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SpaceX Successfully Launches Its First Spy Satellite (arstechnica.com)
SpaceX successfully launched NROL-76, a classified U.S. intelligence mission, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center Monday. Sunday's launch attempt was scrubbed due to a sensor issue. From a report: Not much is known about the National Reconnaissance Office's NROL-76 satellite, a classified payload, which will liftoff into low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The 1st stage landed at LZ1 again. I believe this was a new booster on this launch (as opposed to a "flight proven" stage).
These landing are becoming so routine that it's almost boring. Almost.
Also,the live feed this time around showed a ground based view of the first stage from launch, to separation, to boost back burn, to landing. Some very long stretches of single shots. Clear weather made for a very interesting perspective!
You mightn't be aware, but ULA has been aggressively driving down the launch costs on the Atlas V. It's still not as cheap as Falcon 9, but it is a lot cheaper than it was a few years ago. Atlas V also has a much better reliability track record than F9 does and has fewer launch delays, which is worth something to the people with very expensive satellites.
They are also working on a new rocket named Vulcan to reduce costs even further. There is only so much they can do however because their profits are fed back into the 2 companies that own ULA, instead of being purely spent on R&D for their own improvement. They are making profit for the companies that own them, effectively trying to swim with an anchor around their neck.