In spite of Russian Deputy Prime Minster, Dmitry Rogozin’s threat to ban all RD-180 powered launch vehicles from launching US military spacecraft, the flight of the ULA-operated Atlas V401 took off successfully from the Cape Canaveral launch site in Florida at 1309 GMT on 22 May 2014. Aboard was a mystery military satellite codenamed NRO L-33. The codename notes that the payload was a military one for the National Reconnaissance Office. (NRO). The satellite, which was headed for a Geostationary or High Earth Orbit, is thought to be an SDS communications relay satellite that allows imaging satellites to transmit their data back to the NRO headquarters. The largely smoke free fiery tail of LOx (liquid oxygen)/kerosene burning RD-180 engine and the classically pointed nose of the Atlas V 401 makes it one of the better looking launch vehicles.
Atlas V 401 launches NRO L-33 military payload despite Rogozin’s ban threats
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