National Reconnaissance Office

Departing on three pillars of fire, the United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket lifted off at 1:51 p.m. from Cape Canaveral for a classified national security satellite deployment.

The United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket fired away from Cape Canaveral at 1:51 p.m. EDT today to deploy a covert surveillance satellite for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office.

Members of the news media — reporters and photographers — witnessed the United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket lifted off from the ITL Causeway on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, about 1.7 miles from the pad.

The United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket, standing 235 feet tall and weighing 1.6 million pounds fully fueled, unleashes 2.1 million pounds of thrust from the three RS-68A main engines at 1:51 p.m. EDT (1751 GMT) today to launch from Cape Canaveral on NROL-37.