SpaceX launches NROL-149 spy satellites for NRO and lands rocket safely

SpaceX launched the NROL-149 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) on December 17 from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The mission included advanced spy satellites designed for U.S. intelligence needs. The Falcon 9 rocket successfully landed on a drone ship in the Pacific, marking SpaceX's 384th recovery of an orbital-class rocket. This launch was SpaceX's 127th of the year and the NRO's final mission for 2024. The NROL-149 mission is part of a broader NRO initiative to deploy smaller, resilient satellites for reconnaissance. This approach reflects a shift towards using multiple smaller satellites to improve intelligence capabilities, although specific details remain classified.