The ULA mission patch
Quote from: vapour_nudge on 04/10/2014 09:44 amThe ULA mission patchIt's Phoenix from the X Men.
Found this patch on eBay:http://www.ebay.com/itm/ATLAS-V-AV-046-SPACE-MISSION-PATCH-USAF-CAPE-SLC-41/121316761015http://www.webcitation.org/6OlSeSzVII'm not 100% sure that AV-046 is NROL-33, but this is the sort of launch patch I'd expect for an NRO mission. "Defendi nostrae opes" translates as "to defend our resources". Note the eight stars on the sides of the patch - these have appeared in the same pattern on several past NRO patches all of which were associated with Quasar communications satellites.It is interesting to see Europe prominently featured on the patch. It could suggest a geostationary satellite positioned over this part of the world, however if this were a Quasar I would expect it to go to a Molniya orbit since both of the GEO satellites were recently replaced. Unless they are increasing the number of geostationary satellites in the constellation.
Found this patch on eBay:http://www.ebay.com/itm/ATLAS-V-AV-046-SPACE-MISSION-PATCH-USAF-CAPE-SLC-41/121316761015http://www.webcitation.org/6OlSeSzVII'm not 100% sure that AV-046 is NROL-33,
Clearer versions of the patches above that I could find on the web. Interesting.....
Is that a flying squirrel?
Anyone spot Bullwinkle or Boris then?
Mission Description: The mission will be launched for the National Reconnaissance Office in support of national defense.
Quote from: jacqmans on 05/18/2014 04:13 amMission Description: The mission will be launched for the National Reconnaissance Office in support of national defense.I don't think it can get any clearer than this. This is when we find out whether there was anything but hot air in the Russian government's statements over the past week.
How would this effect a payload like WorldView 3, launching on an Atlas, yes it's a commercial payload but it has both military & commercial customers?