Author Topic: Delta IV-H - NROL-71 - (19:10 UTC) January 19, 2019  (Read 149751 times)

Offline Targeteer

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I really wanted to start this thread :)

http://www.losangeles.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/734643/air-force-awards-nrol-52-and-nrol-71-launch-services-contract/

By / Published November 20, 2015

LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, El Segundo, Calif. -- The U. S. Air Force awarded launch services contracts for the National Reconnaissance Office's NROL- 52 and NROL- 71 missions to United Launch Alliance on the existing Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Phase 1 Block Buy contract on Nov. 12.  The Phase 1 Block Buy contract with ULA garnered $4.4 billion in total savings with 36 rocket cores procured from Fiscal Years 2013 to 2017.  These two missions count toward the original contractual Phase 1 Block Buy commitment to ULA.

The launch service contracts include launch vehicle production and launch operations for the NROL-52 and NROL-71 missions.  NROL-52 is scheduled to launch as early as Oct. 1, 2017 and NROL-71 is scheduled to launch as early as Sept. 15, 2018.

"These launches will support the NRO's mission of providing innovative overhead intelligence systems for national security.   The Air Force's acquisition strategy for these contract awards achieves a balance between mission assurance, meeting operational needs, lowering launch costs, and reintroducing competition for National Security Space missions," said Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves, Air Force Program Executive Officer for Space and Space and Missile Systems Center commander.
« Last Edit: 04/17/2019 05:41 am by input~2 »
Best quote heard during an inspection, "I was unaware that I was the only one who was aware."

Offline Steven Pietrobon

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Re: Delta IV-H - NROL-71 - Sep 15, 2018 - VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #1 on: 12/28/2017 03:57 am »
The information I have (from public sources) is that this is a KH-11 replacement.
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Offline Star One

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Re: Delta IV-H - NROL-71 - Sep 15, 2018 - VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #2 on: 12/28/2017 05:57 am »
The information I have (from public sources) is that this is a KH-11 replacement.

Block V KH-11 according to a SN article of a while ago talking about the NROL-61 payload.

Quote
“Its design may be optimized to support the next generation heavy electro-optical imagery intelligence satellites of KH-11 lineage. I believe that there have been four KH-11 versions (aka blocks) since 1976. The first two launches of what I call Block 5 KH-11 are planned for September 2018 and July 2020.”

https://spaceflightnow.com/2016/07/28/spy-satellite-infrastructure-supported-by-atlas-5-rocket-launch/

Offline russianhalo117

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Re: Delta IV-H - NROL-71 - Sep 15, 2018 - VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #3 on: 12/28/2017 05:54 pm »
The information I have (from public sources) is that this is a KH-11 replacement.

Block V KH-11 according to a SN article of a while ago talking about the NROL-61 payload.

Quote
“Its design may be optimized to support the next generation heavy electro-optical imagery intelligence satellites of KH-11 lineage. I believe that there have been four KH-11 versions (aka blocks) since 1976. The first two launches of what I call Block 5 KH-11 are planned for September 2018 and July 2020.”

https://spaceflightnow.com/2016/07/28/spy-satellite-infrastructure-supported-by-atlas-5-rocket-launch/
The second Block-V would be:
2020:
July - NROL-82: KH-11 18 (Crystal 18) - Delta IV-H - Vandenberg SLC-6
« Last Edit: 12/28/2017 06:23 pm by russianhalo117 »

Offline Newton_V

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Re: Delta IV-H - NROL-71 - Sep 15, 2018 - VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #4 on: 12/31/2017 03:12 pm »
On the mission logo:

nuv qo'vaD jab

I guess you need a Klingon to English converter for this one.

Offline brickmack

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Re: Delta IV-H - NROL-71 - Sep 15, 2018 - VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #5 on: 12/31/2017 03:58 pm »
nuv qo'vaD jab Translates to "to the world the people serve". Where'd you see that though? Only patch I've found for this mission is Englisj ("Serving those who serve", which is close enough that its probably the intended translation)

Offline Star One

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Re: Delta IV-H - NROL-71 - Sep 15, 2018 - VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #6 on: 12/31/2017 08:24 pm »
I want to see what happens if the early KH-11s are declassified this year does that mean the whole program is semi-declassified in that they will at least acknowledge this is a KH-11 launch.

Offline zubenelgenubi

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Re: Delta IV-H - NROL-71 - Sep 15, 2018 - VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #7 on: 12/31/2017 08:56 pm »
I want to see what happens if the early KH-11s are declassified this year does that mean the whole program is semi-declassified in that they will at least acknowledge this is a KH-11 launch.

Maybe not?

If the changes to the original (not yet confirmed) Block I design compared to this (hypothesized) Block V design are substantial enough, then one could make the argument to truncate the KH-11 designation to the previous 4 blocks, and not officially acknowledge the new block items as a KH-11s?

Sophistry?  Perhaps.  Convenient to the needs of the organization(s)?  Also, perhaps.  Anyways, just a thought.
***

I wonder when the LV will arrive?
« Last Edit: 12/31/2017 09:00 pm by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline Star One

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Delta IV-H - NROL-71 - Sep 15, 2018 - VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #8 on: 12/31/2017 09:02 pm »
I want to see what happens if the early KH-11s are declassified this year does that mean the whole program is semi-declassified in that they will at least acknowledge this is a KH-11 launch.

Maybe not?

If the changes to the original (not yet confirmed) Block I design compared to this (hypothesized) Block V design are substantial enough, then one could make the argument to truncate the KH-11 designation to the previous 4 blocks, and not officially acknowledge the new block items as a KH-11s?

Sophistry?  Perhaps.  Convenient to the needs of the organization(s)?  Also, perhaps.  Anyways, just a thought.

Just seems an unnecessary complication. From my prospective in this case identifying the payload doesn’t tell you anything that couldn’t be easily obtained through a telescope for a foreign power such as orbit etc.

By the way I reckon they’ll only declassify the block 1 versions as they are probably deemed sufficiently outdated that they are safe to declassify.
« Last Edit: 12/31/2017 09:03 pm by Star One »

Offline gosnold

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Re: Delta IV-H - NROL-71 - Sep 15, 2018 - VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #9 on: 01/01/2018 01:41 pm »
By the way I reckon they’ll only declassify the block 1 versions as they are probably deemed sufficiently outdated that they are safe to declassify.

The physics of the early KH-11s might not surprise anyone, but I think we will be surprised by some of the benefits of high-resolution real-time imagery (if they do release some details).

Offline Star One

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Delta IV-H - NROL-71 - Sep 15, 2018 - VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #10 on: 01/01/2018 02:08 pm »
By the way I reckon they’ll only declassify the block 1 versions as they are probably deemed sufficiently outdated that they are safe to declassify.

The physics of the early KH-11s might not surprise anyone, but I think we will be surprised by some of the benefits of high-resolution real-time imagery (if they do release some details).

If we do get any images, even if illustrations, I want to see how much heritage they have with Hubble.
« Last Edit: 01/01/2018 02:08 pm by Star One »

Offline Newton_V

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Re: Delta IV-H - NROL-71 - Sep 15, 2018 - VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #11 on: 01/01/2018 07:30 pm »
nuv qo'vaD jab Translates to "to the world the people serve". Where'd you see that though? Only patch I've found for this mission is Englisj ("Serving those who serve", which is close enough that its probably the intended translation)

I managed to acquire a mug, coin, and patch, but since then, I think the Klingon has been replaced with English.
(just noticed the TINCUP whiskey in the background!)

Offline zubenelgenubi

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Re: Delta IV-H - NROL-71 - Sep 15, 2018 - VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #12 on: 01/01/2018 07:57 pm »
nuv qo'vaD jab Translates to "to the world the people serve". Where'd you see that though? Only patch I've found for this mission is Englisj ("Serving those who serve", which is close enough that its probably the intended translation)
<snip>
...I think the Klingon has been replaced with English.
<snip>

Could be a copyright thing...I recall that one of the NASA ISS astronauts (helped?) design an Expedition patch featuring a Klingon triskele.  I believe the patch design was later modified, editing out the triskele, due to copyright concerns.

EDIT--Found it! Steve Swanson, ISS CMD, Expedition 40
NSF thread http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=34929
Astronaut's cloaked Klingon space patch: Star Trek-inspired emblem revealed
Quote
But like one of the Klingon Bird-of-Prey warships, NASA's lawyers swept in and said no.

Bowing to copyright concerns, the expedition's patch had to be redesigned. The Soyuz rocket still remained, but the Klingon influences were removed.

Copyright may be the concern re: tlhIngan Hol.

According to Wikipedia (G*d, I hate citing WP) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klingon_language
Quote
CBS Television Studios owns the copyright on the official dictionary and other canonical descriptions of the language. While constructed languages ("conlangs") are viewed as creations with copyright protection, natural languages are not protected, excluding dictionaries and/or other works created with them.
But, a citation is needed for the above passage.

<speculation>
I SUPPOSE that Someone in the chain of command could have chosen to pay a usage fee to the copyright holders, and I can't imagine that price would be too high, and it's all "not for profit."

But, there may be rules against this sort of thing.  Or, it's just easier not to innovate on a relatively minor matter...
</speculation>

<personal observation>
I suppose that if the copyright "thing" is valid for tlhIngan Hol, then that would preclude using tengwar as well.

I personally would love to see a pertinent phrase from JRRT's body of works applied to an NRO patch.
Perhaps "Meddle not in the affairs of wizards"?
</personal observation>
« Last Edit: 01/02/2018 12:32 am by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline zubenelgenubi

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Re: Delta IV-H - NROL-71 - Sep 26, 2018 - VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #13 on: 06/19/2018 06:09 pm »
<snip>
I wonder when the LV will arrive?

We're approximately 3 months out from launch...does anyone know/can anyone say if the DIV-H is on-site?
« Last Edit: 07/02/2018 05:26 pm by zubenelgenubi »
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Offline russianhalo117

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Re: Delta IV-H - NROL-71 - Sep 15, 2018 - VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #14 on: 06/19/2018 06:29 pm »
<snip>
I wonder when the LV will arrive?

We're approximately 3 months out from launch...does anyone know/can anyone say if the DIV-H is on-site?
Components arrived before the previous DIV launch.
« Last Edit: 06/22/2018 11:34 pm by russianhalo117 »

Offline Semmel

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Re: Delta IV-H - NROL-71 - Sep 15, 2018 - VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #15 on: 06/19/2018 07:48 pm »
The KSC visitor center bus tour guide mentioned on Sunday that DIVH is already in the integration building.

@edit: Ups sorry, wrong launch! Thx to russianhalo117 for pointing it out.
« Last Edit: 06/19/2018 09:09 pm by Semmel »

Offline Bean Kenobi

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Re: Delta IV-H - NROL-71 - Sep 15, 2018 - VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #16 on: 06/19/2018 08:03 pm »
The KSC visitor center bus tour guide mentioned on Sunday that DIVH is already in the integration building.

Aren't you speaking about the Parker Space Probe launch (from Cape Canaveral) ?

This thread is about NROL-71 (from VAFB).

Offline Semmel

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Re: Delta IV-H - NROL-71 - Sep 15, 2018 - VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #17 on: 06/19/2018 09:09 pm »
The KSC visitor center bus tour guide mentioned on Sunday that DIVH is already in the integration building.

Aren't you speaking about the Parker Space Probe launch (from Cape Canaveral) ?

This thread is about NROL-71 (from VAFB).

Ohh, sorry you are of course correct! I should take more care next time and leave the statement as reminder to myself not to get overexcited and double-check next time.

Offline Newton_V

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Re: Delta IV-H - NROL-71 - Sep 15, 2018 - VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #18 on: 06/22/2018 02:42 am »
<snip>
I wonder when the LV will arrive?

We're approximately 3 months out from launch...does anyone know/can anyone say if the DIV-H is on-site?

The rocket has been there a while.

Offline TJL

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Re: Delta IV-H - NROL-71 - Sep 26, 2018 - VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #19 on: 08/25/2018 03:16 pm »
With just about 1 month before launch, any photos available of the LV? Thank you.

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