U.S. Launches Advanced Spy Satellite

A new spy satellite was launched January 18th at 9:47PM EST from Cape Canaveral Air Force Space in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The new National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) payload on the Delta 4-Heavy is a 5-to-6 ton eavesdropping spacecraft with a high tech deployable antenna as wide as 350 feet will greatly enhance the capability for the U.S. to listen in on communications from hostile regions such as Iran and Iraq. The U.S. government hopes that the new satellite will provide them greater intel on Al Qaeda operations in Iran and Afghanistan.

The new spy satellite is believed to be either the first Intruder, or an Advanced Orion, ELINT satellite in Orbit. This is America's biggest, most secret and expensive military spacecraft on board the world's largest rocket. The combined cost of the spacecraft and launch vehicle has been estimated to be over $2 billion USD. The satellite was launched with Delta family rockets, specifically the Delta IV heavy. The Delta IV is a family of Delta rockets designed by Boeing's Integrated Defense Systems division and built in United Launch Alliance's facility in Decatur, Alabama with final assembly at the launch site by United Launch Alliance. The Delta IV is available in five versions: Medium, Medium+ (4,2), Medium+ (5,2), Medium+ (5,4), and Heavy, which are tailored to suit specific payload size and weight ranges. The Delta IV is primarily designed to satisfy the needs of the U.S. military and used in cases like these were you have a much larger payload to take up.

Most of the information regarding the satellite has been kept top secrete but its likely a "broad spectrum" satellite that can update key frequency information on hostile radars and other detection systems that could threaten U.S. forces. The National Security Agency will be the prime distributor of the spacecraft's data, sending information from the satellite to the other 15 agencies and organizations that now make up the intelligence community.