A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 lifted off right on schedule at 9:49:51 a.m. March 1, carrying a secret satellite payload into orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
The classified payload belongs to the National Reconnaissance Office, the organization responsible for design and operation of the nation’s intelligence-gathering surveillance spacecraft.
The secretive space agency provided no details regarding the spacecraft’s objectives or characteristics, providing only the payload/mission designation, NROL-79.
Personnel from the 30th Space Wing’s 4th Space Launch Squadron readied the rocket for its secret mission. “A launch like this requires thousands of hours of activity and practice to execute successfully,” said Lt. Col. Eric Zarybnisky, 4th SLS commander.
Originally scheduled to launch Dec. 1, the flight was postponed twice, first by a wildland fire that swept through Vandenberg last September, damaging the base electrical grid. Firefighting and repair work held up the launch of an Atlas 5 carrying the WorldView 4 commercial imagery satellite, and delayed preparations for NROL-79 by two months. A second delay was due to technical problems with the second stage booster discovered during vehicle checkout operations.
“I am so impressed by the incredible teamwork between the NRO, U.S. Air Force, our industry partners and the ULA team that resulted in today’s successful launch,” said ULA vice president for government satellite launches, Laura Maginnis. “The integrated mission team overcame many challenges this flow including delays associated with the Vandenberg Canyon Fire last year.”
Tragically, Ventura County firefighter Ryan Osler lost his life in a vehicle accident en route to assist in fighting the fire. “We are honored to dedicate today’s mission to Ryan and his family,” Maginnis said.
In keeping with tradition for such missions, team members designed unique insignia to represent both the payload and its booster. The NROL-79 payload insignia includes the Latin phrase “Victoriam Per Intelligentiam,” which translates as, “Victory Through Intelligence.” The design features Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, justice and strategy, dressed as a warrior and wielding a spear and shield. A second insignia features a clock face with the internal works visible, and the hands set to 9:45:20. This emblem’s border identifies launch team components ULA, NRO, Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, and the 30th Space Wing. Also included are the words Chronos and Kairos, both ancient Greek names for “Time,” and possibly nicknames for the two satellites carried onboard.
According to civilian satellite observer Gunter Krebs, the payload may be the eighth pair of third-generation Naval Ocean Surveillance System (NOSS) satellites, also known as Intruder, that carry equipment capable of tracking ships and aircraft via their radio transmissions. Others have suggested this may be the first launch of a pair of fourth-generation NOSS satellites.
The booster, described as an Atlas 5 (401), is the most basic configuration with no additional strap-on solid-fuel booster rockets attached at the base of the first stage. The rocket’s kerosene-fueled RD-180 engine provides 860,000 pounds of thrust. A Centaur upper stage is used to push the satellite payload into its final orbit. For NROL-79, the Atlas was equipped with a four-meter-diameter payload shroud to accommodate the twin satellites. Previous NOSS generations employed sets of triplets.