* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: NROL-28 launch

Blobrana · L

United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket made its debut flight from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California early today, carrying a National Reconnaissance Office payload.
The launch ushers in a new era of space launch capability for the Air Force and ULA as part of the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program. For Atlas V, today's success builds on 12 previous Atlas V launches from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., starting in 2002.
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United Launch Alliance's Atlas V made its debut flight from Space Launch Complex-3 East here at 3:02 a.m. PDT, today. It carried a National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) payload. The launch ushers in a new era of space launch capability for the Air Force and ULA as part of the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program. For Atlas V, today's success builds on 12 previous Atlas V launches from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., starting in 2002.

"This is a proud moment in our company's history. This launch caps four years of planning and hard work modifying SLC-3E and then executing an outstanding launch campaign leading to this successful first launch. We now have a sixth operational launch complex giving us three each at Vandenberg and Cape Canaveral for our Atlas and Delta vehicles. Combine this with the most experienced team in the business and ULA has built the strongest space launch company in the world" - Michael Gass, ULA President and Chief Executive Officer.

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ULA's next launch, currently scheduled for March 15 with a launch window of 2:09-2:23 a.m. EDT, is the GPS IIR-19 satellite for the Air Force aboard a Delta II rocket from SLC-17A at CCAFS, Fla.

Blobrana · L

An Atlas 5 rocket is to launch the classified NROL-28 satellite, from SLC-3E at the Vandenberg Air Force Base, at 10:00 GMT, March 13th 2008.

Blobrana · L

With much fanfare and media hype surrounding the event, the US shot down a dying spy satellite on February 20, 2008. US spokespersons stated that the shoot-down was necessary because the satellite, at the end of its life, was soon to re-enter the earth's atmosphere and break up, posing a greater danger than other similarly disintegrating satellites because it carried a large load of toxic fuel. Some commentators observed that such capabilities could also help protect the earth from meteorites.
But there were clearly other motivations as well. The shoot-down was an opportunity for the US military to test and demonstrate anti-satellite weapons capabilities, an extension of the Reagan-era "star wars" programmes. It was also undoubtedly a response to a similar satellite shoot-down conducted by China just over a year ago, an event sharply attacked by the US and its Western allies as being a provocative action that would trigger an arms-race in space.

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Blobrana · L

The United Launch Alliance Atlas V-411 rocket (AV-006) is to launch the classified NROL-28 (USA-xxx) sigint spacecraft for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, from the Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
The Atlas 5 rocket will fly with a four-meter fairing, one strap-on solid rocket booster and a single-engine Centaur upper stage.
The Atlas 5 rocket, which stands 19 stories tall, will launch from a recently modified Space Launch Complex-3 on South Base. That launch is scheduled for the early morning hours on March 14th, 2008.
This launch will be the first Atlas 5 launch from the launch complex.

The NRO will postpone its launch of mission NROL-28 approximately two weeks as a precautionary move to avoid possible debris from the NRO experimental satellite, which was intercepted last Wednesday (Feb. 20) ... When established, the revised date will be posted - National Reconnaissance Office.

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While the payload is classified, it is suspected to comprise of a Satellite Data System (SDS) data relay satellite used to relay imagery and data from a highly elliptical or low altitude polar orbit.
There is some speculation that NROL-28 will be equipped with the SBIRS Highly Elliptical Orbit -2 (HEO) infrared missile warning system, and two NASA sub-satellites; an experimental TWINS-B magnetospheric research package and Interim Polar Satellite package.