Air Force, Mission Partners Launch NRO Payload

An announcement from the US Air Force...“This launch is a testament to the teamwork between the Air Force and its mission partners," said Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves, Space and Missile Systems Center commander and Air Force program executive officer for Space. “Congratulations to the NROL-79 integrated team of government and industry partners for a successful launch.”

The US Air Force and its mission partners successfully launched a United Launch Alliance Atlas V vehicle carrying a National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) national security payload from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, today at 9:49 a.m. PST.

The Air Force Space Command's Space and Missile Systems Center, located at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the US Air Force's center of excellence for acquiring and developing military space systems.  Its portfolio includes space launch, global positioning, military space vehicle communications, defense meteorological space vehicles, range systems, space vehicle control networks, space-based infrared systems, and space situational awareness capabilities.