SpaceXFalcon 9 Block 5Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
NROL-179
Launched
June 19, 2026 · 08:50 UTC
Image: SpaceX
Summary
NROL-179 launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 from Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on June 19, 2026 at 08:50 UTC. The launch window ran from 08:40 to 09:15 UTC. It was SpaceX's 692nd launch, 73rd this year and humanity's 7,319th orbital launch attempt. It was the 597th Falcon 9 Block 5 flight and the 71st this year. Booster B1103 flew for the 3rd time and landed at Landing Zone 4. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). 9 objects from this launch are catalogued, all of them payloads.
- Watch
- SpaceX NROL-179The Space Devs
- Live: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches from California with satellites for U.S. spy satellite agencySpaceflight Now
- NROL-179 MissionSpaceX
- Vehicle
- Falcon 9 Block 5 · SpaceX
- Booster
- B1103 · flight 3 · Return to Launch Site at Landing Zone 4 · landed37/37 landed here · 30 days after its previous flight, Starlink Group 17-42
- Mission
- Government/Top Secret · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)for NRO
- Milestone
- 597th Falcon 9 Block 5 flight · 71st this yearSpaceX's 692nd launch73rd this yearhumanity's 7,319th orbital launch attempt146th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Simulate in Flight ClubFlight timeline
- T−38MGO for Prop Load
- T−35MStage 1 LOX Load
- T−35MProp Load
- T−16MStage 2 LOX Load
- T−7MEngine Chill
- T−1MStartup
- T−1MTank Press
- T−45SGO for Launch
- T−3SIgnition
- T−0Liftoff
- T+1M2SMax-Q
- T+2M10SMECO
- T+2M14SStage 2 Separation
- T+2M22SSES-1
- T+2M56SFairing Separation
- T+3M21SBooster Boostback Burn Shutdown
- T+6M1SEntry Burn Startup
- T+6M18SEntry Burn Shutdown
- T+7M18SStage 1 Landing Burn
- T+7M43SStage 1 Landing
Catalogued objects
9 catalogued: 9 payloads; 9 still in orbit
- USA 610 · NORAD 69637 · in orbit
- USA 611 · NORAD 69638 · in orbit
- USA 612 · NORAD 69639 · in orbit
- USA 613 · NORAD 69640 · in orbit
- USA 614 · NORAD 69641 · in orbit
- USA 615 · NORAD 69642 · in orbit
- USA 616 · NORAD 69643 · in orbit
- USA 617 · NORAD 69644 · in orbit
- USA 618 · NORAD 69645 · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Fourteenth 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.
News
Live coverage: SpaceX to launch intelligence-gathering satellites for the National Reconnaissance OfficeThe Falcon 9 rocket will launch an undisclosed number of satellites, which are believed to be Starshield satellites, a government variant of Starlink. Liftoff from pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base is scheduled during a 35-minute window that opens on Friday, June 19, at 1:40 a.m. PDT (4:40 a.m. EDT / 0840 UTC).
Launch Preview: 10 launches scheduled from sites across the worldA very busy launch manifest is expected in the upcoming week, with 10 launches scheduled…
Pad
Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
275th launch from Space Launch Complex 4E, 37th this year · 891st from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Local pad time at liftoff: Jun 19, 1:50 AM PDT, at night
303 launches from this pad · 919 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
3 days 17 hours after the previous launch from this pad
Updates
Launch success.
Show 7 earlier updates
Liftoff.
Cosmic_Penguin · 6/19/2026 · source
Unofficial Re-stream by SPACE AFFAIRS has started
LL2 · 6/19/2026 · source
Now targeting Jun 19 at 08:50:45 UTC
hitura-nobad · 6/19/2026 · source
Now targeting Jun 19 at 08:50 UTC
hitura-nobad · 6/19/2026 · source
Now targeting Jun 19 at 08:40 UTC
Cosmic_Penguin · 6/17/2026 · source
GO for launch on June 18.
Cosmic_Penguin · 6/9/2026 · source
Added launch.
Cosmic_Penguin · 6/9/2026 · source
Questions
When did NROL-179 launch?
NROL-179 launched on June 19, 2026 at 08:50 UTC. The launch window ran from 08:40 to 09:15 UTC.
Where can I watch NROL-179?
Coverage: SpaceX NROL-179; Live: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches from California with satellites for U.S. spy satellite agency; NROL-179 Mission. Watch the replay
What rocket launched NROL-179?
Falcon 9 Block 5, flown by SpaceX. Falcon 9 Block 5 spec sheet
Where did NROL-179 launch from?
Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA. Liftoff was Jun 19, 1:50 AM PDT local time at the pad.
Did the booster land?
Booster B1103 flew for the 3rd time and landed at Landing Zone 4.
What orbit was NROL-179 going to?
Low Earth Orbit (LEO), a government/top secret mission.
How many satellites did NROL-179 launch?
9 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 9 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).