LIVE: Atlas V launch with NRO L-30 - June 15, 2007

• LIVE: Atlas V launch with NRO L-30 - June 15, 2007 by eeergo on 29 Apr, 2007 22:49
• <p>Two new reconnaisance satellites to spy the Chinese and Iranians are being readied to be launched aboard an Atlas V 401:</p><p>http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewnews.html?id=1208</p>
• #1 by Jim on 29 Apr, 2007 23:04
• monitor is the appropriate word vs spy.
• #2 by ShuttleDiscovery on 30 Apr, 2007 18:24
• I didn't realise they where previously to be launched by a boeing (delta 4 medium?)
  
  Thanks for the link.
• #3 by Radioheaded on 30 Apr, 2007 18:29
• How far in advance will we have an indication of the launch window?  I definitely plan to go see this one
• #4 by Skyrocket on 30 Apr, 2007 18:38
• Quote

  ShuttleDiscovery - 30/4/2007  8:24 PM
  
  I didn't realise they where previously to be launched by a boeing (delta 4 medium?)
  
  Thanks for the link.

  
  They were never launched by Deltas. The third generation "NOSS" satellites were launched by Atlas-2AS (two times) from Vandenberg and by an Atlas-3B from Cape Canaveral.
  
  
• #5 by WHAP on 30 Apr, 2007 18:43
• But were these two originally scheduled to fly on Delta IV and then moved because of the lawsuit/PIA issue?  I didn't see any discussion of this in the article, though.
• #6 by kevin-rf on 30 Apr, 2007 18:48
• Quote

  Skyrocket - 30/4/2007  1:38 PM
  
  ...and by an Atlas-3B from Cape Canaveral.
  
  

  
  Which was quite visible on the east coast when the centuar vented at the end of the mission
  
  Interesting they are stating the a NRO bird failed shortly after launch last year. I do not remember seeing any news articles on it... if it did fail.
• #7 by yinzer on 30 Apr, 2007 18:52
• There was discussion about the failed NRO bird a few months ago.  Something about a computer failure.  Noteworthy as it's the latest in a long string of setbacks for the FIA program, which was another Boeing failure starting around the same time period as the EELV stuff.
• #8 by Skyrocket on 30 Apr, 2007 19:27
• Quote

  kevin-rf - 30/4/2007  8:48 PM
  
  Interesting they are stating the a NRO bird failed shortly after launch last year. I do not remember seeing any news articles on it... if it did fail.

  
  Some info in this thread:
  http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=5688&start=1
  
  
• #9 by Skyrocket on 30 Apr, 2007 19:32
• Quote

  WHAP - 30/4/2007  8:43 PM
  
  But were these two originally scheduled to fly on Delta IV and then moved because of the lawsuit/PIA issue?  I didn't see any discussion of this in the article, though.

  
  No, the NROL-30 mission was from the beginning on Atlas-V
  
  On my EELV mission list you can see, which missions have been moved
  http://space.skyrocket.de/doc/eelv.htm
  
  
  
  
  
• #10 by William Graham on 02 Jun, 2007 13:01
• Is it a 401 or a 551? This thread says 401, as do a few others, but the majority of articles that I have seen list it as a 551.
• #11 by Skyrocket on 02 Jun, 2007 13:35
• It is a 401. The Payload is expected to be a duo of third generation NOSS satellites, which do not require a larger version.
• #12 by maskims on 11 Jun, 2007 11:33
• According to ULA's webcast page,
  
  Atlas V/NROL-30 Launch
  Date: June 14, 2007
  Launch Period: 9:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. EDT
  
  Is that the final launch window, or should we expect something more precise as launch day approaches ?
  
  
  http://www.ulalaunch.com/index_webcast.html
• #13 by Jim on 11 Jun, 2007 11:50
• That is the launch period, the launch window falls somewhere in it
• #14 by WHAP on 12 Jun, 2007 19:39
• From http://www.patrick.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123056802
  
  Media Advisory: ATLAS V/NRO launch set Thursday, June 14
  
  Release Number: 010607
  
  6/12/2007 - CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla. -- A National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) payload is scheduled for launch aboard an Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) from here at Space Launch Complex 41 June 14, 2007. The planned launch time is 11:18 a.m. (EDT). This is the first Atlas V launch of an NRO payload.
  
  .....
  
  
  Contact: 45th Space Wing Public Affairs Office (321) 494-5933 or (321) 508-2071.  
  
• #15 by Danderman on 13 Jun, 2007 00:38
• The first use of Russian engines for an NRO launch?
  
• #16 by quark on 13 Jun, 2007 00:54
• Quote

  Danderman - 12/6/2007  6:38 PM
  
  The first use of Russian engines for an NRO launch?
  

  
  No, there was an Atlas III a couple of years ago.
• #17 by Skyrocket on 13 Jun, 2007 20:24
• Quote

  quark - 13/6/2007  2:54 AM
  
  

  Quote

  Danderman - 12/6/2007  6:38 PM
  
  The first use of Russian engines for an NRO launch?
  

  
  No, there was an Atlas III a couple of years ago.

  
  which also launched a NOSS-3-type payload like the payload expected for this flight now.
  
  
• #18 by Skyrocket on 14 Jun, 2007 11:09
• Some images from the roll-out.
  
  http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av009/rollout/
  
  BTW: It is the first Atlas-V (401) with the stretched payload fairing.
  
  
• #19 by DaveS on 14 Jun, 2007 11:35
• Quote

  Skyrocket - 14/6/2007  1:09 PM
  
  Some images from the roll-out.
  
  http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av009/rollout/
  
  BTW: It is the first Atlas-V (401) with the stretched payload fairing.
  

  Are you sure about this? To me it looks like a standad 4m fairing. The white cylinder below it is the Centaur stage which is an "extended duration" version.
  
  This tells me that the Centaur will go through some long coast phases in direct sunlight.