LIVE: Atlas V 401 - NROL-79 - VAFB SLC-3E - March 1, 2017 (17:50 UTC)

[jacqmans]

ULA:

Check out ULA's Team Harlingen with the NROL-79 fairing! Shout out to the team for your support of mission success, one launch at a time. True #ULARocketStars.

[zubenelgenubi]

ULA:

Check out ULA's Team Harlingen with the NROL-79 fairing!

Let the "patchology" begin!

My observations:
There's a few letters in the Latin phrase that I can't make out due to the geometry or specular reflections.
"Victory through ?"

The female warrior wields a spear and the device of the Gorgon's head on her shield.  She is wearing a suit of armor.

To me, one of her eyes looks like a dragon's eye and scales.

In the background, there is a sector of the globe, green and white.  I don't recognize any particular geography.

I count 14 stars in space above the globe, but some may be lost in the specular reflections.

Gunter's Atlas V and Intruder web pages, NROL-79 will launch the 8th pair of NOSS-3 or Intruder satellites.  These are (deduced? surmised? to be) naval ocean reconnaissance satellites.

The launch vehicle will be an Atlas V 401, using a 4 meter diameter EPF fairing.

Further thoughts?

[ZachS09]

Will this NRO launch include a secondary payload of "rideshare" cubesats?

The last time Intruder sats were launched (October 8, 2015), there was a handful of cubesats onboard.

[vapour_nudge]

Is it something like " Victory through intelligencia" ??

[eeergo]

Is it something like " Victory through intelligencia" ??

Victoriam per intelligentiam.

Victory through intelligence/cleverness (although I guess, even though my Latin is very basic, an "ad" should be included before Victoriam... maybe just ellipsed though)

[Newton_V]

The female warrior wields a spear and the device of the Gorgon's head on her shield.  She is wearing a suit of armor.

To me, one of her eyes looks like a dragon's eye and scales.

It's Athena.  That's an owl mask, and Medusa is on her shield.

[kch]

Is it something like " Victory through intelligencia" ??

Victoriam per intelligentiam.

Victory through intelligence/cleverness (although I guess, even though my Latin is very basic, an "ad" should be included before Victoriam... maybe just ellipsed though)

Perhaps the designer had an ad blocker running? 

[zubenelgenubi]

The female warrior wields a spear and the device of the Gorgon's head on her shield.  She is wearing a suit of armor.

To me, one of her eyes looks like a dragon's eye and scales.

It's Athena.  That's an owl mask, and Medusa is on her shield.

Thank you for clarifying.

That would make the shield a form of the aegis.

And, for what's it's worth, here's a little art criticism for the artist, whomever he or she is:
The eye in the mask should be round (or rounder) to emulate an owl's eye.  Also, the pupil should be round, not vertically slitted.

[Newton_V]

The female warrior wields a spear and the device of the Gorgon's head on her shield.  She is wearing a suit of armor.

To me, one of her eyes looks like a dragon's eye and scales.

It's Athena.  That's an owl mask, and Medusa is on her shield.

Thank you for clarifying.

That would make the shield a form of the aegis.

And, for what's it's worth, here's a little art criticism for the artist, whomever he or she is:
The eye in the mask should be round (or rounder) to emulate an owl's eye.  Also, the pupil should be round, not vertically slitted.

I went back and looked at the official logo, and it looks round.  There are a couple pixels of a different color to represent a light reflection, but the fairing looks to match the logo pretty well.

[zubenelgenubi]

The female warrior wields a spear and the device of the Gorgon's head on her shield.  She is wearing a suit of armor.

To me, one of her eyes looks like a dragon's eye and scales.

It's Athena.  That's an owl mask, and Medusa is on her shield.

Thank you for clarifying.

That would make the shield a form of the aegis.

And, for what's it's worth, here's a little art criticism for the artist, whomever he or she is:
The eye in the mask should be round (or rounder) to emulate an owl's eye.  Also, the pupil should be round, not vertically slitted.

I went back and looked at the official logo, and it looks round.  There are a couple pixels of a different color to represent a light reflection, but the fairing looks to match the logo pretty well.

Thank you again--for checking on this!  My compliments to the artist!

[zubenelgenubi]

Re: WorldView-4 launch campaign and this launch campaign

When do the launch delays for WorldView-4 start to impinge on the preparations for the launch of NROL-79?

Related question: Will a WDR be performed for this launch?

[Newton_V]

Re: WorldView-4 launch campaign and this launch campaign

When do the launch delays for WorldView-4 start to impinge on the preparations for the launch of NROL-79?

Related question: Will a WDR be performed for this launch?

It's already not launching in 2016.

[Newton_V]

[vapour_nudge]

SFN now have this launch listed for Thursday the 26th of January, 2017. (Australia Day over here)

[Newton_V]

SFN now have this launch listed for Thursday the 26th of January, 2017. (Australia Day over here)

Yeah, but over there it will be the day after Australia Day! 

[c3infinity]

Vehicle patch.

[Steven Pietrobon]

Their are two names at the bottom CHRONOS and KAIROS which both mean time in ancient Greek.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kairos

That supports the two INTRUDER 12 satellites being carried.

[kevin-rf]

Wow, nice pocket watch. Two brass gears, the timing bit... very cute. Why is one gear larger than the other?

I find the second hand on the IV very odd.

This will be the fifth NOSS launch on an Atlas V, but will be the fourth Vandenberg launch on an Atlas V?

Can I speculate that if it doesn't point to the orbital plane, could they be hinting at a fourth generation?

[russianhalo117]

Their are two names at the bottom CHRONOS and KAIROS which both mean time in ancient Greek.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kairos

That supports the two INTRUDER 12 satellites being carried.

Wow, nice pocket watch. Two brass gears, the timing bit... very cute. Why is one gear larger than the other?

I find the second hand on the IV very odd.

This will be the fifth NOSS launch on an Atlas V, but will be the fourth Vandenberg launch on an Atlas V?

Can I speculate that if it doesn't point to the orbital plane, could they they are hinting at a fourth generation?

To summarize: This mission will carry either INTRUDER-12A, INTRUDER-12B / NOSS 3-8A, NOSS 3-8B (Or 1 to 2 NOSS 4th Generation Sats (NOSS 4-0A, NOSS 4-0B??)).

[kevin-rf]

Beyond the patch, do we have any confirmation of a fourth generation?

If it is 4th, I wonder if the light curve amateurs observe will different enough to confirm it.