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: Geostationary Orbit
Mission: Government/Top Secret

Geostationary Orbit 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: 169 Failures: 0 Pending: 42

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


Falcon 9
Success
1 day, 21 hours ago
Starlink Group 6-85
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
2 days, 1 hour ago
Starlink Group 6-89
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

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


Atlas V 551
Success
3 days, 1 hour ago
ViaSat-3 F2 (ViaSat-3 EMEA)
Space Launch Complex 41 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

The ViaSat-3 is a series of three Ka-band satellites is expected to provide vastly superior capabilities in terms of service speed and flexibility fo…


New Glenn
Success
3 days, 7 hours ago
EscaPADE
Launch Complex 36A - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Second flight of Blue Origin's New Glenn launch vehicle carrying the Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (EscaPADE), a dual-spacecr…


Falcon 9
Success
6 days ago
Starlink Group 6-87
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.


Ceres-1
Failure
1 week ago
Jilin-1 High Resolution-04C and others
Launch Area 95A - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Earth Observation satellite for the Jilin-1 commercial constellation. Other payloads: * Jilin-1 Platform-02A-04 * Zhongbei University-1


Long March 12
Success
1 week ago
SatNet LEO Group 13
Commercial LC-2 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

A batch of Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group. …


Falcon 9
Success
1 week ago
Starlink Group 10-51
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

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


Kinetica 1
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Chutian-2 01 & 02
Launch Area 130 - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

2 satellites built by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) for testing operations of Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) satellites f…


Long March 11
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Shiyan 32 01-03
Oriental Spaceport mobile launch ship - Sea Launch

3 Chinese satellites reported to be for "orbital technological testing" purposes. Actual usage not known.