Rocket launch today: SpaceX NROL-95 spy satellite mission
SpaceX is targeting a Falcon 9 rocket launch today for the classified NROL-95 mission, lifting off at 3:10 a.m. ET from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station with a National Reconnaissance Office payload. A live webcast begins about 10 minutes before liftoff, with a backup window Friday if weather intervenes.
Key Takeaways
- Liftoff of NROL-95 is targeted for 3:10 a.m. ET on Thursday, July 30, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral.
- The Falcon 9 carries a classified National Reconnaissance Office payload; the NRO has released no details on the spacecraft.
- Booster B1096 is flying its seventh mission and is set to land at Landing Zone 2 about 8.5 minutes after liftoff.
- Forecasters give a 70% chance of favorable weather, with cloud cover and storms still a concern overnight.
- A backup opportunity is available Friday, July 31, at 2:55 a.m. ET if Thursday slips.
When is the NROL-95 rocket launch today?
According to SpaceX, the NROL-95 Falcon 9 is targeting Thursday, July 30, at 3:10 a.m. ET from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Spaceflight Now reported that SpaceX adjusted the T-0 liftoff time ahead of the attempt.
Space.com noted a roughly 44-minute launch window opening at 2:37 a.m. EDT, with SpaceX aiming for the latter half of that span. If needed, SpaceX lists a backup opportunity on Friday, July 31, at 2:55 a.m. ET.
A live webcast is set to begin about 10 minutes before liftoff on SpaceX’s launch page and on X at @SpaceX. Spaceflight Now planned live coverage beginning about an hour prior.
What is flying on this classified NRO mission?
NROL-95 is a National Reconnaissance Office mission carrying a classified payload widely described as a U.S. spy satellite. The NRO has provided no public details about the payload or its on-orbit activities.
Spaceflight Now reported the flight as the third NRO mission procured on a Falcon 9 under the National Security Space Launch Phase 2 contract, managed by the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command. The NROL-95 task order was awarded to SpaceX in August 2024.
Space.com said NROL-95 is the fourth NRO launch of 2026 after NROL-105, NROL-172, and NROL-179, which flew Falcon 9s from Vandenberg. The agency’s mission patch shows a snarling ferret and the phrase “We are the Champions.”
Will the Falcon 9 booster return to Cape Canaveral?
Yes, if the plan holds. SpaceX said this is the seventh flight for the first-stage booster supporting the mission. Spaceflight Now identified the vehicle as Falcon 9 booster B1096 and said a successful touchdown would be the 18th landing at Landing Zone 2 and SpaceX’s 642nd booster landing.
Landing is targeted at LZ-2 at Cape Canaveral about 8.5 minutes after liftoff. The 45th Weather Squadron forecast a 70% chance of favorable conditions for Thursday’s attempt while monitoring cloud cover and thunderstorms.
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