SpaceX successfully carried out its first national security launch of 2026 late Friday night, sending a classified batch of U.S. reconnaissance satellites into orbit for the federal government.
The mission, known as NROL-105, lifted off aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 11:39 p.m. EST. The launch was conducted on behalf of the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, which oversees the nation’s spy satellite programs.
NROL-105 marked the 12th mission supporting the NRO’s proliferated architecture satellite constellation. These spacecraft enhance space based intelligence coverage and resilience, with hardware supplied by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman.
Key Mission Highlights:
- Falcon 9 first stage booster landed safely about 7.5 minutes after liftoff
- Exact satellite count and orbital parameters were not disclosed
- Mission represented SpaceX’s seventh launch of 2026
- Launch included a live webcast with limited mission details
Mission Overview:
| Detail | Information |
| Launch vehicle | Falcon 9 |
| Launch site | Vandenberg Space Force Base |
| Customer | U.S. National Reconnaissance Office |
| Mission name | NROL-105 |
| Launch time | Jan. 16, 11:39 p.m. EST |
The NROL-105 launch also comes at a time when SpaceX is recalibrating its broader mission roadmap for 2026. While the company continues to accelerate national security and intelligence launches for the U.S. government, recent decisions show a sharper near-term emphasis on Earth orbit and lunar objectives, following shifts in its longer-range Mars ambitions, as detailed in this analysis on SpaceX’s evolving priorities.
The successful launch reinforces SpaceX’s growing role in U.S. national security space operations, while continuing the rapid deployment of next generation reconnaissance systems into low Earth orbit.
