{"id":37502,"date":"2020-07-16T01:01:38","date_gmt":"2020-07-15T17:01:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/northrop-grumman-successfully-launches-nrol-129-from-mars\/"},"modified":"2020-07-16T01:01:38","modified_gmt":"2020-07-15T17:01:38","slug":"northrop-grumman-successfully-launches-nrol-129-from-mars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/northrop-grumman-successfully-launches-nrol-129-from-mars\/","title":{"rendered":"Northrop Grumman successfully launches NROL-129 from MARS"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Northrop Grumman launched the classified NROL-129 mission, consisting of four payloads designed and built by the National Reconnaissance Office.&nbsp; Liftoff targeted Wednesday, 15 July in a launch window that opened at 09:00 EDT (13:00 UTC), with T-0 coming 46 minutes later after a delay relating to wayward boats in the Range. The mission was declared a success.<\/p>\n<p>This was the first launch of the Minotaur IV from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at NASA\u2019s Wallops Flight Facility, which is located on the eastern shore of Virginia near the town of Wattsville.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Northrop Grumman&#039;s Minotaur IV Launches NROL-129 From Wallops Island\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1__7QidQhFI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Preparations for launch began in earnest more than a month and a half ago, as teams from Northrop Grumman and the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) took possession of various elements for the flight, including all of the solid propellant motor segments which were delivered and stacked in June.<\/p>\n<p>Payload encapsulation and final processing occurred at the new payload processing facility built on Wallops island, something which greatly streamlined pre-launch operation and integration flows for the classified NROL-129 payloads and their Minotaur IV carrier rocket.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>After completing all pre-flight activities, including a joint Mission Dress Rehearsal on Friday, 10 July, Northrop Grumman entered final closeout operations for the rocket over the weekend.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>For launch, teams came on console in the early morning hours and started the countdown at 04:00 EDT (08:00 UTC).<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou know on a solid rocket motor vehicle that launches from the ground, it\u2019s a fairly straightforward countdown,\u201d said Kurt Eberly, Program Director, Small and Medium Space Launch for Northrop Grumman, in a one-on-one interview with NASASpaceflight.<\/p>\n<p>Spaceflight news subscription<path d=\"M7.59009 18.59L9.00009 20L17.0001 12L9.00009 4L7.59009 5.41L14.1701 12\" style=\"animation: initial !important; background: initial !important; border: 0px !important; box-shadow: none !important; color: inherit !important; cursor: inherit !important; direction: inherit !important; display: inline !important; fill: currentcolor !important; filter: initial !important; float: none !important; margin: 0px !important; opacity: initial !important; outline: 0px !important; overflow: initial !important; padding: 0px !important; stroke: initial !important; transform: initial !important; vertical-align: initial !important; visibility: inherit !important;\"><\/path>Aerospace &amp; Defense<path d=\"M7.59009 18.59L9.00009 20L17.0001 12L9.00009 4L7.59009 5.41L14.1701 12\" style=\"animation: initial !important; background: initial !important; border: 0px !important; box-shadow: none !important; color: inherit !important; cursor: inherit !important; direction: inherit !important; display: inline !important; fill: currentcolor !important; filter: initial !important; float: none !important; margin: 0px !important; opacity: initial !important; outline: 0px !important; overflow: initial !important; padding: 0px !important; stroke: initial !important; transform: initial !important; vertical-align: initial !important; visibility: inherit !important;\"><\/path>SpaceX<path d=\"M7.59009 18.59L9.00009 20L17.0001 12L9.00009 4L7.59009 5.41L14.1701 12\" style=\"animation: initial !important; background: initial !important; border: 0px !important; box-shadow: none !important; color: inherit !important; cursor: inherit !important; direction: inherit !important; display: inline !important; fill: currentcolor !important; filter: initial !important; float: none !important; margin: 0px !important; opacity: initial !important; outline: 0px !important; overflow: initial !important; padding: 0px !important; stroke: initial !important; transform: initial !important; vertical-align: initial !important; visibility: inherit !important;\"><\/path>\n<p>     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Minotaur IV ORS-5 Launch Broadcast\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0mLri2GIJBc?start=1351&amp;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\" name=\"fitvid0\" data-gtm-yt-inspected-14=\"true\" data-gtm-yt-inspected-21=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe power up all the avionics.&nbsp; We initialize all the computers and the different processors on each of the stages.&nbsp; We do some wiggle tests of the Thrust Vector Controllers using ground power.&nbsp; And then you know about an hour before launch, we start an initialization of the navigator, the inertial navigator.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s a ring laser gyro assembly.&nbsp; And so we start a gyro-compass algorithm that\u2019s basically using gravity and the rotation of the Earth to go through an algorithm to basically initialize the position and instrument of the inertial navigation set.\u201d<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"widget-title penci-border-arrow\">See Also<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>LIVE Minotaur\/NROL-129 UPDATES<\/li>\n<li>Northrop Grumman Forum Section<\/li>\n<li>L2 Northrop Grumman Section<\/li>\n<li>Click here to Join L2<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>During practice countdown and vehicle power ups for checkout operations, teams took careful note of how the inertial navigator powered up and how it was aligned.&nbsp; \u201cSo we have those written down carefully,\u201d said Mr. Eberly, \u201cand we\u2019ll compare the launch-day alignment to the prior alignment and make sure it\u2019s within tolerance.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As always, though, all pre-launch activity won\u2019t be confined to the ground.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGetting close to launch, there\u2019s a bunch of range activity.&nbsp; We\u2019ll be flying balloons pretty much every hour to get a sense of the winds aloft.&nbsp; And [then we\u2019ll] do some evaluation of the wind profile on that day.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Range Weather Officer provided the wind profile that allows the Guidance, Navigation and Control teams to check that upper level winds and their associated shear are within safety limits for the Minotaur IV.<\/p>\n<p>After that, teams remotely armed the ordnance on the Minotaur IV, which was followed by turning on ordnance power.&nbsp; A series of checkouts then followed to clear Minotaur IV for launch.<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-68363\" class=\"size-full wp-image-68363\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_0200.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_0200.jpeg 2400w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_0200-350x233.jpeg 350w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_0200-525x350.jpeg 525w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_0200-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_0200-1920x1280.jpeg 1920w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_0200-1170x780.jpeg 1170w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_0200-585x390.jpeg 585w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_0200-263x175.jpeg 263w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2400px) 100vw, 2400px\"><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-68363\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Minotaur IV on Pad-0B at MARS the day before its scheduled 15 July 2020 launch of NROL-129. (Credit: Northrop Grumman\/Thom Baur)<\/p>\n<p>When the count reaches zero, Minotaur\u2019s IV first stage ignited on Pad-0B and the solid motor reached full thrust within 0.2 seconds with liftoff following nearly instantaneously.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a very rapid event compared to a liquid.&nbsp; There is no spooling up of the turbopumps or anything like that.&nbsp; You ignite it, and you are off and going.&nbsp; And that\u2019s just typical of a strategic missile.&nbsp; It\u2019s not hanging around for long,\u201d said Mr. Eberly.<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-1\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: static; visibility: visible; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=NASASpaceflight&amp;dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-1&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1283397644090515459&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nasaspaceflight.com%2F2020%2F07%2Fnorthrop-grumman-launch-nrol-129-mars%2F&amp;sessionId=55dcefadeb70df3504c012a9232321a9e47d1f8e&amp;siteScreenName=NASASpaceflight&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-gtm-yt-inspected-14=\"true\" data-gtm-yt-inspected-21=\"true\" data-tweet-id=\"1283397644090515459\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" data-twitter-extracted-i178349847674014907=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">LAUNCH! Northrop Grumman&#8217;s Minotaur IV launches with NROL-129 from NASA Wallops.<\/p>\n<p>NSF Live:https:\/\/t.co\/89tmzWzMyY pic.twitter.com\/iJRNVuFiIB<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Chris Bergin \u2013 NSF (@NASASpaceflight) July 15, 2020<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Minotaur IV itself is a modified Peacekeeper intercontinental ballistic missile.&nbsp; The first stage is an SR-118 solid motor that delivers 2,200 kN (490,000 lbf) thrust.<\/p>\n<p>The stage will then handed off to the SR-119 second stage, another solid motor that delivers 1,365 kN (307,000 lbf) thrust for 54 seconds.<\/p>\n<p>The third stage is an SR-120.&nbsp; Delivering 329 kN (74,000 lbf) thrust and burning for 62 seconds, this completed the first part of the ascent, after which the fourth stage will enter a prolonged coast to apogee.<\/p>\n<p>During the first three stages of flight, communication with the rocket were routed through tracking stations in Bermuda and at Coquina, North Carolina.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>However, the long coast up to apogee placed the fourth stage too far down range to communicate with those tracking stations when it ignites.&nbsp; To solve that issue, the rocket communicates upwards with NASA\u2019s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) network in geostationary orbit.<\/p>\n<p>Due to the classified nature of the mission, no information is available on the exact time when the final stage will reach apogee and ignite the solid propellant Orion 38 motor.<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-2\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: static; visibility: visible; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=NASASpaceflight&amp;dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-2&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1283189558839070728&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nasaspaceflight.com%2F2020%2F07%2Fnorthrop-grumman-launch-nrol-129-mars%2F&amp;sessionId=55dcefadeb70df3504c012a9232321a9e47d1f8e&amp;siteScreenName=NASASpaceflight&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-gtm-yt-inspected-14=\"true\" data-gtm-yt-inspected-21=\"true\" data-tweet-id=\"1283189558839070728\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" data-twitter-extracted-i178349847674014907=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Because we love launching rockets more than anything, we&#8217;re helping our partners @NatReconOfc launch NROL-129 from MARS pad 0B tomorrow! <\/p>\n<p>Not the planet but @NASA&#8217;s pad named the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.https:\/\/t.co\/cPQAHP4CaP<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 United States Space Force (@SpaceForceDoD) July 15, 2020<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Regardless, thanks to precise mass measurements of the Orion 38, a precise knowledge of not just the propellant mixture but exactly how hot and fast that propellant mixture burns, and the exact mass of the four classified payloads will result in the Orion 38 inserting the mission into a very precise orbit despite being a solid rocket motor that must burn to depletion once ignited.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Confirmation of successful payload deployment and mission completion might came from the NRO itself.<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-3\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: static; visibility: visible; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=NASASpaceflight&amp;dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-3&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1283410364957417473&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nasaspaceflight.com%2F2020%2F07%2Fnorthrop-grumman-launch-nrol-129-mars%2F&amp;sessionId=55dcefadeb70df3504c012a9232321a9e47d1f8e&amp;siteScreenName=NASASpaceflight&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-gtm-yt-inspected-14=\"true\" data-gtm-yt-inspected-21=\"true\" data-tweet-id=\"1283410364957417473\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" data-twitter-extracted-i178349847674014907=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Congratulations to the entire team on the successful launch of #NROL129 \u2013 the NRO&#8217;s 1st dedicated launch from the Virginia Space Coast! @NASA_Wallops @AF_SMC @northropgrumman @VCSFA_MARS https:\/\/t.co\/qsGT2Vp6vs<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 NRO (@NatReconOfc) July 15, 2020<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The next two NRO missions, NROL-44 and NROL-101, are slated to launch in August and September from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, on United Launch Alliance\u2019s Delta IV Heavy and Atlas V 531 rockets, respectively.<\/p>\n<p>(Lead image: Northrop Grumman\/Thom Baur)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Northrop Grumman launched the classified NROL-129 mission, consisting of four payloads designed and built by the National Reconnaissance Office.&nbsp; Liftoff targeted Wednesday, 15 July in a launch window that opened at 09:00 EDT (13:00 UTC), with T-0 coming 46 minutes later after a delay relating to wayward boats in the Range. The mission was declared [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27557,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[367,7864,554,8888,8889,4255],"class_list":["post-37502","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-mars","tag-minotaur-iv","tag-northrop-grumman","tag-nrol-129","tag-pad-0b","tag-wallops"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37502"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37502"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37502\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27557"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37502"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37502"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37502"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}