Fifty miles northwest of Santa Barbara lies Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB), home of the 30^th Space Wing.  The 30^th Space Wing is charged with performing space launches for both civilian and government entities. Of interest, the 30th Space Wing is soon to be retired (in name only) as it becomes converted/incorporated by the United States Space Force.  One such government agency is the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia.  The NRO, whose motto is, “Supra Et Ultra” (Above and Beyond) is the intelligence agency charged with designing, building, and operating spy satellites for the United States intelligence community including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), providing signals intelligence for the National Security Agency (NSA), imagery intelligence for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and measurement and signature intelligence to the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA).  The NRO has a classified budget, however, it is widely speculated that the NRO budget is sustainably larger than any other intelligence agency.  When the United States needs eyes and ears in critical places where no human can reach, either over the most rugged terrain or through the most hostile territory the United States intelligence community relies on the NRO.  The NRO uses a variety of satellites to meet specific mission requirements, from small satellites, to more traditional, lager satellites.  It’s safe to say that the NRO maintains global coverage against a wide range of intelligence requirements, research, development, as well as the capability in assisting in emergency and disaster relief efforts. 

In conjunction with United Launch Alliance (ULA) and the 30^th Space Wing, the NRO launched a classified payload from VAFB’s Space Launch Complex 6 (SLC-6) high atop a 233 foot two-stage Delta IV Heavy rocket.  ULA’s Delta IV Heavy rocket is currently the most powerful rocket in the world capable of delivering a 31,000-pound payload into geostationary orbit or up to a 62,000-pound payload into low-earth orbit.  The Delta IV Heavy is comprised of three common booster core tanks that are constructed of isogrid aluminum barrels, spun-formed aluminum domes and machined aluminum tank skirts. The Delta IV booster propulsion is provided by three variable thrust RS-68A engine systems which uses cryogenic -423 degree liquid hydrogen (LH₂) and -273 degree liquid oxygen (LOX).  When operating a maximum power the three RS-68A engines each generate a whopping 705,250 pounds of thrust at sea level for a combined 2.1 million pounds of thrust, consuming an astounding 5,000 pounds of LH₂ and LOX per second.  As a result of the extreme fuel temperature’s the booster’s cryogenic tanks are insulated with a combination of spray-on or bond-on insulation and helium-purged insulation blankets.  The booster is controlled by the avionics system which provides guidance and flight control.  The second stage booster is a delta cryogenic second stage that fuels a single RL10B-2 engine with both LH₂ and LOX to produce 24,750 pounds of thrust. The RL10B-2 is ultimately responsible to delivering the payload to its final orbital destination following the separation of the three common core boosters.

On April 26^th, 2021, VAFB, NRO, and ULA successfully launched a clandestine reconnaissance payload from SLC-6, concluding ULA’s 13th Delta IV Heavy launch in its history.  I was fortunate enough to be granted base access to photograph the launch, both from a nearby viewing location on launch day, as well as the ability to have access to SLC-6 the day before to setup remote camera near the launch pad.  These cameras were equipped with sound-activated noise triggers that captured the images the mighty Delta IV Heavy lifting off launch pad. Many thanks to the folks at VAFB for being excellent and professional stewards.