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TOPIC: NRO L-26 Launch
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Date Type Inclination Period Perigee Apogee
18.16 Jan 2009 Geo 27.28° 644.35 min 277 km 36391 km


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 United Launch Alliance's Delta IV Heavy rocket carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office successfully lifted off from Space Launch Complex 37 at CCAFS at 9:47 p.m. EST today. This was the first Delta IV Heavy mission for the NRO. Designated NROL-26, the mission is in support of national defence. This was the third Delta IV Heavy launch in Delta program history. A Delta IV Heavy demonstration flight occurred in December 2004, and the first Air Force operational mission was launched in November 2007.

"This first Delta IV Heavy launch for the NRO is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication by the combined NRO, Air Force, supplier and ULA team. We appreciate the support from our mission partners in achieving this milestone. ULA is pleased to contribute to our nation's security, and to continue our strong partnership with the NRO. We look forward to launching many more NRO missions on ULA's Delta IV Medium, Delta IV Heavy and Atlas V vehicles" - Jim Sponnick, ULA Vice President, Delta Product Line.

The ULA Delta IV Heavy vehicle featured a center common booster core with two strap-on common booster cores. Each common booster core was powered by the RS-68 cryogenic engine. An RL10B-2 cryogenic engine powered the second stage. Both engines are built by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne. The payload was encased by a 5-meter diameter  aluminium, tri-sector payload fairing. ULA constructed the Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle in Decatur, Ala.
This was the first launch for ULA in 2009. ULA's next launch is NASA's NOAA-N Prime mission currently scheduled for Feb. 4, aboard a Delta II from Space Launch Complex-2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
ULA program management, engineering, test and mission support functions are headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Manufacturing, assembly and integration operations are located at Decatur, Ala., Harlingen, Tex. and San Diego, California. Launch operations are located at Cape Canaveral AFS, Florida., and Vandenberg AFB, California.

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The 45th Space Wing successfully launched a United Launch Alliance-built Delta IV-Heavy Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle from Space Launch Complex 37 at 9:47 p.m. (EST), carrying a classified National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) satellite. The largest of the Delta IV family, the Heavy version features three Common Booster Cores mounted together to form a triple-body rocket.

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No matter the hour, Ken Liptak would get his wife and three daughters together to watch a rocket launch, including missions he worked on during a career that spanned more than 20 years in California and Brevard County.
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So it was an emotional experience Saturday for the family of the late United Launch Alliance executive to watch a Delta IV Heavy -- Liptak's favourite rocket -- blast off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 9:47 p.m.
With a classified satellite, the nation's most powerful unmanned rocket roared into the night sky with an emblem commemorating ULA's former launch operations finance director, who died in May at age 52.

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USA 202

Orbital inclination:  27 degrees
Perigee: ?
Apogee: ?
Period: ?

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32118981.13990f.jpg

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Delta 4-Heavy launch 2 NROL-26
launch of the second Delta 4 Heavy with the NROL-26 payload. launched at 9:47pm on January 17 2009. the audio has been pushed after the count down to take out the delay of the sound of the rocket traveling the 7 miles to us.
Delta IV Heavy (NROL-26)
The initial portion of tonight's launch of the United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office (NROL-26) has been called a success. The the ultimate outcome of the launch will remain a mystery, as far as the public is concerned. This marks the thirds Successful launch of a ULA Delta IV Heavy rocket!
 
Delta 4-Heavy rocket Launched NROL-26
January 17, 2009 - Cape Canaveral. The Delta 4-Heavy rocket launched from Cape Canaverals Complex 37 at 9:47 p.m. EST tonight carrying a classified reconnaissance satellite for the U.S. government. Delta 4-Heavy is launched by United Launch Alliance (ULA)

NROL-26
Delta IV Heavy Rocket with classified payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. This launch was at Cape Canaveral Airforce Station on January 17, 2009.
Delta IV Heavy carrying NROL-26 Launch on Jan 18th
This is the launch event of a Delta IV heavy rocket taking the classified NROL-26 satellite to space. Video includes both scrubbed launch attempts and the actual launch itself from T-5 to a bit after MECO.

Delta IV Heavy (NROL-26) "Hold Hold Hold!"
As clocks ticket passed 4 minutes a hold was called out by one of the launch team members. I thought it would be interesting to post it here.

Delta IV Heavy NROL-26 Launch Jan. 17, 2009 Top Secret Air Force Satellite ULA
Video of the launch of NROL-26 on a ULA Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle on Sat. Jan. 17, 2009.


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TLE Data

1 70503U          09018.16413612  .00000000  00000-0  00000-0 0    04
2 70503  27.2800 337.1517 7307000   3.4000 359.6000  2.23480000    09


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End of todays coverage

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Upper stage ignition at T plus 7 minutes.
All systems nominal



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Engine cut-off MECO at T plus 4 minutes

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