A powerful Delta IV Heavy rocket is being prepped today for the planned launch Thursday evening of a classified payload for the super-secret National Reconnaissance Office, the federal agency that owns and operates the nation's fleet of spy satellites.
The huge United Launch Alliance rocket -- which is the largest liquid-fueled vehicle since the Apollo Saturn V moon rocket -- is slated to blast off from Launch Complex 37 at 6:10 p.m. The end of the launch window is classified. But a notice to mariners issued by the Air Force 45th Space Wing establishes a launch hazard area off the coast between 4 p.m. and 11 p.m.The weather forecast for launch is excellent. There is a 90 percent chance conditions will be acceptable for an on time liftoff. The only concern is a possibility of high ground winds. But the winds are expected to remain below a 20-knot launch limit.
Mission managers gave a go-ahead today to proceed with final launch preps and pick up a countdown to a launch attempt Thursday. The go was given at the end of a launch readiness review today.
The launch will be only the fourth for the Delta IV Heavy. A flight demonstration was launched in December 2004. The first two operational flights were launched in November 2007 and January 2009.
10 comments:
Wow, a rocket launch...what's that ?
Go Delta IV!
A beautiful bird.
thought this was supposed to be secret ?
Well, you can't really hide a launch, especially after dark.
What's secret is who they feel they need to spy on, now that the whole world hates them.. (Israel withstanding)
What is secret is that they spend all this money on flights for CRAP...
there has been two attempts to bring space tourism... a third one is impending.... I am sure this will mysteriously fail to come to fruition as well...
But we will continue to waste money throwing toys for military personnel in space....
You dont have to watch or listen if u think itis such a waste.
thank NASA FOR BEING HERE otherwise brevard county would be a dustbowl
The launch itself is not classified. The payload on the rocket is classified. The time for the end of the window also is classified because it could tell you something about the orbit the payload is destined for, which in turn, could tell you something about the nature of the payload.
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