On January 9, 2025, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the National Reconnaissance Office’s (NRO) NROL-153 mission, marking the first NRO launch of the year.

The rocket carried classified payloads to expand the U.S. intelligence and surveillance capabilities through a growing network of small, distributed satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO).

This mission is part of the NRO’s strategy to enhance satellite resilience and responsiveness, focusing on faster data delivery and resistance to threats like anti-satellite weapons, Space News has reported.

The NRO plans about a dozen launches in 2025, with half aimed at this proliferated architecture.

Written by B.C. Begley