SpaceX will launch a new mission out of Vandenberg Space Force Base on Friday evening.
The mission will release a satellite into Earth's orbit in efforts to increase "space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance," according to a National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) April press release.
The satellite's structure follows the NRO's new design for proliferated space architecture — a system using constellations of many smaller satellites to increase resilience from attacks.
NROL-186 was designed by the NRO in partnership with the U.S. Space Force Space Launch Delta 30 and SpaceX. The spacecraft will be propelled by a first stage booster, which has been used in seven other launches since August 2023. The booster will land on a droneship in the Pacific Ocean following the initial launch.
The launch is scheduled for 8:14 p.m. and will be available to watch live on the SpaceX website.
