12 May 2026 year Fr. 02:13 (UTC) from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, USA, using a launch vehicle «Falcon 9 Block 5» the mission was launched «NROL-172».
missions «NROL-172» has a completely secret nature, since the main customer is the US National Intelligence Service, and therefore the assignment of the KA mission «NROL-172» not known. The payload is probably a batch of satellites «Starshield». This is government, Improved version of Starlink Satellites SpaceX with improved encryption and a number of other security features, which will be used in three main areas: Optical intelligence, Military communication, Testing and removing the payload.
Pentagon plans to use ka «Starshield» from SpaceX for a future military communication network.
Today, military satellite communications are rapidly shifting to the use of large groups of small satellites in low Earth orbit.
Currently, US military agency is one of the largest users of Starlink's commercial services from SpaceX, but the military wants to see its own satellite group deployed, that can be created to 2029 year.
In addition to increased cybersecurity, An important advantage of the Starshield system will be its branching, based on a large number of relatively small satellites, capable of providing a global coating. Such a structure will provide much greater resistance to refusals compared to the traditional rate on several large geostational satellites, which, In case of emergency, can be disabled by the enemy.
Will belong to this grouping by the US government and, in accordance, Only those agencies will be able to use his services, How will he give access.
This launch will expand the CA grouping «Starshield» and will provide a more stable connection for NRO. At the moment, the group consists of at least 196 KA.
According to the CCS