SpaceX sent this year astronauts to orbit for the first time and saw explosive debut of its latest Starship prototype. But it still has a planned launch for the end of 2020.
A Falcon 9 rocket is set to send a new spy satellite into space for the US National Reconnaissance Office on Saturday morning at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch was originally scheduled to take place on Thursday morning, but some irregular pressure readings triggered the self-abortion, pushing the launch first until Friday and now saturday.
This classified national security mission is designated NROL-108 and will be the sixth launch in 2020 from the National Reconnaissance Bureau. Like most other NGO releases, it has a somewhat cryptic poster and slogan, in the form of a cartoon gorilla beating his chest and expressing “peace by force.”
“Gorillas are peaceful animals, but can be fierce when needed,” encrypted NRO posted on Twitter. “Like the gorilla, our # NROL108 mission is constantly vigilant and ready to defend its own.”
Gorillas are peaceful animals, but can be ferocious when needed. Like the gorilla, ours # NROL108 the mission is constantly vigilant and ready to defend itself, demonstrating the NGO’s commitment to protecting US fighters, interests and allies. NET scheduled launch December 17 w / @SpaceX pic.twitter.com/M5k7obXk08
– NRO (@NatReconOfc) December 14, 2020
A recent NGO mission, launched aboard a Union Atlas V rocket launching the Union on November 13, featured a mysterious Lord of the Rings theme, including an elf script.
“I think we only have some Lord of the Rings fans,” an NRO spokesman later told me via email.
The weather forecast looks favorable for Saturday’s mission to explode during its three-hour launch window between 6:00 and 9:00 PT (9:00 to ET noon). The first amplifier of the Falcon 9 will try to land ashore at the Cape Canaveral space station.
SpaceX will broadcast the launch live and you can watch it above.