ULA successfully launches the NRO-101 mission into the Florida evening sky

With the telltale crackle of three GEM 63 solid rocket thrusters, a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket leaped from Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 41 platform this evening at 5:32 PM EST, carrying a top secret National Reconnaissance Office (NRO ) payload to the sky.

Today’s mission marked the first flight of Northrop Grumman’s new 63-inch graphite epoxy engines (GEM 63). Measuring 63 inches in diameter and 66 feet high, the three solid rocket engines burned for about 94 seconds, each producing 371,000 pounds of thrust – together, the three SRBs accounted for half the 1.8 million pounds of takeoff thrust.

“Thanks to our mission partners, the NRO and the United States Space Force for their continued trust and collaboration with ULA,” said Gary Wentz, ULA vice president for government and commercial programs. “This launch was the inaugural launch of our new GEM 63 solid rocket engines, a critical step for ULA to build flight experience in preparation for the Vulcan Centaur, our next generation launch vehicle.”

After burnout and the launch of the SRB, the United Launch Alliance rocket continued to accelerate towards planned orbital insertion under the engine power of the RD-180 first stage.

This was the 141st launch of the ULA, the 29th for the National Reconnaissance Office. Specific to the Atlas V rocket type, this was ULA’s 86th launch and 71st^st Atlas V will be launched from Space Launch Complex-41 in Florida.

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