News Archive / Tagged: National Reconnaissance Office

• Electron rocket launches secret NROL-199 payload

  Derek RichardsonAugust 4th, 2022

  The second of two back-to-back Rocket Lab Electron launches has orbited the NROL-199 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office.

• SpaceX lofts classified payload from California launch pad

  Theresa CrossFebruary 3rd, 2022

  A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket sent a classified payload into orbit for the United States government in the company’s second launch in less than 48 hours.

• Delta IV Heavy launches classified NRO payload from California

  Matt HaskellApril 26th, 2021

  A Delta IV Heavy took the the skies from Vandenberg Air Force Base to send the secretive NROL-82 payload into orbit for the National Reconnaissance Office.

• Gallery: NROL-71 mission finally gets underway

  Derek RichardsonJanuary 20th, 2019

  After several scrubbed attempts, United Launch Alliance was finally able to launch its Delta IV Heavy rocket with the secretive NROL-71 payload.

• NROL-71 launch date now under review

  Jason RhianJanuary 5th, 2019

  LOMPOC, Calif. -- After numerous delays it now appears that the flight of a Delta IV Heavy rocket will be pushed back even further.

• Launch of ULA Delta IV rocket with NROL-47 delayed

  Collin SkocikDecember 7th, 2017

  The launch of a Delta IV rocket carrying the NROL-47 payload for the National Reconnaissance Office has been delayed until no earlier than Jan. 10, 2018, in order to perform additional validation of the software and systems associated with Common Avionics. The launch was originally scheduled for Dec. 13, 2017, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

• ULA launches classified NROL-52 mission for the NRO

  Jason RhianOctober 15th, 2017

  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — With a mighty roar, United Launch Alliance (ULA) finally launched the classified NROL-52 mission at 3:28 a.m. EDT on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017, from Cape Canaveral's Space Launch Complex 41 in Florida. The early morning flight marked the fourth mission of 2017 carried out on behalf of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and the sixth flight of the year for the Atlas V rocket.

• ULA to attempt launch of NROL-52 on Oct. 14

  Jason RhianOctober 12th, 2017

  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Colorado-based United Launch Alliance (ULA) has announced that it will attempt to launch the classified NROL-52 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017, at 3:31 a.m. EDT (07:31 GMT). The setting of the new launch date follows a string of delays that had taken place the week prior. 

• Technical issue causes third scrub of NROL-52 mission

  Jason RhianOctober 7th, 2017

  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Just when it looked like the angry gods of weather had acquiesced, an issue with a telemetry transmitter on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V 421 rocket caused a third delay. The rocket and its payload, a satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office, will be rolled back to the Vertical Integration Facility at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 41.

• High winds force scrub of NROL-52 launch

  Jason RhianOctober 5th, 2017

  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Poor weather caused a scrub of the planned launch of an Atlas V rocket with the NROL-52 mission that had been scheduled to start its journey at 4:07 a.m. EDT Oct. 5, 2017.

• SFI Live: Launch of ULA Atlas V with NROL-52

  Jason RhianOctober 4th, 2017

  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- United Launch Alliance (ULA) has one of the company's Atlas V 421 rockets poised to loft a satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office. The mission is currently schedule to lift off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 41 at 4:07 a.m. EDT. SpaceFlight Insider's exclusive Live Show will begin at 3:30 a.m. EDT.

• Gallery: Atlas V roars spaceward with secret NROL-42 payload

  Derek RichardsonSeptember 25th, 2017

  VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. — Launching into the dark West Coast night was a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office. Carried by a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket, the NROL-42 mission lifted away from Space Launch Complex 3 at 1:49 a.m. EDT (05:49 GMT) Sept. 24, 2017.

• Launch of NROL-42 delayed due to faulty battery

  Jason RhianSeptember 21st, 2017

  The United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V 541 (AV-072) rocket tasked with carrying the classified NROL-42 mission for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) has been delayed 48 hours to no earlier than 05:30 UTC Sept. 24. The cause of the delay was announced as a faulty battery on the launch vehicle. 

• ULA Atlas V NROL-42 scheduled for Sept. 14

  Jason RhianAugust 31st, 2017

  United Launch Alliance (ULA) recently announced that it is currently planning on launching the NROL-42 mission from Vandenberg Air Force Base's Space Launch Complex-3 (SLC-3) in California. At present, the mission is slated for launch on Sept. 14 of this year (2017). 

• Photo Gallery: SpaceX launches classified NROL-76 payload

  Derek RichardsonMay 2nd, 2017

  CAPE CANAVERAL Fla. — SpaceX sent its first dedicated payload for the National Reconnaissance Office into space May 1, 2017. While the nature of the payload was classified, the launch itself provided some of the clearest views of a returning Falcon 9 first stage yet.