CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION, Fla. – A Delta IV Heavy rocket will carry a satellite into space for the National Reconnaissance Office next month in one of the last launches before the rocket line is retired.
The NRO tweeted that the launch was set for April 20 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. No time or launch window was given.
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The United Launch Alliance’s heavy rocket had its first mission in 2004, but hasn’t lifted off from the Space Coast since 2020.
Since then ULA has launched two Delta IV Heavy rockets from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
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The final launch for the Delta IV Heavy line is expected to happen in 2024 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
LAUNCH UPDATE: #NROL68 is scheduled to launch the penultimate @ulalaunch #DeltaIVHeavy rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (@SLDelta45) on April 20!#AboveandBeyond pic.twitter.com/puOPmDFLQS
— NRO (@NatReconOfc) March 21, 2023
ULA is working to bring the rocket’s replacement online, that’s the Vulcan Centaur. Crews recently performed testing the Vulcan first stage and the Centaur V upper stage at Cape Canaveral SFB.
ULA is hoping the inaugural launch for the Vulcan Centaur will happen sometime this year.
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