Intelligence and dual-use commercial satellites launch on Transporter-13

SpaceX’s Transporter-13 rideshare mission on March 15 carried dozens of small satellites into orbit, including several funded by U.S. military and intelligence agencies. This was SpaceX’s 13th dedicated smallsat rideshare that has become a regular pipeline to orbit for both commercial and government customers. Among the 74 payloads was a technology demonstrator from the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), the agency responsible for designing, building, and operating U.S. spy satellites. The payload consists of two cubesats designed and operated by NRO’s Advanced Systems & Technology Directorate for an unspecified research mission. More

(Source: SpaceNews - Mar 16)