Vandenberg, Sept. 25 (BNA): A secret US National Reconnaissance Office satellite was launched into orbit aboard a Delta 4 heavyweight United Launch Alliance rocket.
The NROL-91 spy satellite lifted off Saturday at 3:25 p.m. from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California, according to the Associated Press.
This was the last Delta 4 launch from the West Coast. Additional launches from Florida were planned before the Delta was replaced by ULA’s next-generation Vulcan Centaur missiles.
The Delta IV Heavy lineup was first launched in December 2004. This was the 387th flight of the Delta missile since 1960 and the 95th and final launch from Vandenberg.
The National Reconnaissance Office is the government agency responsible for developing, building, launching, and maintaining US spy satellites that provide intelligence data to policymakers, the intelligence community, and the Department of Defense.