Blastoff! Delta IV Heavy launches for final time with secret US spy satellite

The United Launch Alliance's (ULA's) Delta IV heavy-lift rocket launched the NROL-70 mission from Space Launch Complex-37 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on April 9 at 12:53 p.m. EDT (1653 GMT). It was the final launch for the historic rocket. Full Story: www.space.com/final-delta-4-h...
Aboard the Delta Heavy IV rocket was a classified payload launched on behalf of the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The NRO rarely discloses the nature or capabilities of its spy satellites, and this particular mission offers no exception.
Credit: ULA

[@Delta-V-Heavy]

Farewell Delta IV Heavy, most metal of rockets, last scion of Thor, final heir to the proud Delta lineage. You will not soon be forgotten.

[@aliensporebomb]

Just the giant exhaust plumes were unique compared to a lot of other rockets.

[@jdoggybizzle]

We'll miss you Delta, I watched some of the earliest 2 models go up, happy retirement!

[@timroberts507]

Well I guess it's not a secret anymore 😂😂

[@carcinogen60yearsago]

Do you instantly know what packages you have when it's still in the box? Do you have x-ray vision?

[@graysoceanworld5662]

We’re all gonna miss that incredible fireball the Delta 4 Heavy creates before liftoff. Goodbye Delta 4 Heavy.

[@belfonzus]

I certainly missed the fireball in this live stream, with the camera focused close in on the engines while two different countdowns were being read, I completely missed that fireball.

[@SomeRandom6uy]

The Mighty RS-68A ✊🏻

[@jeigenseher]

Are we going to ignore that they call the boosters "strap ons"?

[@brandenjones716]

the last GIANT strap on's in space lol ................ Mabey , who knows , there's some weirdos out there , Jeff Bozo's will probably put his giant Amazon prime dick logo in space at some point lol

[@magicmonkeyist]

Yeah they said it too many times man! 😂

[@belfonzus]

They may have had 6 decades of excellence in spaceflight, but their livestreams sure could have done with some improvement. 😢

[@vosa8268]

Perfect Machine. Perfect work in the world Perfect team in the world Perfect Mission. Thank you very much 100424.

[@sandrav5464]

I would ***MUCH*** rather hear the actual launch controllers instead of the announcer. Folks who tune in to watch these launches are much more interested in the actual comms than in the announcers talking over them, ESPECIALLY during station polling (go calls for launch), final countdown, and the editorial summary at liftoff.

[@paulmartos7730]

Seeing the rocket's view of the ground is fantastic.

[@daveken9936]

Beautiful sight.

[@user-zb6ho1ou7q]

RIP delta heavy, i love to watch you fly...

[@kostasbaras604]

The Olympic flame touched any dark point on earth.

[@joeldonwilfred-pk8zf]

the launch commentator was off on the timing

[@MundaneMuser]

Delta IV Heavy sets itself on fire one last time. *sobs*

[@brandenjones716]

The last time we will probably have giant " strap ons" in space lol farewell strap ons lol

[@chrisborey1734]

The way things are going in our world I wouldn’t be surprised if we get back this These Rockets again.

[@ningombamshileimachanu]

Incredible

[@vegetablegremlin69]

Right on.

[@dronepilot1290]

Very nice launch

[@armyguy872008]

I love how they cut the feed enough to make you think the earf is round…..

[@paulvincent3299]

STOP STEPPING ON LAUNCH CONTROL COMMS WITH YOUR POINTLESS DRIBBLE.

[@leechjim8023]

Who are U?👎 Boeing CEO?😮😥😥😥👎

[@apdixo9]

I thought Space X was dominating the skys

[@marsspacex6065]

They are. This was the second launch for ula this year. SpaceX is already had almost 40.

[@viktorm3840]

fun fact: the delta-iv heavy is entirely propelled by the LH2/LOx fuel couple, the same magical 'invisible' propellant that the second stage of saturn-V was fuelled. Except that... it is not really invisible, as everyone can see for themselves. Granted it is very dim, especially given the high power it produces, but one can still clearly see it even in the bright daylight. More importantly, the nozzles themselves are glowing bright yellow, nearly white, as the fuel burns that hot. Sapienti sat. 😉

[@2750casjon]

It's funny to see how much it looks like a launch from 1990, if you compering it with spacex😅

[@semperparatus678]

Whelp no longer a secret lmao

[@rapidrabbit7175]

Wow! Someone needs to work on the audio. It sounds worse than a cell phone.

[@davemeeks8109]

Have a great trip to L3. 😊

[@tombambauer5220]

How much is a launch with these?

[@user-jj3hi3gh4u]

Motors vs engines there is a difference

[@liteflexin8129]

That not how secrets work but ok secret payload🤦🏽‍♂️🤦🏽‍♂️

[@user-ve1tv3ts5s]

❤❤❤❤❤ยิ้น กริชณัฐจันทจร2520 KC Krichanat chanthachon space 1977

[@user-qv5st1lu5b]

Well, it's a good thing it's a secret

[@herizondetails]

The times they show a side view of the rocket flying through the air...who was filming that???

[@stormysyndrome7043]

That would be cgi.

[@enkkulintula1212]

​@@stormysyndrome7043 no its real

[@SlipKnotRicky]

So, where do those Boosters land? And have the Boosters been used before?

[@JayWye52]

they're NOT reusable,they burn up and the pieces land in the ocean.

[@dennispolack4370]

What ? Not reusable after 60 years. They are falling behind 😀

[@antony716]

She's really pretty ❤

[@rarararara1591]

Its not secret anymore 😂

[@digitalplayland]

Amazing footage. Bye-bye, old tech rocket! See you again when reusable.

[@saurabhpatel-eb3ez]

👍🏻

[@garypicard9939]

This country really sucks at keeping secrets, have to laugh js

[@Castawaygirl7]

🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@HedoesitallEAGIIIItsJustUs]

Doesn’t seem like much of a secret if you know somehow and have now told the world!!!! Just saying

[@ndromedaGalaxy]

Shaweet

[@RaymondRaymond02]

❤❤❤🎉

[@SloaneLasers]

Did they film this using an etch e sketch? Litterally looks like a newscast from the 90s.

[@douglasschaefer3750]

Not impudent by family not today bye

[@kostasbaras604]

Sometime, somewhere is going to hit the earth's face, ieaving a scar!

[@paulvincent3299]

Mach 1 and Mack 2. lol

[@christopherjohnson1803]

So who are we spying on this time?

[@brianl7695]

I can tell you who it won't be- Israel

[@Akmgunner]

​@@brianl7695 well go cry in the corner. Womp womp

[@magicmonkeyist]

Yo Momma

[@7th_Heaven]

:)

[@user-mr3do5iq7q]

You're having a laugh! - If, it was a "secret", it sure isn't one now, what with "2, 807!"!, viewers, viewing it on "youtube!"!

[@williamminehan4416]

2800 views are nothing

[@Delta-V-Heavy]

It’s normal for them to provide live coverage, even of ‘secret’ missions. A rocket launch is hard to hide. What’s actually secret is what’s inside the payload fairing-hence why they do not show any camera views of that on these missions. We can speculate from various clues that the payload on this mission was an Orion-class electronic reconnaissance satellite, but its precise capabilities and specifications are unknown-as was the goal.

[@carcinogen60yearsago]

Then what was the satellite used for? If it's so obvious to you, then you should be able to figure it out, right? You can't tell me a single fact about this satellite. Do you know what's inside an opaque box before opening it?

[@bBersZ]

Strap ons

[@kostasbaras604]

Earth's surface is flat,, Imagine a huge golf course ,extending to infinity ,surrounding of minus temperatures!

[@xandervk2371]

Without a horizon line...

[@paulvincent3299]

Love the Communist Chinese inspired livery.

[@bryanoliver5550]

Secret US Spy Satellite , hmm say no more , reminds me of Obama days .

[@sl4983]

That's what it is? 😮

[@twogamer7149]

would you mind elaborate what it means by Obama days in this context?

[@5870Gary]

They just send Trump’s dirty diapers into space.

[@5870Gary]

Melania won’t even hold his shitty hands at fundraiser!

[@SomeRandom6uy]

here we go again...

[@stanleyosburn867]

Wow antiquated teknalogey start using the more advanced Tek you are not fooling anyone

[@paulkirwan3431]

Neither are you with your advanced grammar, you literary linguistic limpet.

[@captjack2112]

Boy they got lucky it didn't blow😳😳😳😳 adios to the ticking time bomb🙈🙈🙈🙈

[@mikew466]

Delta Heavy was pretty reliable. I mean 16 launches and they never exploded. Not sure what you are on about.

[@chraffis]

And why are they so lucky??

[@aCycloneSteve]

I like the Delta, but these workers have the look of people who know they're playing with the practice squad. I'm not trying to be mean, that's just what I see. Sorry.

[@stormysyndrome7043]

Don’t apologize for being honest.

[@philipsigglekow7828]

More shit going out to polute space ... whats the carbon footprint in this thing ??? why not use batteries instead of fuel LOL

[@JayWye52]

burning liquid hydrogen,there's no carbon. you get water. of course,the hydrogen is made from natural gas.

[@odynith9356]

You cant be serious with these dumbass questions.

[@odynith9356]

Carbon footprint... hmmm guess what burning Oxygen and Hydrogen makes...NO CARBON. Yea bc using batteries has the energy potential of liquified oxygen and hydrogen...genius over here.

[@stormysyndrome7043]

Carbon footprint is about zero for the fuel. Your batteries? Now those are a HUMONGOUS carbon footprint.

[@JayWye52]

@@stormysyndrome7043 hydrogen is made from natural gas. yes,there is a "carbon footprint" when using LH2 for rocket fuel. splitting water to make hydrogen is not energy-efficient,so it's hardly used.

[@eclipsekcb9201]

All looked fake as hell

[@xandervk2371]

In what way?

[@Pintuuuxo]

The telemetry shown is awesome!!! ☹ If SpaceX didn't exist the space exploration would continue to be made by this boring fellows and their mediocre shows.

[@williamnot8934]

Hey Putin and his Cronies at Roscosmos this is how it’s done. What a beautiful old Rocket.

[@billmiller6274]

look what it is doing to our environment

[@reservoirfrogs2177]

You alone through driving and powering your home do more damage

[@Delta-V-Heavy]

So irresponsible of them to be burning hydrogen and oxygen in our environment! Look at all the horrible pollutants they’re unleashing into the atmosphere, like… water vapour?

[@lautabott_uy]

Explain what it is doing to our environment

[@lautabott_uy]

@billmiller6274 Explain please, I'd love to know what you THINK its doing.

[@lautabott_uy]

Just to let you know, today when powering the main engines of a spacecraft, the rocket propellant used will likely be a liquid fuel, which are commonly made up of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. Meaning a clean burn

[@williamminehan4416]

Horrible video. Very bad. It’s just a commercial that nobody wants to see

[@lautabott_uy]

Then don't see it, and move on, stop wasting time watching things you don't like, and go enjoy what you like, god speed.

[@mikew466]

Not the best video, but still historic. If you like ULA launches this is the last of the Delta Heavy launches. That counts for something.