William Atkins
Monday, 19 January 2009 22:36
Science -
Space
Page 2 of 4
When launching, the Delta 4-Heavy uses three RS-68 (Rocket System 68 cryogenic engines, which use liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, that combine to produce over 1.9 million pounds of thrust; approximately 663,000 pounds of force (at sea level) for each engine.
According to the December 10, 2008 Aviation Week article
NRO Delays Delta IV Heavy Launch, the NRO satellite and Delta launch vehicle
“[f]undamentally involves America's biggest, most secret and expensive military spacecraft on board the world's largest rocket.”
The launch vehicle and satellite is estimated to cost over two billion dollars (U.S.).
The Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle, constructed by ULA in Decatur, Alabama, will have its upper stage burn three times, which will lift the payload into a geosynchronous orbit.
Although classified by the military branch of the U.S. government, the NRO L-26 satellite is assumed to be in orbit along with other NRO satellites, such as Satellite Data System (SDS) satellites and SIGnals INTelligenct (SIGINT) satellites.
SDA satellites are communications satellites that relay signals from low-flying reconnaissance aircraft to ground stations.
SIGINT satellites are intelligence-gathering satellites that intercept other signals.
Page three discusses the ELINT satellite system.
