By Alimat Aliyeva

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket has launched small spacecraft into orbit by order of the US National Directorate of Military Space Intelligence (NRO), Azernews reports, citing foreign media.

The missile was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The classified mission, designated NROL-146, was SpaceX's 52nd launch this year and the fifth Falcon 9 launch for NRO.

At the request of NO, SpaceX did not show how the upper stage of the rocket puts the payload into orbit, and stopped broadcasting after the landing of the first stage. The NRO does not disclose how many satellites were launched as part of this mission, nor does it report on the estimated number of launched vehicles.

Agency representatives previously stated that six launches are planned in 2024, the main goal of which is to increase the number of spacecraft in orbit four times.