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SpaceX

NROL-172

Success

Falcon 9 Block 5

T-minus to liftoff

HOURS

MINUTES

SECONDS

Tuesday May 12 2026, 02:13:50 UTC

StatusSuccess

Scrub riskLOW

Go95%

VehicleFalcon 9 Block 5

OrbitUnknown

PadSpace Launch Complex 4E

Launch CodexDossier

Every source for this mission in one place — news, social, references, notes & the exact timeline.

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General trajectory

Space Launch Complex 4E

Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Launching

South

162° · SSE

34.632, -120.611

Orbital elements (TLE)

2 element sets

Orbit

Apogee288 km

Perigee287 km

Period90.3 min

Inclination70.01°

Launch heading 162° · SSE from NROL-172 PO.

Parking orbitNROL-172 PO› conemedium

1 70084U 26103A 26132.12947917 .00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 9995

2 70084 70.0178 338.8789 0110552 154.1641 180.9024 16.21282083 03

OrbitNROL-172medium

1 70084U 26103A 26132.12949074 .00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 9991

2 70084 70.0090 338.8928 0001000 335.1500 000.0000 15.95310800 08

Pre-launch TLEs from Dillon's Space Page. Estimated before flight — the real orbit is confirmed post-launch.

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Mission

Thirteenth batch of satellites for a reconnaissance satellite constellation built by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman for the National Reconnaissance Office to provide imaging and other reconnaissance capabilities.

Reusable Hardware

All boosters →

First Stage · Flight-provenB1097

active9th flight

Flights13

Landings13/13100%

Fastest turn14d 3h

Recovered · ASDS · OCISLY· 610 km downrange

22d 10h since last flight

Falcon 9 booster.

Previous flights · 12

Q's read

Weather & scrubLOW risk

Weather Go95%Wind7 m/sGusts9 m/sCloud64%Temp17°C

Limiting rule: No flight through cumulus cloud with top at or above the freezing level.

max cloud-top 5759 m above freezing 3589 m (98% cover in 10 nmi) · no GLM flashes within 25 nmi / 30 min, likely cirrus / stratiform ice rather than cumulus · max-top 5759 m, mean 4377 m, 98% cover, freezing 3589 m · 7.1 ≥ 6 ft significant wave height

Jellyfish potentialMap & details →

Classic

Launch Timeline

Countdown

T-00:38:00

GO for Prop Load

T-00:35:00

Prop Load

T-00:35:00

Stage 1 LOX Load

T-00:16:00

Stage 2 LOX Load

T-00:07:00

Engine Chill

T-00:01:00

Startup

T-00:01:00

Tank Press

T-00:00:45

GO for Launch

T-00:00:03

Ignition

In-flight

T+00:00:00

Liftoff

T+00:01:06

Max-Q

T+00:02:25

MECO

T+00:02:29

Stage 2 Separation

T+00:02:36

SES-1

T+00:02:53

Fairing Separation

T+00:06:15

Entry Burn Startup

T+00:06:38

Entry Burn Shutdown

T+00:08:06

Stage 1 Landing Burn

T+00:08:30

Stage 1 Landing

Quick facts

VehicleFalcon 9 Block 5

OrbitUnknown

PadSpace Launch Complex 4E

SiteVandenberg SFB, CA, USA

WindowMonday May 11 2026, 22:28:00 UTC→Tuesday May 12 2026, 02:28:00 UTC

Vehicle

FamilyFalcon

Height70 m

Diameter3.7 m

Stages2

ReusableYes

LEO capacity22,800 kg

Track record626/627 successful

Landings612/617