235-foot-tall (23 stories) rocket fired into space with secret payload!!

Huge rocket, Secret payload!!

I heard about this on CNN this morning and had to do a "say what?!" It seems unusual to me that they launch a 23 and a half story tall rocket with a "secret payload" or satellite. To me, announcing the launch itself isn't strange, I mean who wouldn't see it? But to mention it is carrying a secret payload or spy satellite just seemed a bit odd to me. Just google it to see what I mean. Here are a couple links. I'd like to get everyone's thoughts on this one.

www.sanluisobispo.com...

The rocket carried a mysterious payload into space on the NROL-49 mission: a clandestine satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office described only as something that will "support the military's national defense mission." The NRO operates satellites that provide information to the Central Intelligence Agency and Department of Defense.

Fox News

thats insane!!! 23 storie, i hope someone gets photos of this!!

The article is very very dumb to be honest. Its in no way or form a "Secret spy satellite" if EVERYBODY knows about it. Like seriously....this is just to put the people who actually saw it to stop asking questions. Too bad I won't.
But nice find by the way.

reply to post by matrix12


Here you go.Even better. CNN has a video of the launch.

CNN

*puts on tin foil hat*
looks like project blue beam is getting liveeeeeee

reply to post by JayXBraun


Apparently according to CNN it's supposed to be some kind of imagery satellite.....pretty big one if you ask me.

reply to post by FoJAk


NRO launch. I am smiling here; big eyes in the skies.

reply to post by FoJAk


Lol why does that launch look fake as all hell? Seriously nothing about it looked right to me...no smoke plume out of the engines just a rocket slowly floating straight up....

clarification: I know it is indeed a real launch I am just stating it looked fake to me, not saying it WAS fake...

Reading this article, now I see why they call it a "secret". This rocket is our nations LARGEST unmanned rocket. They've been working on engines of this rocket alone for 5 years

This satellite package they are sending up could possibly be the most expensive we've ever sent up.

This is a MAJOR project that no one has been talking about until now - and the only reason for that is because it's going to be so loud:

About 10 seconds after the rocket hurtles toward the sky, a sound wave "as loud as a freight train" will sweep over Lompoc, a town of about 43,000, Linn said. "It'll rattle windows and make dogs bark, that's for sure."

So they have to do some public relations, send out photos of the rocket, etc. But they aren't saying ANYTHING about the nature of this satellite. So while it's existence may be known, it's mission truly is a secret.

reply to post by FoJAk


You are looking at this -
Delta IV Heavy launch, called NROL-49.
This mission is NRO as well and its details are classified.
According to the United Launch Alliance website...

United Launch Alliance

Another in the series of what are known as Mentor spacecraft, a.k.a. Advanced Orion, which gather signals intelligence from inclined geosynchronous orbits. They are among the largest satellites ever deployed.

The satellite likely consists of sensitive radio receivers and an antenna generally believed to span up to 100 meters (328 feet) to gather electronic intelligence for the National Security Agency.

edit on 20-1-2011 by burntheships because: classified

Here's another article.

www.space.com...

reply to post by harrytuttle


All this has me wondering whether this is just anther big eye in the sky
, or could this be some kind of weapon? I am surprised they were able to keep this launch under wraps for so long.

reply to post by burntheships


Thanks for the info.
Hahaha, nice. I love the edit reason.

Originally posted by Sly1one
reply to post by FoJAk

 

Lol why does that launch look fake as all hell? Seriously nothing about it looked right to me...no smoke plume out of the engines just a rocket slowly floating straight up....

clarification: I know it is indeed a real launch I am just stating it looked fake to me, not saying it WAS fake...

edit on 20-1-2011 by Sly1one because: (no reason given)

Wow I was thinking the same thing. Usually when rockets take off there is smoke everywhere but you can see the rocket just fine for like 10 seconds before the smoke fills up the area. And then the rocket slowly ascends like at a snails pace...something just didn't seem right about it.
Oh and at 18 seconds, right after the ignition you can see the live feed flickers off for a split second. Strange.


*edit*
I forgot to mentioned the fire from the exhaust looks like CGI

They are probably preparing for the coming of the Annunaki in 2012. I suspect they want to be ready, and it must take some time to test everything, and get prepared. It could be some type of "defense" weapon for this.

reply to post by freedish


In response to both of you, I actually just noticed that the picture of it on this link has it taking off at nightwww.space.com.... While CNN's video shows it taking off clearly during the light of day. Is it some effect of the brightness of the rocket blast on the camera? A little confused.

reply to post by Sly1one


Yeah, definitely a bit surreal looking.

Man thats a big A$$ rocket.
Cool now they can watch the U.S collapse in HD.

reply to post by FoJAk


Haha, I just noticed the sign in the photo with the pyramid and all seeing eye in the middle. Nice touch as always NASA. What is that? I think it even has an eyebrow this time!?!

www.space.com...
:

reply to post by Locked

The article is very very dumb to be honest. Its in no way or form a "Secret spy satellite" if EVERYBODY knows about it. Like seriously....this is just to put the people who actually saw it to stop asking questions. Too bad I won't.
But nice find by the way.

Agreed.

The secret isn't that they are sending a rocket into space. The payload is the secret. Unfortunately there are a lot of people who can't make the distinction between the two.

Maybe someone will leak info about this to Wikileaks or the like. Otherwise it's just going to cause mass speculation with little or no substance.

And: Breaking News, US economy in the toilet. Billions spent on largest rocket to date. Billions more spent on military satellite that does CLASSIFIED and CLASSIFIED. Now go about your regular lives and don't ask, cause we won't tell.