Watch the Launch

Additional Media

SpaceX - Falcon 9 - NROL-146 - SLC-4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA. - May 22, 2024

Launch Date: May 22, 2024 Launch Time: 1:00 a.m. PDT, 4:00 a.m. EDT, 0800 UTC, 10:00 CESTLaunch Window: Opens May 22, 1:00 a.m. PDT / Closes 3:28 a.m. PDT L...

Watch live: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches on a mission for the U.S. spy satellite agency

Watch live coverage as SpaceX launches a Falcon 9 rocket thought to be carrying an undisclosed number of Starshield satellites for the U.S. National Reconnai...

Livestream on X


SpaceX

SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. The company was founded in 2002 to revolutionize space technology, with the ultimate goal of enabling people to live on other planets.

NROL-146

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Mission: Government/Top Secret

Low Earth Orbit Space Launch Complex 4E Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
B1071 - Of Course I Still Love You

First batch of satellites for a reconnaissance satellite constellation built by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman for the National Reconnaissance Office to provide imaging and other reconnaissance capabilities.

Telemetry

Launch trajectory and telemetry simulations provided by Flight Club - a rocket launch simulator and orbital trajectory visualiser for all things space!

Updates

Nosu • May 22, 2024, 11:08 a.m.

Launch success confirmed


Cosmic_Penguin • May 22, 2024, 8:01 a.m.

Liftoff.


LL2 • May 22, 2024, 7:46 a.m.

Unofficial Webcast by SPACE AFFAIRS has started


Cosmic_Penguin • May 20, 2024, 11:52 p.m.

GO for launch.


Cosmic_Penguin • May 20, 2024, 4:49 a.m.

NET May 22.


Falcon 9

Family:
Configuration: Block 5

Falcon 9 is a two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of satellites and the Dragon spacecraft into orbit. The Block 5 variant is the fifth major interval aimed at improving upon the ability for rapid reusability.

See Details
Specifications
  • Minimum Stage
    1
  • Max Stage
    2
  • Length
    70.0 m
  • Diameter
    3.65 m
  • Fairing Diameter
    5.2 m
  • Launch Mass
    549.0 T
  • Thrust
    7607.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Falcon 9
  • Family
  • Variant
    Block 5
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Falcon 9 Block 5
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $52000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    22800.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    8300.0 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

Booster Info


B1071

Status: Active


Type: Core
Flight Proven: Yes
First Flight: February 2, 2022
Last Flight: May 31, 2025
Flights: 25
Landings Attempted: 25
Landings Successful: 25
Previous B1071 Flights

Landing Information

The Falcon 9 first stage B1071 has landed on ASDS OCISLY after its 16th flight.

Result: Successful Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship landing at Of Course I Still Love You.

SpaceX

SpaceX

(SpX)

CEO: Elon Musk Founded: 2002 Successes: 503 Failures: 15 Pending: 114

Agency Type:

Space Exploration Technologies Corp., known as SpaceX, is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. It was founded in 2002 by entrepreneur Elon Musk with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and enabling the colonization of Mars. SpaceX operates from many pads, on the East Coast of the US they operate from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and historic LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center. They also operate from SLC-4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, usually for polar launches. Another launch site is being developed at Boca Chica, Texas.

INFO WIKI

Related News

Arstechnica

Rocket Report: SpaceX focused on Starship reentry; Firefly may be for sale

"Teams are in the process of completing a follow-on propulsion system assessment."

SpaceNews

SpaceX launches NRO’s first batch of next-generation spy satellites

The classified mission, designated NROL-146, was SpaceX’s 52nd launch of the year

NASASpaceflight

Launch Roundup: Starliner delays second launch attempt; Falcon 9 to launch first batch into new spy constellation

For the second week, all eyes are on the forthcoming maiden crewed flight test (CFT) of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. The first attempt was stood down last Monday following concerns with a liquid oxygen relief valve on the Centaur second …

SpaceNews

NRO’s first batch of next-generation spy satellites set for launch

The agency’s principal deputy director Troy Meink said the NRO is targeting a May 19 launch of NROL-146

Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Space Launch Complex 4E


Falcon 9
Success
5 hours, 1 minute ago
Starlink Group 11-18
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


New Shepard
Success
11 hours, 32 minutes ago
NS-32
West Texas Suborbital Launch Site/ Corn Ranch - Corn Ranch, Van Horn, TX, USA

NS-32 is the 12th crewed flight for the New Shepard program and the 32nd in its history.


Falcon 9
Success
1 day, 7 hours ago
GPS III SV08
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Eighth of ten GPS III missions.


Long March 4B
Success
2 days, 20 hours ago
Shijian 26
Launch Area 4 (SLS-2 / 603) - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Chinese experimental satellite claimed to be for "Earth observation & environmental management" purposes, details not known.


Long March 3
Success
3 days, 7 hours ago
Tianwen-2
Launch Complex 2 (LC-2) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Tianwen-2 is a planned Chinese asteroid sample return and comet orbiter mission due for launch in May 2025. The spacecraft will visit the Near Earth …


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 11 hours ago
Starlink Group 10-32
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

A batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Starship
Failure
4 days, 1 hour ago
Flight 9
Orbital Launch Mount A - SpaceX Starbase, TX, USA

9th test flight of the two-stage Starship launch vehicle.


Falcon 9
Success
4 days, 8 hours ago
Starlink Group 17-1
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 24 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week ago
Starlink Group 12-22
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Starlink Group 11-16
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.