Cosmic Penguin
Geek Penguin in GTO
Just over a year ago, the USA's spysat constellation received a new member that remains one of the most talked enigmas on specific spysats - a giant space octopus known as NROL-39 - by way of SoCal's Vandenberg AFB and riding to orbit on an Atlas V rocket.
One year later, yet another spysat is ready for launch from the very same spot that promises even more limelight and stronger flavours of mystery than either our good friend or new frontline comrades NROL-67 and NROL-33!
NROL-35, our focus of the day, is certainly no small beast. Spotting a mission patch with a powerful purple-hair witch carrying fire goblets and a trident, the use of an Atlas V in the 541 configuration (in fact the largest West Coast Atlas rocket ever to fly) that almost reaches Delta IV Heavy territory means that the National Reconnaissance Office have some new toys to play with.
And thanks to air and sea closure areas, we have a rather clear idea of where this fearsome woman is heading to. Analysis of these areas shows that the target orbit is most certainly the famous Molniya orbit (for which this rocket can carry an astonishing 6+ tonnes!), frequently used by the NRO for data relay and signals intelligence satellites. However due to the smaller size of the satellites of NRO's Satellite Data System, it looks like NROL-35 is probably the 1st of a new generation of signals and electronic intelligence satellites in this inclined high Earth orbit.
Similar satellites were first launched in the 1970s (as the "JUMPSEAT" series), and was succeeded in the 1990s by the larger "TRUMPET" series. The newest members of this series are 2 smaller "Improved TRUMPET" satellites launched in June 2006 (NROL-22) and March 2008 (NROL-28). Both satellites also carried infrared missile tracking sensors to supplement the SBIRS-GEO early warning system at high latitudes, a feature most probably will also be installed on NROL-35. No wonder the mission poster shows the alchemy symbols of Air, Earth and Fire at the same time, for it really watches over all these 3 elements!
And there's something new on this Atlas V rocket too. In an important milestone for consolidating ULA's Atlas V and Delta IV lines, this Atlas V uses the new RL-10C engine on the Centaur for the very first time.
But what's an RL-10C? First, one needs to know that there are quite a few differences in between the RL-10A-4 used on the Atlas and the RL-10B-2 used on the Delta today - mainly that the RL-10B-2 uses a larger extensible nozzle extension and improved injectors and combustion chamber, while the RL-10A-4 have unique avionics for active propellant mixture ratio control and redundant dual direct spark ignition systems.
Due to the depletion of the stock pile of the RL-10A for the Atlas and a large number of RL-10B in store (thanks to orders made at the turn of the millennium that turns out to be not quite right), ULA and Rocketdyne decided to use the surplus RL-10B-2 as the basis and develop a common RL-10 that could be used for both Atlas V and the Delta IV. Hence, the RL-10C is born. There are still differences between the RL-10C-1 on the Atlas and the RL-10C-2 on the Delta, but it is limited to the exclusion of a nozzle extension on the C-1. With this and other upgrades such as common avionics systems, ULA is actively trying to lower the costs of maintaining 2 different rocket production and operation lines. And with the "new Atlas" on the far horizon, who can say that they are the "slow walking giant" of the breed?
So much for this secret witch! :rofl: Thanks to the "Pineapple Express" storm that brings much needed (except for rockets :facepalm
rain storms to California, it is already running one day later and may yet slip again. We will see which night do she finally lit up the SoCal night sky. :tiphat:
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Viewing the Launch Live:
Mission Description:
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Links:
Launch Updates:
Launch Vehicle:
Weather forecast for Lompoc, California on December 12, 2014 (7 p.m.)
Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower throughout the evening. Low 6C. Winds light and variable.
Time|Temps|Dew Point|Relative Humidity|Precip|Snow|Cloud cover|Pressure|Wind|Weather
7 PM|13°C|9°C|77%|24%|0%|45%|1017 hPa|3 km/h W|
Partly Cloudy
Links:
One year later, yet another spysat is ready for launch from the very same spot that promises even more limelight and stronger flavours of mystery than either our good friend or new frontline comrades NROL-67 and NROL-33!
NROL-35, our focus of the day, is certainly no small beast. Spotting a mission patch with a powerful purple-hair witch carrying fire goblets and a trident, the use of an Atlas V in the 541 configuration (in fact the largest West Coast Atlas rocket ever to fly) that almost reaches Delta IV Heavy territory means that the National Reconnaissance Office have some new toys to play with.
And thanks to air and sea closure areas, we have a rather clear idea of where this fearsome woman is heading to. Analysis of these areas shows that the target orbit is most certainly the famous Molniya orbit (for which this rocket can carry an astonishing 6+ tonnes!), frequently used by the NRO for data relay and signals intelligence satellites. However due to the smaller size of the satellites of NRO's Satellite Data System, it looks like NROL-35 is probably the 1st of a new generation of signals and electronic intelligence satellites in this inclined high Earth orbit.
Similar satellites were first launched in the 1970s (as the "JUMPSEAT" series), and was succeeded in the 1990s by the larger "TRUMPET" series. The newest members of this series are 2 smaller "Improved TRUMPET" satellites launched in June 2006 (NROL-22) and March 2008 (NROL-28). Both satellites also carried infrared missile tracking sensors to supplement the SBIRS-GEO early warning system at high latitudes, a feature most probably will also be installed on NROL-35. No wonder the mission poster shows the alchemy symbols of Air, Earth and Fire at the same time, for it really watches over all these 3 elements!
And there's something new on this Atlas V rocket too. In an important milestone for consolidating ULA's Atlas V and Delta IV lines, this Atlas V uses the new RL-10C engine on the Centaur for the very first time.
But what's an RL-10C? First, one needs to know that there are quite a few differences in between the RL-10A-4 used on the Atlas and the RL-10B-2 used on the Delta today - mainly that the RL-10B-2 uses a larger extensible nozzle extension and improved injectors and combustion chamber, while the RL-10A-4 have unique avionics for active propellant mixture ratio control and redundant dual direct spark ignition systems.
Due to the depletion of the stock pile of the RL-10A for the Atlas and a large number of RL-10B in store (thanks to orders made at the turn of the millennium that turns out to be not quite right), ULA and Rocketdyne decided to use the surplus RL-10B-2 as the basis and develop a common RL-10 that could be used for both Atlas V and the Delta IV. Hence, the RL-10C is born. There are still differences between the RL-10C-1 on the Atlas and the RL-10C-2 on the Delta, but it is limited to the exclusion of a nozzle extension on the C-1. With this and other upgrades such as common avionics systems, ULA is actively trying to lower the costs of maintaining 2 different rocket production and operation lines. And with the "new Atlas" on the far horizon, who can say that they are the "slow walking giant" of the breed?
So much for this secret witch! :rofl: Thanks to the "Pineapple Express" storm that brings much needed (except for rockets :facepalm
rain storms to California, it is already running one day later and may yet slip again. We will see which night do she finally lit up the SoCal night sky. :tiphat:
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Launch date:
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December 12/13, 2014
Launch time:
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03:13 UTC / 7:13 pm PST
Launch site:
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SLC-3E, VAFB, California
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[highlight]L[eventtimer]2014-12-13 03:13:00;%c%%ddd%/%hh%:%mm%:%ss%[/eventtimer][/highlight]
Viewing the Launch Live:
Live broadcast will be available at 6:53 p.m. PST / 02:53 UTC on launch day on the ULA Web site.
The broadcast [eventtimer]2014-12-13 02:53?will start in|started;%c% %h% hours, %m%[/eventtimer] minutes[eventtimer]2014-12-13 02:53?.| ago.;%c%[/eventtimer]
The broadcast [eventtimer]2014-12-13 02:53?will start in|started;%c% %h% hours, %m%[/eventtimer] minutes[eventtimer]2014-12-13 02:53?.| 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-35 (NROL-35). 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.
Mission Insignia (clickable)
Links:
- United Launch Alliance: NROL-35 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.
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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.
Specifications
Gross mass:
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- 338640 kg (746570 lb)
Payload:
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- 14019 kg (30908 lb) SSO
- 8290 kg (18270 lb) GTO
Height:
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- 58.30 m (191.20 ft)
Diameter:
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- 3.81 m (12.49 ft)
Span:
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- 3.81 m (12.49 ft)
Thrust:
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- 3827.00 kN (860343 lbf)
Weather forecast for Lompoc, California on December 12, 2014 (7 p.m.)
Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower throughout the evening. Low 6C. Winds light and variable.
7 PM|13°C|9°C|77%|24%|0%|45%|1017 hPa|3 km/h W|
Links:
