_SSC and @NatReconOfc’s NROL-69 mission from Florida → http://spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=nrol-69
FYI launch thread coverage: I won't be available to screencap during Monday's launch window, sorry.
All systems are looking good, weather is 90% favorable, and propellant load is about to begin for today’s launch of the @USSF_SSC and @NatReconOfc's NROL-69 mission from Florida
00:46:26 2nd stage engine starts (SES-2)00:46:38 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-2)
MISSION SUCCESS: NRO & @USSF_SSC launched NROL-69 today at 1:48 p.m. EDT on a @SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.Press release: https://nro.gov/Portals/135/Documents/news/press/2025/250324%20NROL69%20Press%20Release%20FINAL.pdf
NRO and U.S. Space Force partner to launch NROL-69 missionFifth NRO launch of 2025 continues dynamic mission scheduleMarch 24, 2025The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), in partnership with U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command (SSC), Space Launch Delta 45, and SpaceX, successfully launched the NROL-69 mission aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on March 24, 2025, at 1:48 p.m. EDT. The Falcon 9 reusable rocket booster returned safely to Landing Zone 1 after delivering the national security payload to orbit.Today’s successful mission highlights the close working relationship between NRO and SSC to ensure 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 an important 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 by ensuring the U.S. maintains resilient and cost-effective space capabilities to meet evolving threats and deliver vital intelligence.” NROL-69 is the first NRO mission launched with SpaceX from the NSSL Phase 2 contract awarded in August 2020. NSSL, a government launch acquisition partnership program between SSC and the NRO aimed at ensuring continued assured access to space for national security missions, is overseen and operated by SSC, headquartered at Los Angeles Air Force Base in California. Previously, NRO and SSC launched two NSSL Phase 1A missions with SpaceX from Vandenberg Space Force Base with NROL-87 and NROL-85 in 2022. “The combined team of our skilled personnel plus SpaceX in partnership with the NRO thoroughly 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 who operate the range systems and infrastructure was fantastic. It was our first NSSL mission this calendar 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 and most capable government constellation on orbit in our nation’s history. Continuing with this momentum, 2025 is set to be another dynamic year, with approximately a dozen NRO launches scheduled. NROL-69 is NRO’s 5th launch of 2025, following NROL-153, NROL-57, and two rideshare 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, and reconnaissance systems. The NRO’s next-generation systems will help ensure that the right data is 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.
Likely Stage 2 de-orbit burn / fuel dumping was visible over much of the UK around 20:02Image from a colleague (North Wales).
Launch photo by /u/ stevenmadow on reddit
Falcon 9 lifts off from pad 40 and returns to LZ-1 in Florida
Yesterday, NROL-69 successfully launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. 🚀 Together, NRO and @USSF_SSC are advancing national security by ensuring the U.S. maintains resilient & cost-effective space capabilities to meet evolving threats & deliver vital intelligence.
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
T-8 SpaceX commentary has started
SpaceX doesn’t often discuss this grey stripe, but it was briefly brought up by Ronnie Foreman, a SpaceX commercial sales manager, during the July 28, 2023, launch of the Jupiter-3 mission on a Falcon Heavy rocket. According to Forman, the mission debuted a new medium-coast configuration.<snip>SpaceX doesn’t often discuss this grey stripe, but it was briefly brought up by Ronnie Foreman, a SpaceX commercial sales manager, during the July 28, 2023, launch of the Jupiter-3 mission on a Falcon Heavy rocket. According to Forman, the mission debuted a new medium-coast configuration.“Our second stages have three general configurations: standard, medium and long-coast. And we use different configurations depending on how long the second stage needs to operate after launch,” Foreman explained. “A medium-coast kit, which is what we’re using today, provides better performance for some missions and includes an added battery loaf or power pack, a painted gray stripe on the outside of the fuel tank and other hardware to make sure that the fuel and stages systems operate as long as needed, once we get to space.“While in space, the paint will absorb heat from the Sun in order to keep the second stage fuel warm enough for our long flight today.”
Might this (and the previous Intruder payload) be a single satellite that unfolds, like origami, to provide a sufficient baseline end-to-end to perform Time Difference Of Arrival (TDOA)?
Quote from: Targeteer on 04/18/2022 05:27 amAlready spotted in orbit http://www.satobs.org/seesat/Apr-2022/0084.htmlhttp://www.satobs.org/seesat/Apr-2022/0094.html"So far, the apparent absence of a secondary payload is interesting. Either this is not an INTRUDER/NOSS mission after all; or it is an improved version of INTRUDER that now only needs one single satellite (they once started with three); or we somehow missed the second payload."
Already spotted in orbit http://www.satobs.org/seesat/Apr-2022/0084.html
As the second Intruder payloads have appeared in the past within short time after launch, i think we have a new tentative Intruder Follow-On type, which consists of single satellite launches. I think that this new series started with NROL 85 and now NROL 69 is the second launch.I think this is more likely than two consecutive separation failures.If in the next few days no second NROL-69 payload appears, I will move the NROL 85 and NROL 69 payloads to a new tentative NOSS-4 or Intruder F/O class.
