Everything continues to progress towards the ULA Atlas V launch carrying the SILENTBARKER / NROL-107 joint mission for the Office and the United States Space Force. The mission is planned to lift off on Tuesday, August 29 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Launch is planned for 8:34 a.m. EDT.
Today’s forecast shows an 80 percent chance of favorable weather conditions for launch.
Launch Forecast Summary:
Overall probability of violating weather constraints: 20%
Primary concerns: Cumulus Cloud Rule, Anvil Cloud Rules
Overall probability of violating weather constraints for 24-hour delay: 80%
Primary concern: Cumulus Cloud Rule, Anvil Cloud Rules, Thick Cloud Layers Rule, Ground Winds
A joint NRO and Space Force Space Domain Awareness (SDA) mission, SILENTBARKER/NROL107 meets the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community (IC) space protection needs by providing the capability to search, detect and track objects from a space-based sensor for timely custody and event detection.
Surveillance from space augments and overcomes existing ground sensor limitations with timely 24-hour above-the-weather collection of satellite metric data only possible with a space-based sensor and then communicates its findings to satellite operators, analysts, and other mission users.
The NRO and the USSF have a shared interest to strengthen the nation’s SDA and Indication & Warning (I&W) capabilities to enable timely decision making and unity of effort to defend the DoD and IC critical capabilities against current and projected threats. SILENTBARKER/NROL107 will strengthen the NRO’s ability to provide a wide range of timely intelligence information to national decision makers, warfighters and intelligence analysts to protect the nation’s vital interests and support humanitarian efforts worldwide.
