ULA Atlas V to boost Space Force/NRO mission

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August 28, 2023

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — United Launch Alliance will be playing a pivotal role in the launch of a joint mission between the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and the U.S. Space Force.

The Atlas V rocket, manufactured and designed by ULA at its Decatur facility, is set to take the Silentbarker/NROL-107 mission into orbit Tuesday morning in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

?#AtlasV rolled to Space Launch Complex-41 on Friday in preparation to launch #SILENTBARKER #NROL107 into space on Tuesday at 8:34amEDT (1234 UTC). See our Flickr album for all photos:https://t.co/vgZKYWZpVb pic.twitter.com/Y1w5bAOyHy

— ULA (@ulalaunch) August 26, 2023

According to the ULA website, the classified mission is aimed at increasing “the capability to search, detect and track objects from a space-based sensor for timely custody and event detection.”

“Silent Barker/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,” read the statement.

The Atlas V rocket has been a part of national security missions throughout the world since 2002 and has been used to launch NASA spacecraft including the Curiosity and Perseverance Mars rovers, the OSIRIS-REx asteroid-sampling probe, and the New Horizons.

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