SpaceXFalcon 9 Block 5Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

NROL-108

Launched

December 19, 2020

Launch SuccessfulWeather 90% go

Summary

NROL-108 launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 from Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA on December 19, 2020. It was SpaceX's 117th launch, 29th this year and humanity's 6,034th orbital launch attempt. It was the 47th Falcon 9 Block 5 flight and the 26th this year. Booster B1059 flew for the 5th time and landed at Landing Zone 1. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). 2 objects from this launch are catalogued, all of them payloads.

Watch: Falcon 9 NROL-108 Full FlightThe Space Devs
NROL-108 MissionSpaceX
NROL-108 MissionSpaceX
Vehicle: Falcon 9 Block 5 · SpaceX
Booster: B1059 · flight 5 · Return to Launch Site at Landing Zone 1 · landed53/54 landed here · 110 days after its previous flight, SAOCOM 1B · 15 km downrange
Mission: Government/Top Secret · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
Milestone: 47th Falcon 9 Block 5 flight · 26th this yearSpaceX's 117th launch29th this yearhumanity's 6,034th orbital launch attempt112th orbital launch attempt this year

Webcast

Replay

Watch on YouTube

Flight preview

Catalogued objects

2 catalogued: 2 payloads; 2 still in orbit

USA 312 · NORAD 47294 · in orbit
USA 313 · NORAD 47295 · in orbit

Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org

About this launch

Classified payload for NRO.

Pad

Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

125th launch from Launch Complex 39A, 11th this year · 182nd from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

224 launches from this pad · 283 from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

12 days after the previous launch from this pad

All launches from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA Open in maps

Updates

Pushed back another 24 hours.

Cosmic_Penguin · Dec 18, 2020 · source

Show 7 earlier updates

Nosu · 12/17/2020 · source
updating T-0
SwGustav · 12/17/2020 · source
Nosu · 12/14/2020 · source
Confirmed launch time backed up by marine closure notices.
Cosmic_Penguin · 12/14/2020 · source
NET Dec 17th
scottm3 · 12/4/2020 · source
NROL-108 moved to December 2020.
Cosmic_Penguin · 11/15/2020 · source
NROL-108 doesn't seems to be planned on 11/18 anymore.
Cosmic_Penguin · 11/14/2020 · source

Questions

When did NROL-108 launch?

NROL-108 launched on December 19, 2020. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.

Where can I watch NROL-108?

Coverage: Falcon 9 NROL-108 Full Flight; NROL-108 Mission; NROL-108 Mission. Watch the replay

What rocket launched NROL-108?

Falcon 9 Block 5, flown by SpaceX. Falcon 9 Block 5 spec sheet

Where did NROL-108 launch from?

Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA.

Did the booster land?

Booster B1059 flew for the 5th time and landed at Landing Zone 1.

What orbit was NROL-108 going to?

Low Earth Orbit (LEO), a government/top secret mission.

How many satellites did NROL-108 launch?

2 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).