SpaceX successfully launches top secret Falcon 9 rocket with mysterious payload from launch pad in California: Analysts say it may have carried military satellites that will monitor enemy ships
- A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched classified National Reconnaissance Office satellites into orbit on Sunday from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
- The first stage rocket took off towards the south before flipping around and falling back to Earth two-and-a-half minutes later
- SpaceX did not provide any details about the mission other than to confirm the second stage reached orbit as planned
- NRO did not release any information about the satellite payload, but confirmed mission success in a statement
- Analysts speculated the rocket was carrying two Naval Ocean Surveillance System satellites that electronically monitor and locate ships at sea
A classified satellite for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office was launched into space from California on Sunday.
The NROL-85 satellite lifted off from launch pad 4E at 6:13 a.m. on a foggy morning from Vandenberg Space Force Base, northwest of Los Angeles, aboard a two-stage SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The rocket blasted off with 1.7 million pounds of thrust pushing the rocket up into the morning skies.
Based on the launch time and a variety of other factors including military procurement documents, Independent space analysts who spoke with CBS News speculated the Falcon 9 was carrying two Naval Ocean Surveillance System, (NOSS satellites) that can electronically monitor and locate ships at sea.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying a National Reconnaissance Office satellite launches from Space Launch Complex-4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California on Sunday
NROL-85 is the first NRO mission to reuse a SpaceX rocket booster, and is the second Falcon 9 launch procured through the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) contract to launch from the Western Range
.The first stage, making its second flight, took off on a southerly trajectory, boosting the upper stage and its NRO payload out of the dense lower atmosphere
The rocket could be seen blasting off into space generating 1.7 million pounds of thrust
https://youtube.com/watch?v=mMcmf1g4qSA%3Frel%3D0%26showinfo%3D1%26start%3D1549
It was the first mission by the NRO to reuse a SpaceX rocket booster, Vandenberg said in a statement and the 14th SpaceX flight so far this year.
The Falcon rocket’s first stage flew back and landed at the seaside base northwest of Los Angeles.
The first stage took off towards the south boosting the upper stage of the rocket and the NRO payload on its way into the upper atmosphere.
Two-and-a-half minutes after launch, the booster rocket began to fall away and flipped around using three engines to change course back to Vandenberg, touching down on Landing Zone 4 about eight minutes after liftoff.
Just over two-and-a-half minutes into the flight, the booster could be seen separating from the payload
The landing was SpaceX’s 114th successful booster recovery – its fifth in California.
The NRO only described the NROL-85 satellite as a ‘critical national security payload.’
SpaceX did not reveal any details on the classified payloads other to state how the second stage rocket reached orbit.
‘I’m proud of the teamwork, skill and determination that went into making this launch a success and ultimately to delivering critical information to our nation’s policymakers, military, and intelligence community,’ NRO Director Chris Scolese said.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 first stage booster returns back to base early Sunday morning at Vandenberg Space Force Base
The booster could be seen coming back through the clouds as it returned to base
‘It was superb. The integrated team, the rocket, the satellite, everything was go and this launch went smoothly,’ added Col. Robert Bongiovi, director of the Space Systems Command’s Launch Enterprise.
Its launch was one of three awarded by the Air Force to SpaceX in 2019 for a combined fixed price of $297 million.
The NRO is the government agency in charge of developing, building, launching and maintaining U.S. satellites that provide intelligence data to senior policymakers, the intelligence community and the Defense Department.
The booster made a successful landing as it came back to Earth having sent its payload on its way
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