CAPE CANAVERAL
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Throughout our history, the NRO has pushed boundaries 

— finding better, faster ways to collect and deliver critical 

information that can only be obtained from the vantage 

point of space. As we look to the future, we remain 

steadfast in our commitment to building on our legacy of 

innovation and harnessing the infinite potential of space.

Dr. Chris Scolese

NRO Director

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ADVANTAGE THROUGH KNOWLEDGE

NROL-70

The snow leopard illustrates the quiet 

strength with which we provide an advantage 

to the nation and its allies. 

To read more about NRO launches and previous 

patches, visit www.NRO.gov/launch

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NRO Mission

For more than sixty years, the NRO has developed, acquired, launched and operated the satellites that 

are the foundation for America’s advantage and strength in space. Using a diversified and resilient 

architecture of spacecraft, NRO collects and delivers the best space-based intelligence, surveillance, 

and reconnaissance content on the planet. NRO data supports the National Security Agency, National 

Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and other NRO mission partners to produce intelligence products for 

the President, Congress, national policymakers, warfighters, and civil users. The NRO’s hybrid overhead 

architecture is designed to provide global coverage against a wide range of intelligence requirements, 

carry out research and development efforts, and assist emergency and disaster-relief efforts in the U.S. 

and around the world.

Courtesy ULA
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Rocket & Launch 

Facts

Payload Fairing (PLF)

The PLF encapsulates the spacecraft to protect it from 

the launch environment on ascent. The 19.8m (65ft) 

long PLF makes the vehicle’s height approximately 

71.5m (235ft).

Delta Cryogenic Second Stage (DCSS)

The DCSS is a cryogenic liquid-hydrogen/liquid-oxygen 

fueled vehicle, with a single RL10C-2-1 engine that 

produces 24,750lbf (110kN) of thrust.

Boosters

The Delta IV booster propulsion is provided by three liquid 

hydrogen and liquid-oxygen-burning RS-68A engines. 

Each RS-68A engine produces 705,250 lbf (3,137 kN) 

of thrust for a combined total liftoff thrust of more than 

2.1 million lbf (9.4 mega-Newtons).

5-m PAYLOAD 

FAIRING

PAYLOAD

ATTACH FITTING

SPACECRAFT

DELTA CRYOGENIC 

SECOND STAGE

INTERSTAGE

BOOSTERS

RS-68A 

ENGINES

RL10C-2-1 ENGINE

United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy is a heavy-lift 

launch vehicle, the largest type of the Delta IV family and 

one of the world’s most powerful rockets. The Delta IV 

Heavy configuration comprises a common booster core 

(CBC), a cryogenic upper stage and a five-meter-diameter 

payload fairing (PLF). The Delta IV Heavy employs two 

additional CBCs as liquid rocket boosters to augment 

the first-stage CBC. The Delta IV Heavy can lift 28,370kg 

(62,540 lbs) to low-Earth orbit and 13,810kg (30,440lbs) 

to geostationary-transfer orbit. It is an all-liquid-fueled 

rocket, consisting of an upper stage, one main booster 

and two strap-on boosters.

Launch Site

Space Launch Complex-37 (SLC-37) 

NROL-70 will launch from Space Launch Complex-37 (SLC-37) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. 

SLC-37 was built in 1962 as Complex 37 to support the Saturn 1 and Saturn 1B programs. Between 1964 

and 1968, it supported a total of eight unmanned Saturn launches but was eventually mothballed in 1971. 

In 1998, Boeing retrofitted it to launch the then-new Delta IV. The first Delta IV Heavy launch from SLC-37 was 

in December 2004. NROL-70 will be the eleventh Delta IV Heavy launch from Cape Canaveral, and the final 

Delta IV heavy launch in history.
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Launch History

The Delta IV was created to fulfill the requirements of the United States Air Force’s Evolved 

Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program. The inaugural launch of the Delta IV occurred in 2002. 

NROL-70 is the last ever launch of ULA’s Delta IV of either medium or heavy variants. NROL-70 builds 

upon a long legacy of NRO Delta IV Heavy launches at Cape Canaveral dating back to 2009.

NROL-26

1.17.2009

NROL-32

11.21.2010

NROL-15

6.29.2012

NROL-37

6.11.2016

NROL-44

12.10.2020

NROL-68

6.11.2023

NRO | CAPE CANAVERAL | DELTA IV HEAVY
ADVANTAGE THROUGH KNOWLEDGE

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2023 Success

SILENTBARKER/NROL-107, launched in September of 

2023, was a joint NRO-US Space Force Space Domain 

Awareness mission to meet DoD and Intelligence 

Community space proteciton needs. It was the last NRO 

mission launched on the ULA-provided Atlas V rocket.

NROL-68 launched from Cape Canaveral on June 22, 2023. 

This mission was in partnership with the U.S. Space Force’s 

Space Launch Delta 45, Space Systems Command, and United 

Launch Alliance, as the penultimate Delta IV Heavy rocket. 

Visit www.NRO.gov to view 

launch press releases.

NROL-107 Sep. 10, 2023

Future Launches

The NRO is the best in the world at providing overhead 

intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance to more than 

half a million government users—including every member of 

the Intelligence Community, two dozen domestic agencies, our 

nation’s military, lawmakers, and decision makers.

Additional information on upcoming launches will be made 

available at www.NRO.gov.

WWW.NRO.GOV

MEDIA@NRO.MIL

703.808.1198

 @NATIONALRECONNAISSANCEOFFICE

@NATRECONOFC

@ N A T R E C O N O F C 

F O L L O W O N X F O R L I V E U P D A T E S 

ON LAUNCH DAY

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NRO/OPA [10309] ID 3.24