Tag: National Reconnaissance Office

  • Photos: NROL-55 payload joins Atlas booster rocket for launch

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    This photo gallery shows the classified National Reconnaissance Office payload, already encapsulated in the 14-foot-diameter nose cone, being lifted atop the United Launch Alliance Atlas-Centaur rocket at Vandenberg Air Force Base’s Space Launch Complex 3-East pad. Launch of NROL-55 is planned for the morning of Oct. 8. Photo credit: United Launch Alliance Our Atlas archive.

  • Air Force assigns new Delta 4 rocket launch

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    Vandenberg launched the first Delta 4 Medium+ (5,2) on April 3, 2012. Credit: Ben Cooper (more launch pics) There’s a new launch being added to Vandenberg Air Force Base’s schedules — another Delta 4 rocket flight for the National Reconnaissance Office. The Air Force’s Launch Systems Directorate at the Space and Missile Systems Center in…

  • Next round of U.S. optical spy satellites to start launching in 2018

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    Credit: Pat Corkery/ULA CAPE CANAVERAL — The covert follow-on satellite program that will serve as a replacement to the nation’s surveillance “eyes” from space begins launching in 2018 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. A United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket will deploy the massive payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office in a…