Photos: Atlas V blasts off with secret NRO Payload

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V Rocket climbed into the pre-dawn skies over the California coast line on Thursday, blasting off from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 12:49 UTC on a mission to deliver the NROL-55 payload to orbit for the National Reconnaissance Office, accompanied by 13 CubeSats flying as secondary payloads.

Read more

Video: Atlas V thunders off with classified National Reconnaissance Office Payload

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V Rocket climbed into the pre-dawn skies over the California coast line on Thursday, blasting off from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 12:49 UTC on a mission to deliver the NROL-55 payload to orbit for the National Reconnaissance Office.

Read more

Liftoff: Atlas V blasts off to lift classified NROL-55 + CubeSat Payloads to Orbit

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocker blazed into the pre-dawn skies over the Californian coast line on Thursday, lifting off from SLC-3E at Vandenberg Air Force Base at 12:49 UTC to begin a classified mission for the United States National Reconnaissance Office.

Read more

Atlas V ready to lift classified NROL-55 Reconnaissance Satellite(s) to Orbit

An Atlas V 401 rocket stands ready for liftoff from Vandenberg Air Force Base on Thursday for the year’s only National Reconnaissance Office launch, lofting a classified payload into a secret orbit. Known as NROL-55, the mission aims for a liftoff time at 12:49 UTC – the opening of a launch window with an undisclosed duration.

Read more