Cosmic Penguin
Geek Penguin in GTO
BEWARE - BLACKBIRD IS SPYING ON YOU! 
Well probably not this latest big secret spysat for the US National Reconnaissance Office - its main targets are aboard elsewhere on the eastern hemisphere anyway - but the size of the rocket launching it should show that for reconnaissance satellites it should be one of a very big kind.
Being the first time the NRO has ordered such a large Atlas V for launching its spysats, NROL-67 seems to be the first of a new breed as well. And interestingly the launch exclusion zones reported beforehand shows that it will head directly east - an indication of it being heading to geostationary orbit (perhaps on a 4+ hour direct ride on the Atlas). This, plus the hint from the launch logo showing a flying horse beating its wings and movements of USA spysats in geostationary orbit as observed by satellite observers, seems to point to NROL-67 as being a new generation of electronic and signals intelligence (ELINT) spysat, with the "wings" actually hinting at big antennas on the bird that would pick out radars and satellite/ground telemetry from all over the world (similar trends were seen with patches for previous NRO launches over the past 20-30 years). This Atlas V rocket can put around 3.5 tonnes directly to GSO.
Now after grounded since March 25 due to a radar fire at Cape Canaveral, it is finally heading for space. Whatever it will do, it surely will give yet another fresh enigma to us observers.
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Viewing the Launch Live:
Mission Description:
Links:
Launch Updates:
Launch Vehicle:
Weather Forecast for Titusville, Florida on April 10, 2014 (2 p.m.)
A good deal of sunshine. High 25C. Winds NE at 10 to 15 kmh.
Time|Temps|Dew Point|Relative Humidity|Precip|Snow|Cloud cover|Pressure|Wind|Weather
2 PM|24°C|12°C|47%|0%|0%|15%|1025 hPa|14 km/h ENE|
Clear
Well probably not this latest big secret spysat for the US National Reconnaissance Office - its main targets are aboard elsewhere on the eastern hemisphere anyway - but the size of the rocket launching it should show that for reconnaissance satellites it should be one of a very big kind.
Being the first time the NRO has ordered such a large Atlas V for launching its spysats, NROL-67 seems to be the first of a new breed as well. And interestingly the launch exclusion zones reported beforehand shows that it will head directly east - an indication of it being heading to geostationary orbit (perhaps on a 4+ hour direct ride on the Atlas). This, plus the hint from the launch logo showing a flying horse beating its wings and movements of USA spysats in geostationary orbit as observed by satellite observers, seems to point to NROL-67 as being a new generation of electronic and signals intelligence (ELINT) spysat, with the "wings" actually hinting at big antennas on the bird that would pick out radars and satellite/ground telemetry from all over the world (similar trends were seen with patches for previous NRO launches over the past 20-30 years). This Atlas V rocket can put around 3.5 tonnes directly to GSO.
Now after grounded since March 25 due to a radar fire at Cape Canaveral, it is finally heading for space. Whatever it will do, it surely will give yet another fresh enigma to us observers.
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Launch date:
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April 10, 2014
Launch time:
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17:45 - 18:26 UTC / 1:45 - 2:26 pm EDT
Launch site:
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SLC-41, Cape Canaveral AFB, Florida
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[highlight]L[eventtimer]2014-04-10 17:45:00;%c%%ddd%/%hh%:%mm%:%ss%[/eventtimer][/highlight]
Viewing the Launch Live:
Live broadcast will be available at 1:25 p.m. EDT / 17:25 UTC on launch day on the ULA Web site.
The broadcast [eventtimer]2014-04-10 17:25?will start in|started;%c% %h% hours, %m%[/eventtimer] minutes[eventtimer]2014-04-10 17:25?.| ago.;%c%[/eventtimer]
The broadcast [eventtimer]2014-04-10 17:25?will start in|started;%c% %h% hours, %m%[/eventtimer] minutes[eventtimer]2014-04-10 17:25?.| ago.;%c%[/eventtimer]
Mission Description:
This launch supports the military's national defense mission. The payload is confidential and is designated as National Reconnaissance Office L-67 (NROL-67). The flow of official information about this mission will cease at the point of payload fairing separation. No further comment about the status of the mission will be made after this milestone.
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Mission Insignia (clickable)
Links:
- United Launch Alliance: NROL-67 page
Launch Updates:
- Spaceflight Now's Mission Status Center
- United Launch Alliance Twitter
- ULA launch hotline - dial at: 1-877-852-4321
Launch Vehicle:
The Atlas 5 was developed by Lockheed Martin Commercial Launch Services as part of the US Air Force Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program. Each Atlas 5 rocket uses a Russian-built RD-180 engine burning kerosene and liquid oxygen to power its first stage and an American-built RL10 engine burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to power its Centaur upper stage.
The Atlas 5 launcher will fly in the so-called 541 configuration, denoting a 5.4-meter payload fairing, 4 strap-on solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage.
The Atlas 5 launcher will fly in the so-called 541 configuration, denoting a 5.4-meter payload fairing, 4 strap-on solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage.
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Specifications
Gross mass:
|- 338640 kg (746570 lb)
Payload:
|- 14019 kg (30908 lb) SSO
- 8290 kg (18270 lb) GTO
Height:
|- 58.30 m (191.20 ft)
Diameter:
|- 3.81 m (12.49 ft)
Span:
|- 3.81 m (12.49 ft)
Thrust:
|- 3827.00 kN (860343 lbf)
Weather Forecast for Titusville, Florida on April 10, 2014 (2 p.m.)
A good deal of sunshine. High 25C. Winds NE at 10 to 15 kmh.
2 PM|24°C|12°C|47%|0%|0%|15%|1025 hPa|14 km/h ENE|
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