SpaceX successfully launched a classified mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) early Wednesday morning, marking a significant milestone in the company's deepening ties with US intelligence agencies. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 4 a.m. ET, carrying multiple small satellites as part of the NROL-146 mission.
Sources familiar with the project revealed that SpaceX is building a network of hundreds of spy satellites under a $1.8 billion contract signed with the NRO in 2021. The network, developed by SpaceX's Starshield business unit, aims to provide the US government and military with enhanced Earth-imaging capabilities and near-constant coverage of activities on the ground.
The launch of NROL-146 is the first in the NRO's new "proliferated architecture" strategy, which involves deploying numerous smaller satellites for improved capability and resilience. While details about the satellites' specific activities and capabilities remain classified, the network is expected to significantly advance the US government's ability to locate potential targets anywhere in the world quickly.
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets have been used to launch nearly a dozen prototypes for the Starshield network since 2020, with several missions deploying unacknowledged satellites, according to a US government database of objects in orbit.
The Starshield network is separate from SpaceX's Starlink constellation, which provides broadband internet services to consumers, companies, and government agencies. The classified spy satellite network is designed to be more resilient to attacks from major space powers and will consist of large satellites with imaging sensors and numerous satellite relays for data transmission.
The $1.8 billion contract highlights the growing trust between SpaceX and the intelligence community, despite past controversies involving the company's founder, Elon Musk. As the US competes with rivals like China and Russia to become the dominant military power in space, the Starshield network represents a significant step forward in expanding the country's remote-sensing capabilities.
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