National Reconnaissance Office – Page 20

Live coverage: Atlas 5 countdown and launch journal

October 7, 2015 Justin Ray

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket blasted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 5:49 a.m. local time (8:49 a.m. EDT; 1249 GMT) Thursday on the classified National Reconnaissance Office NROL-55 mission.

Intel-gathering spacecraft launch on Atlas 5 scheduled for Thursday

October 6, 2015 Justin Ray

Poised for its one and only satellite launch of the year, the National Reconnaissance Office will conduct a hush-hush flight Thursday using a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket from California.

Photos: NROL-55 payload joins Atlas booster rocket for launch

October 4, 2015 Justin Ray

This photo gallery shows the classified National Reconnaissance Office payload, already encapsulated in the 14-foot-diameter nose cone, being lifted atop the United Launch Alliance Atlas-Centaur rocket at Vandenberg Air Force Base for liftoff Oct. 8.

Air Force assigns new Delta 4 rocket launch

September 10, 2015 Justin Ray

There’s a new launch being added to Vandenberg Air Force Base’s schedules — another Delta 4 rocket flight for the National Reconnaissance Office.

Next round of U.S. optical spy satellites to start launching in 2018

May 1, 2015 Justin Ray

The covert follow-on satellite program that will serve as a replacement to the nation’s surveillance “eyes” from space begins launching in 2018 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.