NROL-172 – Spaceflight Now

May 11, 2026

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Live coverage: SpaceX to launch intelligence-gathering satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office

May 11, 2026 Will Robinson-Smith

The NROL-72 mission will be the 13th to date supporting what the NRO calls its “proliferated architecture” satellite constellation. Liftoff of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base is scheduled for 7:13:50 p.m. PDT (10:13:50 p.m. EDT / 0213:50 UTC).