On top of a Delta 4-Heavy rocket, the largest rocket ever launched from the West Coast, the NRO’s NROL-49 spy satellite is off to orbit on a classified “national security” mission.
Massive Rocket Blasts Off on Probable Spy Mission
The largest rocket ever to blast off from the West Coast launched into space from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Thursday afternoon.
The most powerful launch rocket in the U.S., the Delta IV Heavy, took off a little after 1 p.m. Pacific Time carrying a National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) spy satellite called NROL-49.
“This launch marks a significant milestone in our nation’s space capability,” launch director Lt. Col. Brady Hauboldt said in a press release. “We’ve really restored a national capability for heavy lift on the Western Range… This extends our ability to cost-effectively deliver payloads of all sizes and compliments.”
According to the United Launch Alliance (ULA), the organization that is running the launch for NRO, “this launch supports the military’s national defense mission.” However, that’s about all of the information that has been publicly disclosed about the payload.
See also:
First Delta IV Heavy launches from Vandenberg
Vandenberg rocket: largest American rocket blasted off today on West Coast
Launch of giant rocket in Southern California heard for miles
23-story rocket launches U.S. spy satellite
Delta IV rocket launches from Vandenberg
First Delta IV Heavy blasts off from Vandenberg
New Spy Satellite Blasts Off on Secret Mission
Vandenberg launches Delta IV Heavy rocket
California: Rocket Launches With Secret Payload
Secret payload launched on largest West Coast rocket
Boeing: Delta – Delta IV Launch Vehicles
Delta IV
Vandenberg Air Force Base
Vandenberg Air Force Base
National Reconnaissance Office
National Reconnaissance Office
And, that’s about it. Except that it’s supposedly an imaging satellite, there’s not much use in speculating further. I’m just happy that it made it to orbit safely, our taxpayer dollars much better spent than on Obamacare.
/pretty pictures, NROL-49
Filed under: Blog Entry | Tagged: Better The Devil That You Know, Blast Off, Brady Hauboldt, California, Classified, Cost-Effectively Deliver, Delta 4 Heavy Rocket, Delta 4-Heavy, Heavy Lift, Largest Rocket, Launch, Launch Director, Melior Diabolus Quem Scies, Most Powerful Launch Rocket, National Capability, National Defense Mission, National Security Mission, NRO, NROL-49, Orbit, Payload, Press Release, Publicly Disclosed, Satellite, Significant Milestone, Space, Space Capability, Spy Mission, Spy Satellite, U.S. Military, U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, ULA, United Launch Alliance, VAFB, Vandenberg Air Force Base, West Coast, Western Range | Leave a comment »
Eat It Or Wear It 
