National Reconnaissance Office

New Capabilities

As of July 2026: Building and operating the constellation

A SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 3:10 a.m. Eastern on July 30, carrying a classified payload called NROL-95 for the National Reconnaissance Office, the US agency that builds and runs spy satellites. It was the agency's fourth launch of 2026. The booster, on its seventh flight, landed for reuse.

Updated Jul 30

New Capabilities

As of June 2026: Owner and operator of the constellation

For decades, U.S. spy satellites were a handful of expensive giants, each roughly the size of a bus and worth billions. The National Reconnaissance Office is swapping that model for a swarm of small, mass-produced spacecraft.

Updated Jun 19

Built World

As of June 2026: Buyer of reconnaissance satellites

On June 7, a Falcon 9 rose from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California carrying 23 satellites. Two were Starshield, the military version of Starlink. SpaceX said so out loud, which it rarely does.

Updated Jun 7