Rocket Lab to Fly National Reconnaissance Office Mission With Electron Rocket

Long Beach, California-based Rocket Lab USA has announced that it will conduct a dedicated mission for the National Reconnaissance Office within a launch window starting on March 20.

Named “Live and Let Fly”, NROL-123 will take place at Launch Complex 2, a dedicated Electron rocket pad within NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, Rocket Lab said Wednesday.

The mission is expected to be Rocket Lab’s first for the NRO since launching four missions from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand.

Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck said his company’s ability to launch national security missions from two countries provides small satellite launches with “a rare level of responsiveness and resiliency.” Beck added that the Electron rocket has provided space access to the NRO since 2020.

According to Rocket Lab, the flight will be its fourth in 2024 and its 46th Electron launch overall.

The NRO used the Rapid Acquisition of a Small Rocket contract to acquire launch support for the Live and Let Fly mission.