Success
NROL-49 (KH-11) (USA-224)
Government/Top Secret
United Launch Alliance(ULA)CommercialDelta IV Heavy
LEOorbit
Classified payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office.
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 9:10 PM
Replay
Mission details
Orbital Attempt
#5,108
ULA Mission
#47
Pad Launch
#7
Location Launch
#645
Designator
2011-002
Launch Window
NET
Jan 20, 2011, 9:10 PM
Precision
Second
Schedule Changes
1 update
Delta IV Heavy Specs
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.
Length
72 m
Diameter
5 m
Launch Mass
733 t
Thrust
8,674 kN
LEO Capacity
28,370 kg
GTO Capacity
14,210 kg
GEO Capacity
14,500 kg
Launch Cost
$350M
Reusable
No
Maiden Flight
2004
Fastest Turnaround
1mo 29d
Total Launches
16
Successful
15
Failed
1
Consecutive Success
15
Maiden flight: Dec 21, 2004
Space Launch Complex 6
Space Launch Complex 6 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California is a launch pad and support area. The site was originally developed starting in 1966, but no launches occurred until 1995, as it was repurposed sequentially for three programs that were subsequently cancelled. Initially to be used for Titan IIIM rockets and the Manned Orbiting Laboratory, these were cancelled before construction of SLC-6 was complete. The complex was later rebuilt to serve as the west coast launch site for the Space Shuttle, but went unused due to budget, safety and political considerations. The pad was subsequently used for four Athena rocket launches before being modified to support the Delta IV launch vehicle family, which used the pad for ten launches from 2006 until 2022. The last Delta IV launched in September 2022, and SpaceX leased SLC-6 in 2023 to convert it to launch Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy starting in 2025.
Total Launches
14
Orbital Attempts
14
Fastest Turnaround
4mo 9d
United Launch Alliance
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.
Founded
2006
Administrator
Interim CEO: John Elbon
Total Launches
173
Successful
173
Failed
0
Pending
38
Consecutive Success
173
Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Vandenberg Space Force Base is a United States Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California. Established in 1941, Vandenberg Space Force Base is a space launch base, launching spacecraft from the Western Range, and also performs missile testing. The United States Space Force's Space Launch Delta 30 serves as the host delta for the base, equivalent to an Air Force air base wing. In addition to its military space launch mission, Vandenberg Space Force Base also hosts space launches for civil and commercial space entities, such as NASA and SpaceX.
Timezone
America/Los_Angeles
Local Launch Time
Jan 20, 2011, 1:10 PM
Total Launches
885
Total Landings
34
Coordinates
34.7513, -120.5202