SpaceX F9 : NROL-69 : Florida : 2024

[gongora]

Discussion thread for NROL-69

2024 on Falcon 9 from LC-39A or SLC-40.


Space Exploration Technologies Corp., Hawthorne, California, has been awarded two individual firm-fixed-price task orders totaling $159,721,445 under the National Security Space Launch Phase 2 contract.  These task orders provide the basic launch services and mission integration for USSF-36 and NROL-69.  Work will be performed in Hawthorne, California; Vandenberg Air Force Base, California; and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, and is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023. Fiscal 2021 missile and space procurement funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award.  The Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity (FA8811-21-F-0009 and FA8811-21-F-0010).

[gongora]

SMC Press Release
The Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), in partnership with the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), awarded four National Security Space missions to Space Exploration Technologies, Inc. (SpaceX) and United Launch Alliance (ULA) under the Phase 2 Launch Service Procurement contracts on Mar 09, 2021. SMC’s Launch Enterprise awarded USSF-36 and NROL-69 to SpaceX (both using the Falcon 9 launch vehicle) and USSF-112 and USSF-87 to ULA (both using the Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle).

“Today, we are making it possible for our National Security Space team to accomplish our mission of providing on-orbit space capability to the warfighter,” said Col. Robert Bongiovi, director of SMC’s Launch Enterprise. “The National Security Space Launch Phase 2 Launch Service Procurement contracts provide our customers affordability, flexibility, and extremely high reliability. This is the second order of the five-year Phase 2 ordering period. We are very pleased with the flexibility offered by our Phase 2 providers to make the best launch choices and adjustments as we proceed.”

USSF-36 has a scheduled launch date in the second quarter of FY23, NROL-69 in the fourth quarter of FY23, USSF-112 in the third quarter of FY23, and USSF-87 in the fourth quarter of FY23.

SMC issued ULA task orders for USSF-112 and USSF-87 for $225 million, which include basic launch services and mission integration. SMC issued SpaceX task orders for USSF-36 and NROL-69 for $160 million, which include basic launch services and mission integration for USSF-36 and only basic launch services for NROL-69. The NRO will fund its mission integration separately.

The Space and Missile Systems Center, located at Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, California, is the U.S. Space Force’s center of acquisition excellence for acquiring and developing military space systems. The Center’s portfolio includes the Space Launch and Range Systems, Global Positioning System, Military Satellite Communications, Defense Meteorological Satellites, Satellite Control Networks, Space Based Infrared Systems and Space Situational Awareness capabilities.

[zubenelgenubi]

NextSpaceflight, updated July 4:
Launch NET October 2023, either LC-39A or SLC-40

I think this listing's previous launch month was NET September = Q3 in NextSF jargon.

[Alexphysics]

NextSpaceflight, updated July 4:
Launch NET October 2023, either LC-39A or SLC-40

I think this listing's previous launch month was NET September = Q3 in NextSF jargon.

Just for the record, the last change to this mission was in September 2, 2022 per our internal logs.

[Newton_V]

West coast best coast?

[Newton_V]

I wouldn't change the thread title yet.   I think someone's messing with me, but not sure.

[zubenelgenubi]

Any new news?  4th quarter is days away.

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.

[Newton_V]

Any new news?  4th quarter is days away.

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.

I wouldn't make travel plans anytime soon.

[zubenelgenubi]

I wouldn't make travel plans anytime soon.

NextSpaceflight, updated October 1:
Launch NET November 2023

Launch would be from SLC-40 if in November or December?

I suspect that this launch will slip one month into the future per month for a while. 🤨

[zubenelgenubi]

NextSpaceflight, updated October 9:
Launch NET January 2024 = NET 2024; launch options include both LC-39A and SLC-40.

[GewoonLukas_]

NRO Mission Patch:

Found an L-91 beer in the fridge.  Still tastes good.

[rocketenthusiast]

NRO Mission Patch:

Found an L-91 beer in the fridge.  Still tastes good.

does anyone who knows more than me get any more info from patch?

[GewoonLukas_]

NRO Mission Patch:

Found an L-91 beer in the fridge.  Still tastes good.

does anyone who knows more than me get any more info from patch?

"Numquam Hibernare" means "Never Hibernate", and the bird in the patch appears to be a Hummingbird.

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.

Sounds like some highly maneuverable observation satellite? Possibly SAR?

[zubenelgenubi]

NRO Mission Patch:

Found an L-91 beer in the fridge.  Still tastes good.

does anyone who knows more than me get any more info from patch?

The bird 🐦 🐦‍⬛ appears to be origami.

The obvious "patch-ology" clues were supposed to be removed from the launch artwork years ago.  But in that vein, perhaps the payload unfolds to deploy for operations?

The multifaceted nature of the bird resembles the F-117.  Something low-observable in multiple frequencies of the EM spectrum?

Or someone(s) just likes origami? 👍 👌 🤔

"Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."