NAOS

Mission

NAOS on Falcon 9 Block 5. Tue 26 Aug 2025, 18:53:41 UTC. Reported outcome: Success. Launch site: Space Launch Complex 4E. Source: Launch Library 2.

NAOS (National Advanced Optical System) is the space component of Luxembourg's governmental dual-use observation satellite system LUXEOSys (Luxembourg Earth Observation System). Its purpose is to provide high resolution images to national and international governmental and military organizations such as NATO. The 800 kg satellite is built by OHB Italia and is equipped with a very high-resolution optical camera with a ground reolution of 50 cm in an around 450 km high sun-synchronous orbit. It will have a operational life time of 7 years. Also on board the launch is Dhruva Space's LEAP-1; Planet's Pelican-3 and Pelican-4; and Exolaunch’s Acadia-6, FFLY-1, FFLY-2, and FFLY-3.

Mission type

Government/Top Secret

Orbit

Sun-Synchronous Orbit

Launch timeline

Times are relative to liftoff.

1. T-38 minTue 26 Aug, 20:15 CEST

   GO for Prop Load

   Launch director verifies go for propellant load

2. T-35 minTue 26 Aug, 20:18 CEST

   Prop Load

   Start of propelland loading

3. T-35 minTue 26 Aug, 20:18 CEST

   Stage 1 LOX Load

   Start of liquid oxygen loading in the first stage

4. T-16 minTue 26 Aug, 20:37 CEST

   Stage 2 LOX Load

   Start of liquid oxygen loading in the second stage

5. T-7 minTue 26 Aug, 20:46 CEST

   Engine Chill

   Start of engine chilling

6. T-1 minTue 26 Aug, 20:52 CEST

   Startup

   The onboard computer takes control over the countdown and runs last checks

7. T-1 minTue 26 Aug, 20:52 CEST

   Tank Press

   Fuel tanks are pressurized to flight levels

8. T-45 sTue 26 Aug, 20:52 CEST

   GO for Launch

   Launch director verifies go for launch

9. T-3 sTue 26 Aug, 20:53 CEST

   Ignition

   Start of the engine ignition sequence

10. T-0Tue 26 Aug, 20:53 CEST

    Liftoff

    First upwards movement of the rocket

11. T+1 min 12 sTue 26 Aug, 20:54 CEST

    Max-Q

    Maximum dynamic pressure

12. T+2 min 14 sTue 26 Aug, 20:55 CEST

    MECO

    Cut-off of the main engine

13. T+2 min 18 sTue 26 Aug, 20:55 CEST

    Stage 2 Separation

    Separation of the second stage from the first

14. T+2 min 22 sTue 26 Aug, 20:56 CEST

    Stage 1 Flip

    Flip maneuver of the first stage

15. T+2 min 25 sTue 26 Aug, 20:56 CEST

    SES-1

    First start of the second engine

16. T+2 min 31 sTue 26 Aug, 20:56 CEST

    Booster Boostback Burn Startup

    Start of the booster boostback burn

17. T+2 min 41 sTue 26 Aug, 20:56 CEST

    Fairing Separation

    Separation of the payload fairing

18. T+3 min 18 sTue 26 Aug, 20:56 CEST

    Booster Boostback Burn Shutdown

    End of the booster boostback burn

19. T+6 min 14 sTue 26 Aug, 20:59 CEST

    Entry Burn Startup

    Start of the atmospheric entry burn

20. T+6 min 35 sTue 26 Aug, 21:00 CEST

    Entry Burn Shutdown

    End of the atmospheric entry burn

21. T+7 min 20 sTue 26 Aug, 21:01 CEST

    Stage 1 Landing Burn

    Start of the first stage landing burn

22. T+7 min 57 sTue 26 Aug, 21:01 CEST

    Stage 1 Landing

    Landing of the first stage

23. T+9 min 29 sTue 26 Aug, 21:03 CEST

    SECO-1

    First cut-off of the second engine

24. T+11 min 42 sTue 26 Aug, 21:05 CEST

    Payload Separation

    Final deployment of the payload from the rocket

25. T+11 min 48 sTue 26 Aug, 21:05 CEST

    Payload Separation

    Final deployment of the payload from the rocket

26. T+11 min 55 sTue 26 Aug, 21:05 CEST

    Payload Separation

    Final deployment of the payload from the rocket

27. T+52 min 34 sTue 26 Aug, 21:46 CEST

    SES-2

    Second start of the second engine

28. T+52 min 37 sTue 26 Aug, 21:46 CEST

    SECO-2

    Second cut-off of the second engine

29. T+1 h 5 min 55 sTue 26 Aug, 21:59 CEST

    SES-3

    Third start of the second engine

30. T+1 h 5 min 59 sTue 26 Aug, 21:59 CEST

    SECO-3

    Third cut-off of the second engine

31. T+1 h 8 min 50 sTue 26 Aug, 22:02 CEST

    Payload Separation

    Final deployment of the payload from the rocket

32. T+1 h 8 min 58 sTue 26 Aug, 22:02 CEST

    Payload Separation

    Final deployment of the payload from the rocket

33. T+1 h 9 min 7 sTue 26 Aug, 22:02 CEST

    Payload Separation

    Final deployment of the payload from the rocket

34. T+1 h 9 min 16 sTue 26 Aug, 22:02 CEST

    Payload Separation

    Final deployment of the payload from the rocket

35. T+1 h 9 min 26 sTue 26 Aug, 22:03 CEST

    Payload Separation

    Final deployment of the payload from the rocket

Slip history

Changes recorded by Space Right Now

No changes since we started tracking on Sat 10 Oct 2026, 11:17 UTC.

Launch pad

Space Launch Complex 4E

Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA (US)

Coordinates: 34.632, -120.611