SpaceX Launches Mysterious NROL-95 Mission to Orbit Early Thursday Morning

On July 30th at 3:10 a.m. EDT, SpaceX launched the classified NROL-95 mission to orbit for the National Reconnaissance Office from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

This was the third NRO mission launched by SpaceX under the NSSL Phase 2 contract awarded in August 2020 and the fourth NRO mission launched by SpaceX this year alone.

Shortly after launch, Falcon 9 booster B1096 returned to land at LZ-2. This was the 7th mission for this booster, which previously launched KF-01, IMAP, NROL-77, GPS III-9, CRS-34, and one Starlink mission.

Our photographers were onsite for this launch and captured photos from liftoff to landing. See below:

Photo Credit: Gavin R. for Launch Heaven Media