SpaceXFalcon 9 Block 5Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
NROL-57
Launched
March 21, 2025 · 06:49 UTC
Image: SpaceX
Summary
NROL-57 launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 from Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on March 21, 2025 at 06:49 UTC. The launch window ran from 05:48 to 08:17 UTC. It was SpaceX's 484th launch, 35th this year and humanity's 6,908th orbital launch attempt. It was the 394th Falcon 9 Block 5 flight and the 33rd this year. Booster B1088 flew for the 4th time and landed at Landing Zone 4. The payload was bound for Unknown (N/A). 11 objects from this launch are catalogued, all of them payloads.
- Watch
- Vehicle
- Falcon 9 Block 5 · SpaceX
- Booster
- B1088 · flight 4 · Return to Launch Site at Landing Zone 4 · landed35/35 landed here · 9 days 3 hours after its previous flight, SPHEREx & PUNCH
- Mission
- Government/Top Secret · Unknown (N/A)for NRO
- Milestone
- 394th Falcon 9 Block 5 flight · 33rd this yearSpaceX's 484th launch35th this yearhumanity's 6,908th orbital launch attempt59th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Simulate in Flight ClubFlight timeline
- T−38MGO for Prop Load
- T−35MProp Load
- T−35MStage 1 LOX Load
- T−16MStage 2 LOX Load
- T−7MEngine Chill
- T−1MStartup
- T−1MTank Press
- T−45SGO for Launch
- T−3SIgnition
- T−0Liftoff
- T+1M3SMax-Q
- T+2M11SMECO
- T+2M14SStage 2 Separation
- T+2M22SSES-1
- T+2M56SFairing Separation
- T+5M57SEntry Burn Startup
- T+6M13SEntry Burn Shutdown
- T+7M11SStage 1 Landing Burn
- T+7M38SStage 1 Landing
- T+8M26SSECO-1
- T+54M1SSES-2
- T+54M4SSECO-2
Catalogued objects
11 catalogued: 11 payloads; 11 still in orbit
- USA 487 · NORAD 63333 · in orbit
- USA 488 · NORAD 63334 · in orbit
- USA 489 · NORAD 63335 · in orbit
- USA 490 · NORAD 63336 · in orbit
- USA 491 · NORAD 63337 · in orbit
- USA 492 · NORAD 63338 · in orbit
- USA 493 · NORAD 63339 · in orbit
- USA 494 · NORAD 63340 · in orbit
- USA 495 · NORAD 63341 · in orbit
- USA 496 · NORAD 63342 · in orbit
- USA 497 · NORAD 63343 · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Eighth 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.
Pad
Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
184th launch from Space Launch Complex 4E, 10th this year · 796th from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Local pad time at liftoff: Mar 20, 11:49 PM PDT, at night
303 launches from this pad · 919 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
6 days after the previous launch from this pad
Updates
Launch success.
Show 8 earlier updates
Liftoff.
Cosmic_Penguin · 3/21/2025 · source
Unofficial Re-stream by SPACE AFFAIRS has started
LL2 · 3/21/2025 · source
GO for launch.
Cosmic_Penguin · 3/20/2025 · source
NET March 21.
Cosmic_Penguin · 3/19/2025 · source
NET March 20 UTC.
Cosmic_Penguin · 3/13/2025 · source
NET March 19 UTC.
Cosmic_Penguin · 3/11/2025 · source
Reverted back to NET February TBD with the cancellation of NOTAMs.
Cosmic_Penguin · 2/16/2025 · source
Added launch per NOTAMs.
Cosmic_Penguin · 2/11/2025 · source
Questions
When did NROL-57 launch?
NROL-57 launched on March 21, 2025 at 06:49 UTC. The launch window ran from 05:48 to 08:17 UTC.
Where can I watch NROL-57?
Coverage: SpaceX NROL-57; SpaceX - Falcon 9 - NROL-57 - SLC-4E - Vandenberg SFB - March 20, 2025; Watch live: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches from California on U.S. spy satellite agency mission. Watch the replay
What rocket launched NROL-57?
Falcon 9 Block 5, flown by SpaceX. Falcon 9 Block 5 spec sheet
Where did NROL-57 launch from?
Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA. Liftoff was Mar 20, 11:49 PM PDT local time at the pad.
Did the booster land?
Booster B1088 flew for the 4th time and landed at Landing Zone 4.
What orbit was NROL-57 going to?
Unknown (N/A), a government/top secret mission.
How many satellites did NROL-57 launch?
11 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 11 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).