Watch the Launch

Additional Media

Dec. 10 Live Broadcast: Delta IV Heavy NROL-44

Watch live as ULA's Delta IV Heavy rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral with the NROL-44 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). Launch is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. EST on Thurs., Dec. 10,...

Sept. 30 Live Broadcast: Delta IV Heavy NROL-44

Watch live as ULA's Delta IV Heavy rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral with the NROL-44 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). Launch is scheduled for 11:54 p.m. EDT on Wed., Sept. 30,...

Delta IV Heavy NROL-44- United Launch Alliance (ULA) Rocket Launch

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV Heavy rocket will launch the NROL-44 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office.

NROL-44

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Mission: Government/Top Secret

Low Earth Orbit Space Launch Complex 37B Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA Probability: 100% #NROL44

Classified payload for NRO.

Updates


SwGustav • Dec. 10, 2020, 9:30 p.m.

T-0 to 01:09 UTC


SwGustav • Dec. 10, 2020, 8:29 p.m.

weather 100% go


SwGustav • Dec. 10, 2020, 6:47 p.m.

updating T-0 to 01:00 UTC


spacevogel • Dec. 10, 2020, 6:47 p.m.

New T-0 01:00 UTC


Delta IV Heavy

Family:
Configuration: Heavy

The Delta IV Heavy (Delta 9250H) is an expendable heavy-lift launch vehicle, the largest type of the Delta IV family, and is the world's second highest-capacity rocket in operation. It is manufactured by United Launch Alliance and was first launched in 2004.

See Details
Specifications
  • Stages
    2
  • Length
    72.0 m
  • Diameter
    5.0 m
  • Fairing Diameter
  • Launch Mass
    733.0 T
  • Thrust
    8674.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Delta IV Heavy
  • Family
  • Variant
    Heavy
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Delta IV Heavy
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $350000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    28370.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    14210.0 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
    14500.0 kg
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

United Launch Alliance

United Launch Alliance

(ULA)

Interim CEO: John Elbon Founded: 2006 Successes: 172 Failures: 0 Pending: 39

Agency Type:

United Launch Alliance (ULA) is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin Space Systems and Boeing Defense, Space & Security. ULA was formed in December 2006 by combining the teams at these companies which provide spacecraft launch services to the government of the United States. ULA launches from both coasts of the US. They launch their Atlas V vehicle from LC-41 in Cape Canaveral and LC-3E at Vandeberg. Their Delta IV launches from LC-37 at Cape Canaveral and LC-6 at Vandenberg.

INFO WIKI

Related News

Spaceflight Now

Delta 4-Heavy launches U.S. spy satellite after months of delays

Running more than three months late, a United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket took off Thursday and carried a U.S. government spy satellite into an orbit thousands of miles above Earth in the first mission from the newly-renamed Cape …

SpaceNews

ULA launches long-delayed NRO mission aboard Delta 4 Heavy rocket

A United Launch Alliance Delta 4 Heavy rocket on Dec. 10 at 8:09 p.m. Eastern launched NROL-44 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

NASA Spaceflight

ULA Delta IV Heavy successfully launches NROL-44

United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy rocket successfully launched a classified National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) payload, codenamed NROL-44 at 20:09 EST on Thursday, 10 December (01:09 UTC on Friday, 12 December).

Spaceflight Now

ULA’s Delta 4-Heavy ready for another launch attempt after pad repairs

United Launch Alliance is set to try again to launch a Delta 4-Heavy rocket and a classified U.S. government spy satellite Thursday after delays of more than three months caused by persistent issues with the mission’s launch pad.

Spaceflight Now

ULA’s Delta 4-Heavy rocket still grounded by launch pad problem

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Space Launch Complex 37B


Falcon 9
Success
8 hours, 34 minutes ago
Starlink Group 17-35
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 25 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Atlas V 551
Success
3 days, 5 hours ago
Amazon Leo (LA-05)
Space Launch Complex 41 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Amazon Leo, formerly known as Project Kuiper, is a mega constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit that will offer broadband internet access, thi…


Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat-M
Success
4 days, 4 hours ago
Meridian-M No.21L
43/3 (43L) - Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

Note: Payload identity uncertain. Meridian is a series of communications satellite for military and civilian use.


Tianlong-3
Failure
4 days, 7 hours ago
Demo Flight
Tianlong-3 Launch Pad - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

First test launch of Space Pioneer’s Tianlong-3 rocket.


Falcon 9
Success
4 days, 23 hours ago
Starlink Group 10-58
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Space Launch System (SLS)
Success
5 days, 12 hours ago
Artemis II
Launch Complex 39B - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Artemis II is the first crewed mission as part of the Artemis program. Artemis II will send a crew of 4 - 3 Americans and 1 Canadian around the moon …


Falcon 9
Success
1 week ago
Starlink Group 10-44
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Transporter 16 (Dedicated SSO Rideshare)
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Dedicated rideshare flight to a sun-synchronous orbit with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers.


Kinetica 2
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Demo Flight (Qingzhou Prototype Spacecraft)
Launch Area 140 - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

First test launch and mission of CAS Space’s Kinetica-2 rocket, with 3 spacecraft on board: * New March 02 (Qingzhou space station cargo resupply …


Electron
Success
1 week, 3 days ago
Daughter Of The Stars (LEO-PNT Pathfinder A)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

The European Space Agency (ESA)'s LEO-PNT (Low Earth Orbit Positioning, Navigation and Timing) demonstrator mission will feature a 10-satellite const…