Posted on 06/11/2016 9:27:47 PM PDT by BenLurkin
This mission was launched aboard a Delta IV Heavy configuration Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV), which featured a center common booster core along with two strap-on common booster cores. The ULA Delta IV Heavy is currently the world's largest rocket, providing the nation with reliable and proven heavy lift capability. Each common booster core was powered by an RS-68A liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen engine producing 702,000 pounds of thrust. A single RL10 liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen engine powered the second stage. The booster and upper stage engines are both built by Aerojet Rocketdyne. ULA constructed the Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle in Decatur, Alabama.
"The team worked together through many challenges this flow including, overcoming the aftereffects of Tropical Storm Colin," said Maginnis. "We are proud of the outstanding teamwork between the ULA, NRO and Air Force partners to ensure mission success for this critical national security asset."
ULA's next launch is the Atlas V MUOS-5 mission for the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force. The launch is scheduled for June 24 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
The EELV program was established by the U.S. Air Force to provide assured access to space for Department of Defense and other government payloads. The commercially developed EELV program supports the full range of government mission requirements, while delivering on schedule and providing significant cost savings over the heritage launch systems.
(Excerpt) Read more at prnewswire.com ...
The ULA is doing well these days.
I guess it’s because they weren’t repurposed to as a “Muslim outreach program”.
Launch of ULA Delta IV Heavy NROL-37 from Kennedy Space Center 06/11/16
2:18
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coCSew308lY
You never know...given the current regime it could have been a small orbiting mosque!/s;)
Interesting video tying this mission to the Black Knight mystery satellite that has been orbiting Earth since the 1930s.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cZcIvojGETs
Odd designs for an “eavesdropping” satellite.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RD-180
The RD-180 is the engine that powers ULAs Atlas V rocket, used by the Air Force in their EELV program. Designed and built in Russia.
R.
Nothing is beyond our reach.
The common booster cores (3) used today fire a pratt and whitney (utx) engine r
Oh great, now they can watch American citizens inside their homes in the middle of the night.
Jack Has...
Kudo Patch needs a Kremlin star.
R.
(source: www.spaceflight101live.com)
I don't think we have reached past our solar system yet.
The info I read says they are RS-68A engines made by Aerojet Rocketdyne, which was a a merger with Pratt and Whitney which is part of United Technologies, which was sold to GENCORP, which....... all very confusing.
Another spy satellite?
Voyager?
Signals intelligence (SIGINT) is intelligence-gathering by interception of signals, whether communications between people (communications intelligenceabbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly used in communication (electronic intelligenceabbreviated to ELINT).
Atlas V uses the Russian engine. This is the other EELV rocket, the Delta IV. It uses the American RS-68A engine.
The funny thing is this top secret launch was carried live on an online stream by RT (Russian) television.
This was a Delta IV Heavy rocket that uses U.S. rocket engines. It’s the Atlas rocket that uses the Russian made rocket engines.
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