US spy satellite agency isn’t so silent about new “Silent Barker” mission
Enlarge / United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket rolls to its launch pad in Florida before the Silent Barker mission. (credit: United Launch Alliance)
9:50 am EDT Tuesday update:The Atlas V rocket has returned to its hangar at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to take shelter from Hurricane Idalia, which is forecast to strike the Florida Gulf Coast this week. This rollback of the rocket likely pushes the launch until no earlier than some time Labor Day weekend.
8:45 pm EDT Monday update:The launch of an Atlas V rocket with the Silent Barker mission has been postponed from Tuesday due to Tropical Storm Idalia. "Out of an abundance of caution for personnel safety, a critical national security payload and the approaching Tropical Storm Idalia, the team made the decision to return the rocket and payload to the vertical integration facility (VIF)," ULA said. "We will work with our customers and the range to confirm our next launch attempt and a new date will be provided once it is safe to launch."
Original post:The National Reconnaissance Office doesn't typically talk about any of its missions, but in an unusual break with precedent, the button-down spy satellite agency is taking a different tack with its next launch Tuesday from Cape Canaveral, Florida.