SpaceX successfully launched the National Advanced Optical System (NAOS) satellite, along with seven secondary payloads, on August 26, 2025. The mission lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 2:53 p.m. EDT, utilizing a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket (B1063) on its 27th flight.
The NAOS satellite, developed by OHB Italia for the Luxembourg Directorate of Defence, is designed for high-resolution Earth observation, serving governmental and military needs. It will operate in a sun-synchronous low Earth orbit at an altitude of approximately 450 km, providing global coverage with over 100 images daily. NAOS is engineered for a seven-year operational lifespan, with a potential three-year extension, and is intended to support Luxembourg's participation in NATO defense efforts.
The Falcon 9 booster, B1063, successfully returned and landed at Vandenberg Space Force Base's Landing Zone 4, marking its 27th recovery. This mission represented SpaceX's 104th Falcon 9 launch of 2025 and the 522nd overall since 2010.
The seven secondary payloads included:
LEAP-1: Featuring an AI module and hyperspectral imager from Dhruva Space, designed for real-time geospatial AI processing.
Pelican-3 and Pelican-4: Earth-imaging satellites from Planet Labs, enhancing their constellation with high-resolution, AI-enabled capabilities.
Acadia-6: A commercial observation platform from Capella Space, equipped with advanced synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology for all-weather imaging.
FFLY-1, FFLY-2, and FFLY-3: Nanosatellites from Pixxel, carrying high-frequency hyperspectral imaging capabilities.
This launch significantly expands Luxembourg's Earth observation capacity and bolsters the capabilities of commercial entities in the Earth-imaging sector, integrating advanced AI and hyperspectral imaging technologies for enhanced satellite data utility.