ULA Delta 4 Heavy Orbits NROL-37 Payload

ULA’s Delta 4 Heavy launch of NROL 37. Photo: ULA

[Via Satellite 06-13-2016] Launch services provider United Launch Alliance (ULA) successfully orbited a payload for the United States National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) using a Delta 4 Heavy rocket on June 11.

The national defense mission marks the ninth ULA Delta 4 Heavy mission, currently the world’s largest rocket, which featured a center common booster core along with two strap-on common booster cores. Each common booster core used an RS-68A liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen engine producing 702,000 pounds of thrust. A single RL10 liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen engine powered the second stage. Aerojet Rocketdyne constructed both the booster and upper stage engines. ULA constructed the Delta 4 Heavy launch vehicle in Decatur, Alabama.

ULA’s next launch is the Atlas 5 MUOS-5 mission for the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force. The launch is scheduled for June 24 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.