United Launch Alliance to Launch NROL-82 Mission to Support National Security

Delta IV Heavy heavy-lift performance required for mission

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Apr 23, 2021, 14:21 ET

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., April 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV Heavy rocket is in final preparations to launch the NROL-82 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) to support national security. The launch is on track for April 26 from Space Launch Complex-6 at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Launch is planned for 1:46 p.m. PDT. The live launch broadcast begins at 1:26 p.m. PDT on April 26 at www.ulalaunch.com.

"ULA is proud of our long-standing history supporting national security space. The unmatched performance of the Delta IV Heavy is essential for launching some of our nation's most critical national security space missions and we look forward to delivering this critical asset to space," said Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of Government and Commercial Programs. "It takes a cross-functional team to support a national security launch and we would like to thank our mission partners for their continued trust, collaboration and teamwork."

The Delta IV Heavy is the nation's proven heavy lifter, delivering high-priority missions for the U.S. Space Force, NRO and NASA. The vehicle also launched NASA's Orion capsule on its first orbital test flight and sent the Parker Solar Probe on its journey to unlock the mysteries of the Sun.

This Delta IV Heavy is comprised of three common core boosters each powered by an Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-68A liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen engine producing a combined total of more than 2.1 million pounds of thrust. The second stage is powered by an AR RL10B-2 liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen engine.

This will be the 42^nd launch of the Delta IV rocket and the 13^th in the Heavy configuration. To date ULA has launched 142 times with 100 percent mission success.

With more than a century of combined heritage, ULA is the nation's most experienced and reliable launch service provider. ULA has successfully delivered more than 140 missions to orbit that aid meteorologists in tracking severe weather, unlock the mysteries of our solar system, provide critical capabilities for troops in the field, deliver cutting-edge commercial services and enable GPS navigation. For more information on ULA, visit the ULA website at www.ulalaunch.com, or call the ULA Launch Hotline at 1-877-ULA-4321 (852-4321).

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SOURCE United Launch Alliance (ULA)