The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), in partnership with U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command’s (SSC), System Delta 80, Space Launch Delta 45, and SpaceX, successfully launched the NROL-77 mission aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Dec. 9, 2025, at 2:16 p.m. ET. The Falcon 9 first stage booster safely returned to Landing Zone 2 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. “The partnership between NRO and SSC continues to strengthen our nation's space superiority through innovative launch solutions and shared expertise," said Col. Kathryn Cantu, director, NRO Office of Space Launch, and NROL-77 mission director. “As space becomes increasingly contested, this partnership enables us to rapidly deploy advanced intelligence capabilities while maintaining the agility and resilience needed to address emerging threats. Our collaborative approach ensures America's continued leadership in space-based national security operations well into the future.”NROL-77 is the second 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 NRO aimed at ensuring continued assured access to space for national security missions, is overseen and operated by SSC’s System Delta 80 headquartered at Los Angeles AirForce Base in California.Earlier this Spring, NRO partnered with SSC to launch NROL-69 and NROL-145 through the NSSL program and NROL-174 through the Rocket Systems Launch Program. “A collaborative team of dedicated experts from System Delta 80, NRO, and SpaceX validated the flight hardware and integration essentials that assured successful delivery of the mission,” said Col. Ryan M. Hiserote, System Delta 80 commander and NSSL program manager. “And kudos to our SSC SLD-45 teammates who operated the range systems and infrastructure as part of this launch. NROL-77 was our last NSSL mission this calendar year. Together, we look forward to another busy year in 2026.”
SpaceX@SpaceXFalcon 9 launches NROL-77 from Florida, completing our 11th National Security Space Launch this year and delivering assured access to space
Quote from: mn on 12/09/2025 06:44 pmQuote from: catdlr on 12/09/2025 06:26 pmSECO,Parking Orbit insertion callout,End broadcastThe callout was 'Nominal orbit insertion'The callout was nominal, but the gray-banded tank indicates another burn at a later time (hours later for some flights). Therefore, it should have been referred to as a "Nominal Parking Orbit Insertion." He likely made a mistake. I oversee all the Starlink launches, and the individuals making these calls are inconsistent; I hear some refer to "Nominal Orbit Insertion" when it should actually be "Nominal Parking Orbit," as there is a subsequent (45-minute) orbit circularization burn with deployment immediately afterward, followed by the post-flight confirmation of successful deployment from SpaceX. This inconsistency is either due to a lack of the correct script in front of them, habitual behavior, or a simple slip of the tongue, which some call "brain fart". We all know what they mean to say. To me, it's trivial, unless we get a bandwagon launch and I have to make the right calls, even when SpaceX goes wrong. Starlink launches were wrong for years, calling it "Nominal Orbit Insertion" when it should have been "Parking orbit", only recently calling it correctly (sometimes). https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=62391.msg2741543#msg2741543
Quote from: catdlr on 12/09/2025 06:26 pmSECO,Parking Orbit insertion callout,End broadcastThe callout was 'Nominal orbit insertion'
SECO,Parking Orbit insertion callout,End broadcast
Quote from: catdlr on 12/09/2025 07:20 pmQuote from: mn on 12/09/2025 06:44 pmQuote from: catdlr on 12/09/2025 06:26 pmSECO,Parking Orbit insertion callout,End broadcastThe callout was 'Nominal orbit insertion'The callout was nominal, but the gray-banded tank indicates another burn at a later time (hours later for some flights). Therefore, it should have been referred to as a "Nominal Parking Orbit Insertion." He likely made a mistake. I oversee all the Starlink launches, and the individuals making these calls are inconsistent; I hear some refer to "Nominal Orbit Insertion" when it should actually be "Nominal Parking Orbit," as there is a subsequent (45-minute) orbit circularization burn with deployment immediately afterward, followed by the post-flight confirmation of successful deployment from SpaceX. This inconsistency is either due to a lack of the correct script in front of them, habitual behavior, or a simple slip of the tongue, which some call "brain fart". We all know what they mean to say. To me, it's trivial, unless we get a bandwagon launch and I have to make the right calls, even when SpaceX goes wrong. Starlink launches were wrong for years, calling it "Nominal Orbit Insertion" when it should have been "Parking orbit", only recently calling it correctly (sometimes). https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=62391.msg2741543#msg2741543It's not so clear cut to me that it's incorrect or a mistake.It can just mean that we achieved the 'intended' orbit, it ok to call that 'nominal orbit insertion' even if it's not the final orbit.
I noticed, that so far, nobody mentioned that it was launched into the same orbital plane as the NOSS 3-8 duo.So due to that it reminds me of USA 327, which is co-planar to the NOSS 3-6 duo.
