ULA’s Atlas 5 rocket lifts off with NROL 79. Photo: ULA

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas 5 rocket carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) lifted off from Space Launch Complex-3 March 1. Designated NROL-79, the mission is in support of national defense.

This mission was launched aboard an Atlas 5 Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) 401 configuration vehicle, which includes a 4-meter-diameter extended payload fairing. The RD AMROSS RD-180 engine powered the Atlas booster for this mission, and the Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10C-1 engine powered the Centaur upper stage.

Besides the RL10C-1 upper-stage engine, Aerojet Rocketdyne supported the launch with six helium pressurization tanks, and 12 Centaur upper-stage Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters.

This is ULA’s second launch in 2017. ULA’s next launch is the Delta 6 WGS-9 satellite for the U.S. Air Force. The launch is scheduled for March 8 from Space Launch Complex-37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.