The Falcon 9 rocket of SpaceX as part of NROL-146 mission was launched at 4 AM EDT from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Southern California.
New Delhi: SpaceX on Wednesday launched the first batch of spy satellites for the US’ National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), an intelligence agency, to strengthen the country’s space-based surveillance capabilities. This is the first of many deployments planned for this year.
The Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX as part of the NROL-146 mission was launched at 4 AM EDT (Eastern Daylight Time) from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Southern California. The NRO said that this is “the first launch of the NRO’s proliferated systems featuring responsive collection and rapid data recovery.”
The Falcon 9, as reported, was carrying multiple small satellites; however, the exact number of satellites was not revealed, nor was the footage of the Falcon 9 rocket separating.
Earlier, through a pair of Reuters reports, it was revealed that SpaceX, in collaboration with Northrop Grumman, was working for NRO to build hundreds of satellites to create an orbital system that can spot ground targets anywhere on earth.
Northrop Grumman is a multinational aerospace and defense technology company famous for manufacturing weapons and technology for the military. Moreover, NRO has planned half a dozen launches in 2024 to support its proliferated architecture. More launches are expected to continue until 2028.
How Does Falcon 9 Rocket Work?
Falcon 9 is designed and manufactured by SpaceX for reliable transportation of people and payloads in space. It is a two-stage, partially reusable rocket, which allows SpaceX to refly its most expensive part. The Falcon 9 rocket flaunts a simple dual-stage design aimed at limiting the number of separations. Should an engine go bust, it’s got eight more for back-up, ensuring the mission goes ahead uninterrupted. Generally, launch hiccups arise from issues with the separation stages or engine snags.
In 2020, Falcon 9 became the first and only commercial rocket to fly people out to the Earth’s orbit. It is the most-launched rocket in the US with the best safety record. It suffered just one flight failure.
Dominance Of Space X In Space Market
This launch shows the US government’s growing trust in Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, for some of its most important space missions.
SpaceX has become the world’s largest satellite operator with its Starlink network. This shows SpaceX’s sheer dominance on the US rocket launch market. Starlink is a commercial system of thousands of satellite that aims to deliver global internet coverage.
Shambhu Kumar is a science communicator, making complex scientific topics accessible to all. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
