As part of a new US intelligence network intended to significantly improve the country’s capacity for space-based surveillance, SpaceX launched its first batch of operational spy satellites on Wednesday, the first of several planned this year, according to Reuters.
Earlier this year, the existence of the spy network was unveiled through two Reuters reports, revealing SpaceX’s involvement in constructing hundreds of satellites for the US National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).
In the early hours of Wednesday, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Southern California, initiating what the NRO hailed as the “first launch of the NRO’s proliferated systems featuring responsive collection and rapid data delivery.”
Although the exact number of satellites to be deployed wasn’t disclosed, the agency announced plans for approximately six launches in 2024 alone with further launches anticipated up to 2028.
The reliance on satellites in Earth’s orbit for military and intelligence operations has surged, driven by reduced launch costs and evolving risks to conventional data collection methods.
The NRO’s satellite network underscores the significant role SpaceX under the leadership of Elon Musk plays in critical government missions. With its Starlink network a constellation of thousands of broadband internet satellites SpaceX has emerged as the world’s largest satellite operator and dominates the US rocket launch market.
