SpaceX successfully launches spy satellite from California Air Force base

SpaceX successfully launched a spy satellite into orbit on Sunday, a process that aided the National Reconnaissance Office after previous attempts were postponed.

The Hawthorne-based company conducted the launch out of the Vandenberg Air Force Base Sunday afternoon after its initially scheduled launch on Friday was delayed twice over the weekend, Fox 11 of Los Angeles reported.

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Colonel Rob Long, Space Launch Delta 30 commander, said in a statement that the NROL-85 launch sent "critical" equipment that would aid in securing "vital intelligence data."

"Today the Western Range teamed with the National Reconnaissance Office to deliver a critical national security payload, which will provide our warfighters and decision-makers with vital intelligence data," Long said Sunday, according to the report.

"This is the 20th NRO launch from the Western Range since 1996 and I'm proud of both the team today and the long-standing and strong partnership with the NRO. Go NROL-85!" he added.

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SpaceX has remained a front-runner in space travel since 2014, pioneering private launches to help the U.S. government. The company renewed its government contract last month to conduct International Space Station launches, worth nearly $3.5 billion, to assist in crew transportation service launches into 2028.