United Launch Alliance is gearing up for the bittersweet final launch of its Delta IV rocket on Thursday. The rocket will be carrying out the NROL-70 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office, with liftoff scheduled for 1:40 PM EDT from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
This launch marks the end of an era for the Delta IV rocket, which first took flight on November 20, 2002. The rocket has since completed 43 successful missions, with a minor setback during its maiden flight in 2004. United Launch Alliance developed both the Delta IV and Atlas V rockets under the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program, making them stablemates within the company.
The Delta IV rocket was designed with modular configurations based on a common booster core. This final mission is expected to last several hours, as it carries an electronic signals intelligence satellite for the NRO. Once the rocket is retired after Thursday’s launch, it will bring an end to the Delta rocket family’s 63-year history.
Looking ahead, United Launch Alliance will shift its focus to the Atlas V and Vulcan rockets for future launches serving US military customers and national security missions. The NROL-70 mission will blast off from Space Launch Complex 37B at Cape Canaveral, a pad originally built for the Saturn I rocket during the Apollo program. Plans for the pad’s future use include hosting SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets. Stay tuned for the final journey of the Delta IV rocket as it takes to the skies one last time.
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