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Live coverage: SpaceX to launch national security satellite for NRO on Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral
- SpaceX is set to launch the NROL-69 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
- The mission is the fifth for the NRO out of roughly a dozen planned for the year, with liftoff scheduled for 1:48 p.m. EDT (1748 UTC).
- The 45th Weather Squadron predicts a 90 percent chance of favorable weather for the launch.
- SpaceX plans to reuse the Falcon 9 first stage booster B1092, which previously launched the Starlink 12-13 flight.
- The mission will see the booster attempting to land back at Landing Zone 1, marking the 50th touchdown at LZ-1 and the 422nd booster landing overall if successful.
- NROL-69 is part of the National Security Space Launch program Phase 2, with SpaceX and ULA being awarded contracts worth billions of dollars.
- The NRO provides limited details about its missions, including payload information, with a national security payload onboard the Falcon 9 for this launch.
- The Falcon 9 rocket's second stage features a grey band, indicating potential measures for keeping the rocket's propellant at a consistent temperature during long coast phases.
- SpaceX's strategic use of different configurations like medium-coast kits for second stages is highlighted, optimizing performance and system operations during spaceflight.
- The protective grey stripe on the rocket's second stage was also seen during previous launches, aiding in maintaining the necessary fuel temperature for mission success.
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