NROL-105 Mission Scheduled for Launch from Vandenberg SFB Friday Evening

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. (KEYT) – A Falcon 9 launch of the NROL-105 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base is scheduled for a 35-minute launch window beginning at 8:18 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16, 2026.

A backup launch window has been designated for the following day beginning at 8:04 p.m.

A live webcast of the launch will begin about ten minutes before liftoff that you can watch here or on SpaceX's X/Twitter account.

According to the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), the mission will add to the existing constellation of reconnaissance satellites, the largest government-operated one in existence, and is one of many launches planned through 2029.

"Having hundreds of small satellites on orbit is invaluable to the NRO’s mission," explained Dr. Chris Scolese, Director of the NRO. "They will provide greater revisit rates, increased coverage, more timely delivery of information—and ultimately help us deliver more of what our customers need even faster."

Following first-stage separation, the booster assigned to this mission will return to Earth to land at Landing Zone 4 at Vandenberg Space Force Base.

A depiction of that launch sequence is shown in the image below.

There is the potential for one or more sonic booms across the local area during the launch, but how far the sound travels will depend on weather and other factors at the time.

This will be the second mission launched by the Falcon 9 assigned to this mission which previously launched a Starlink mission.