Delta 4 launches classified satellite
Posted: Sun, Jan 18, 2009, 11:01 AM ET (1601 GMT)
After several days of delays, a Delta 4 Heavy successfully launched a classified satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) on Saturday night. The Delta 4 Heavy lifted off from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral, Florida at 9:47 pm EST Saturday (0247 GMT Sunday). Because of the classified nature of the launch, a blackout on launch activities was put into place several minutes after liftoff, and a United Launch Alliance press release Saturday night stated only that the vehicle successfully lifted off from the Cape. The only information about the payload released by the NRO was its launch designation, NROL-26, but analysts believe the spacecraft is a new electronic eavesdropping satellite, to be located in GEO and using large deployable antennas to detect radio transmissions. The launch was the third for the Delta 4 Heavy, the largest EELV version in operation, and the first since the launch of an early warning satellite for the Air Force in November 2007.
After several days of delays, a Delta 4 Heavy successfully launched a classified satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) on Saturday night. The Delta 4 Heavy lifted off from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral, Florida at 9:47 pm EST Saturday (0247 GMT Sunday). Because of the classified nature of the launch, a blackout on launch activities was put into place several minutes after liftoff, and a United Launch Alliance press release Saturday night stated only that the vehicle successfully lifted off from the Cape. The only information about the payload released by the NRO was its launch designation, NROL-26, but analysts believe the spacecraft is a new electronic eavesdropping satellite, to be located in GEO and using large deployable antennas to detect radio transmissions. The launch was the third for the Delta 4 Heavy, the largest EELV version in operation, and the first since the launch of an early warning satellite for the Air Force in November 2007.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Tuesday, June 2
Paralympian John McFall takes another stride to his space dream
The Times of London — 6:21 am ET (1021 GMT) Astronaut with physical disability could be first to enter orbit after ground-breaking agreement
UK Space Agency — 6:21 am ET (1021 GMT) ESA joins agreement to strengthen global geodesy supply chain
ESA — 6:21 am ET (1021 GMT) Starlink Director meets Communication Minister, seeks 100% ownership license for Nepal launch
Nepal News — 6:21 am ET (1021 GMT) Space Force Instagram account hijacked with Iranian propaganda
Washington Examiner — 6:19 am ET (1019 GMT) |
