Falcon 9 • NROL-146

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the NROL-146 mission on behalf of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). According to Dr. Troy Meink, the NRO principal deputy director, this was the first launch for the agency’s proliferated architecture, which focuses on space-based ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance). Reuters was the first to report that these satellites were built by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman under a classified $1.8 billion contract. Delayed from May 19 and 21.