Watch the Launch

Additional Media

Delta IV Heavy NROL-70

Launch update: The launch of a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy carrying the NROL-70 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office was scrubbed today due to an issue with a liquid pump failure on the gaseous nitrogen pipeline which provides pneumatic pressure to the launch vehicle systems. The...

NROL-70

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Unknown
Mission: Government/Top Secret

Unknown Space Launch Complex 37B Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA Probability: 90%

Classified payload for the NRO. Last flight of the Delta IV Heavy rocket.

Telemetry

Launch trajectory and telemetry simulations provided by Flight Club - a rocket launch simulator and orbital trajectory visualiser for all things space!

Updates

SwGustav • April 9, 2024, 11:19 p.m.

Launch success confirmed


hitura-nobad • April 9, 2024, 4:53 p.m.

Liftoff


LL2 • April 9, 2024, 4:21 p.m.

Official Webcast by United Launch Alliance has started



Cosmic_Penguin • April 2, 2024, 6:11 p.m.

Rescheduled for April 9.


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)

CEO: Tory Bruno Founded: 2006 Successes: 163 Failures: 0 Pending: 44

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

Arstechnica

Rocket Report: Delta IV’s grand finale; Angara flies another dummy payload

“We heard loud and clear from customers they wanted these services."

Space Scout

Delta IV Heavy Nails Final Flight

On April 9th, 2024 at 12:53 PM EST- the final rocket of the Delta family lifted off from SLC-37 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, ending a career and lineage with roots as far back as the dawn of the space program. After a scrub due t…

Teslarati

The Delta IV Heavy flies for the final time

The Delta IV Heavy has flown for the final time, successfully launching a top-secret payload to orbit for the National Reconnaissance Office....

NASASpaceflight

Delta IV Heavy launches on final mission

United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV rocket has successfully launched Tuesday on its final flight, the NROL-70 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office. Liftoff from SLC-37B at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station has happened at 12:5…

SpaceNews

End of an era: Delta 4 Heavy soars one last time

ULA’s Delta 4 Heavy launches NROL-70 for the National Reconnaissance Office in its final mission

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Space Launch Complex 37B


Electron
Success
2 days, 12 hours ago
Kinéis Killed the RadIoT Star (Kinéis 6-10)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Second batch of five satellites for the French Kinéis IoT constellation designed to operate with 25 nanosatellites of 30 kg each.


Falcon 9
Success
2 days, 21 hours ago
Starlink Group 9-17
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 20 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Kuaizhou
Success
3 days, 1 hour ago
Tianqi 29-32
Mobile Launcher Pad - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

4 small satellites for LEO Internet of Things (IoT) communication purposes.


Long March 2D
Success
3 days, 7 hours ago
Jilin-1 Wideband 02B-01 to 06
Launch Complex 9 - Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Earth observation satellites for the Jilin-1 commercial Earth observation satellites constellation.


Long March 3B/YZ-1
Success
4 days, 10 hours ago
2 x Beidou-3 MEO
Launch Complex 2 (LC-2) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

These two satellites will be used to provide global navigation coverage as part of the Chinese Beidou (Compass) satellite navigation system.


Falcon 9
Success
5 days, 12 hours ago
Galileo L13 (FOC FM26 & FM32)
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Two satellites for Europe's Galileo navigation system. Originally planned for launch on Soyuz-ST and then Ariane 6 but both were unavailable. Gali…


Angara 1.2
Success
6 days, 4 hours ago
Kosmos 2577 & 2578
35/1 - Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

2 Russian military satellites of unknown identities.


Qaem 100
Success
1 week, 2 days ago
Chamran-1
Launch Platform - Shahrud Missile Test Site, Islamic Republic of Iran

Iranian technological demonstration satellite to test out a propulsion system, with mass of 60 kg.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 3 days ago
Starlink Group 9-6
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 21 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 4 days ago
BlueBird Block 1
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

First five satellites for SpaceMobile’s cellphone-compatible broadband constellation.