Posted on 08/26/2020 3:51:14 PM PDT by BenLurkin
United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy rocket will make its first launch in over 19 months Thursday, carrying out a clandestine mission to deploy a surveillance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office. Liftoff is expected between 02:12 and 06:16 Eastern Daylight Time (06:12-10:12 UTC), from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
Thursday’s mission, designated NRO Launch 44 (NROL-44), marks the first Delta IV mission since the Medium+ variant of the rocket was retired in August 2019 and the first Delta IV Heavy since January 2019. Although ULA is phasing out the Delta IV in favour of its Vulcan rocket, the Heavy configuration has five contracted missions through 2024.
NROL-44 is one and is being carried for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), the US Government agency responsible for operating America’s fleet of spy satellites. Although details of NRO spacecraft are officially classified, many details about previous missions have slipped into the public domain. From these, coupled with what has been revealed about NROL-44, a fairly clear picture of the satellite’s likely identity and role can be extrapolated.
The NRO operates satellites that fill a variety of roles – including optical and radar imaging of the Earth’s surface, detection and tracking of ships on the high seas and interception of radio signals and communications. The two types of satellites which require the largest rockets are a series of optical imaging satellites – known as Crystal – and a series of large signals intelligence (ELINT) satellites known as Orion. Crystal satellites typically operate in near-polar sun-synchronous orbits, while Orions operate in an equatorial geostationary orbit.
(Excerpt) Read more at nasaspaceflight.com ...
Aug. 27 Live Broadcast: Delta IV Heavy NROL-44
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fx5GjjCtcgo
We’re currently right on the beach 40m north of Cape Canaveral.
Don’t these NRO missions usually get fired into a northbound polar orbit?
We will be up tonight to see it for sure!
China starts making noise, and up go the satellites.
There’s supposed to be a Thu, Fri, and Sat launch. So 3 launches if all goes well
The one Friday is supposed to be south orbit. And the booster is supposed to land at Canaveral instead of the drone ship.
Thanks, great info! Well, we’ll be looking right up it’s nozzles as it flies south.
I’d like to watch ... should Hurricane Laura leave the utilities alone.
I’d like to watch ... should Hurricane Laura leave the utilities alone.
Finally, on Saturday SpaceX will launch its 12th round of internet-beaming Starlink satellites. This liftoff will happen from Kennedy Space Center Launchpad 39A at 10:30 a.m.
The rocket will deliver another 60 Starlink satellites growing SpaceX’s constellation above 600. The company plans to roll out internet service with the fleet later this year, according to SpaceX’s website.
I just might get Starlink.
There are some birds that need that horizontal orbit. It’s not that unusual.
Love those big dumb boosters!
One of the things I look forward to moving to Florida is being, part of the launches. I’ve been involved in a number of launches and they never get old.
That Delta Heavy that might take off tonight is a BEAST!
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@ulalaunch
Yes, it is! 1% payload, 99% rocket stuff. There is nothing like being real close to those things and thinking your heart is changing rhythm.
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