SpaceX launched its first national security mission of the year on January 16, 2026, deploying spy satellites from California.
A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 11:39 p.m. EST (8:39 p.m. local California time; 0439GMT on Jan. 17). The mission, named NROL-105, was carried out for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).
NROL-105 was the 12th launch contributing to the NRO's "proliferated architecture." This new reconnaissance constellation prioritizes flexibility, speed of deployment, cost efficiency, and resilience.
NRO Director Chris Scolese indicated that numerous small satellites in orbit are essential for the NRO's mission, offering improved revisit rates, greater coverage, and more timely information.
The satellites for the proliferated architecture are constructed by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman. All launches for this architecture have used Falcon 9 rockets from Vandenberg, with the initial mission, NROL-146, occurring in May 2024.
The Falcon 9's first stage successfully returned to Earth, landing at Vandenberg approximately 7.5 minutes after liftoff. This marked the second launch and landing for this specific booster.
The number of satellites deployed on NROL-105, along with their specific deployment details, was not publicly disclosed. The SpaceX livestream concluded shortly after the booster landing, reportedly at the NRO's request.
NROL-105 represented SpaceX's seventh mission of 2026. Four of these launches supported the company's Starlink broadband constellation.