The massive Delta IV Heavy rocket, carrying a top-secret payload, is marching toward blastoff from Vandenberg Air Force Base on Monday afternoon.
Liftoff of the behemoth space booster built by United Launch Alliance is targeting 1:46 p.m. Monday from Space Launch Complex-6 on the South Base.
Since the rocket will carry clandestine cargo, the launch window remains top secret. However, officials earlier said the launch will not occur after 3:57 p.m.
The rocket, standing 233 feet tall, will carry a spacecraft for the National Reconnaissance Office in a mission dubbed NROL-82. It marks the first launch for the spy satellite agency from the West Coast in more than two years.
“ULA is proud of our long-standing history supporting national security space. The unmatched performance of the Delta IV Heavy is essential for launching some of our nation’s most critical national security space missions, and we look forward to delivering this critical asset to space,” said Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of Government and Commercial Programs. “It takes a cross-functional team to support a national security launch, and we would like to thank our mission partners for their continued trust, collaboration and teamwork.”
After reviews on Friday, mission managers concluded the meeting with a unanimous “ready,” clearing the rocket to proceed toward counting down for a Monday departure.
However, they’re keeping a close eye on weather since the forecast calls for a 70% likelihood of violating liftoff rules. Surface winds, thick clouds, cumulous clouds and precipitation are the concerns for a Monday launch attempt.
Conditions improve slightly for a Tuesday try, with the forecast calling for a 60% likelihood that weather will interfere with launch plans. Surface winds and cumulus clouds are the worry.
“Our tremendous partnership with United Launch Alliance and the National Reconnaissance Office is driven by our collective dedication to mission success,” said Col. Anthony Mastalir, 30th Space Wing commander also responsible for giving the final permission for liftoff. “We are proud of our ability to provide assured access to space and look forward to showcasing this national capability for heavy lift on the Western Range in support of the NRO.”
As one of the largest rockets in the nation’s fleet, Delta IV Heavy is expected to attract a large crowd hoping to see the flight from vantage points around the Lompoc Valley.
Unlike many of the rocket launch pads at Vandenberg, SLC-6, once eyed for the West Coast space shuttle program, sits tucked in a valley and isn’t visible from off-base viewing sites off base.
Would-be spectators flock to several off-base vantage points to see the flight of the rocket once it rises above the hills and heads in a southerly direction. Those include West Ocean Avenue, peak of Harris Grade Road and at the western edge of Vandenberg Village near the intersection of Moonglow and Stardust roads.
As a safety measure related to the launch, Jalama Beach County Park, just south of Vandenberg, will be evacuated from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to county officials.
Vandenberg representatives did not respond to a query about Surf Beach’s status, but the coastal access at the western end of Ocean Avenue is expected to be closed since it’s in the middle of western snowy plover nesting season.
Public Affairs staff on Monday gave out incorrect information claiming the mission has a six-hour launch period although the ULA and NRO had already released the launch period as 12:39 to 3:57 p.m. and later confirmed they hoped to launch at 1:46 p.m.
Rocket launches typically have shorter launch windows, established by where the payload needs to be placed in space, than missile tests conducted from the base.
ULA will provide a live broadcast, starting at 1:26 p.m. Monday, of the final minutes before launch plus text updates, starting at 4 a.m., of countdown milestones, with both available by clicking here.
At the request of NRO, the broadcast will conclude after the payload fairing has been jettisoned, approximately seven minutes into flight, ULA representatives said.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.