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A SpaceX Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch the NROL-146 spy satellite mission Wednesday at 1 a.m. fromSpace Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Instantaneous backup opportunities are available until 3:28 a.m., and if needed, opportunities for launch are also open Thursday starting at 1:14 a.m.

The rocket's second stage booster is expected to deliver to low-Earth orbit the first phase of small spy satellites purposed for construction of a government reconnaissance satellite constellation, according to reports.

Built by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman for the National Reconnaissance Office, it is reported that the constellation will provide imaging and other national reconnaissance capabilities designed to increase data delivery over areas of interest.

Following stage separation, the first stage booster will land on the Of Course I Still Love You autonomous droneship to be stationed in the Pacific Ocean, for later retrieval.

The mission will mark the 16th flight for the first-stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched NROL-87, NROL-85, SARah-1, SWOT, Transporter-8, Transporter-9, and nine Starlink missions..

A live webcast of the mission will begin onwww.spacex.comandXapproximately 10 minutes prior to liftoff.

Lisa Andr covers lifestyle and local news for Santa Ynez Valley News and Lompoc Record, editions of the Santa Maria Times.

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SpaceX slated to launch batch of spy satellites from Vandenberg SFB Wednesday morning - Santa Ynez Valley News