NROL-123: Rocket Lab Launches Mysterious Satellites For US Reconnaissance Office

Rocket Lab's Electron lifted off at 0725 UTC on March 21, from the company's Launch Complex 2 (LC-2) at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The NROL-123 or "Live and Let Fly" mission will be deploying classified payloads to orbit for the U.S. National Reconnaissance(NRO).

The NROL-123 payloads were deployed into orbit about an hour after liftoff. Rocket Lab didn't show that part, as the company ended its launch webcast just under 11 minutes after launch, presumably at the request of the NRO. It's been reported recently that the government agency is building constellation of spy satellites, and had also signed a $1.8B contract with Elon Musk's SpaceX.

The 18-meter two-stage Electron rocket gives small satellites dedicated rides to space. Rocket Lab is also developing a larger launch vehicle called Neutron, as the company hopes to compete with industry leader, SpaceX. The company is also working to make Electron's first stage reusable.

This is Rocket Lab Electron's 46th launch, and its fifth mission for the NRO. The other four lifted off from Launch Complex 1 (LC-1) on New Zealand's North Island. "MISSION SUCCESS!," the company wrote on X. "Electron took to the skies for the 46th time today, successfully deploying payloads for @NatReconOfc. Thank you to the NRO team and to our mission partners @NASAWallops and @Virginia_Space for supporting us on another flawless mission."

42 of the 46 last Rocket Lab launches have been from LC-1. The other four have lifted off from LC-2, which hosted its first Electron launch in January 2023.

WATCH Rocket Lab launch of the NROL-123 mission..