Delta 4 Heavy launches NRO satellite
Posted: Sat, Jun 30, 2012, 9:51 AM ET (1351 GMT)
A Delta 4 Heavy lifted off Friday morning carrying a classified satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The Delta 4 Heavy lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 9:15 am EDT (1315 GMT) on mission NROL-15 for the NRO. The launch was delayed by just over three hours because of a series of technical problems with the rocket that halted the countdown with under four minutes before launch. The purpose of the NRO mission has not been revealed, but it some observers speculate that it is a next-generation signals intelligence or "stealth" reconnaissance satellite. The launch was the first Delta 4 Heavy, the most powerful current US launch vehicle, using upgraded RS-68A main engines, which generate about five percent more thrust than the RS-68 engine.
A Delta 4 Heavy lifted off Friday morning carrying a classified satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The Delta 4 Heavy lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 9:15 am EDT (1315 GMT) on mission NROL-15 for the NRO. The launch was delayed by just over three hours because of a series of technical problems with the rocket that halted the countdown with under four minutes before launch. The purpose of the NRO mission has not been revealed, but it some observers speculate that it is a next-generation signals intelligence or "stealth" reconnaissance satellite. The launch was the first Delta 4 Heavy, the most powerful current US launch vehicle, using upgraded RS-68A main engines, which generate about five percent more thrust than the RS-68 engine.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
US and UK militaries conduct coordinated satellite maneuvers
Posted: Sun, Sep 21 8:30 AM ET (1230 GMT) Blue Origin retires a New Shepard capsule after payload flight
Posted: Sun, Sep 21 8:25 AM ET (1225 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, October 15
United Schedules First Starlink-Equipped Mainline Flight for Take Off
PR Newswire — 7:52 am ET (1152 GMT) Eutelsat Network Solutions Unveils New Brand Identity for EACOWT
PR Newswire — 7:52 am ET (1152 GMT) Final Environmental Impact Statement Issued for Planned Increase of Vandenberg Rocket Launches
KEYT-TV Santa Barbara, CA — 7:51 am ET (1151 GMT) SpaceX’s megarocket finds redemption after explosive failures. But time may be running out
CNN — 7:46 am ET (1146 GMT) K2 Space Corp, SpaceX ink Falcon 9 rocket deal for 2027 mission
UPI — 7:45 am ET (1145 GMT) |
