Space Commerce

United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Joint National Security Mission

By Keith Cowing
Press Release
ULA
September 11, 2023
Filed under ,
United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Joint National Security Mission
SILENTBARKER/NROL-107
ULA

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying the SILENTBARKER/NROL-107 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office and the United States Space Force lifts off from Space Launch Complex-41 at 8:47 a.m. EDT on September 10. Photo by United Launch Alliance

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying the SILENTBARKER/NROL-107 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and the United States Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC) lifted off on Sept.10 at 8:47 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. To date, ULA has launched 157 times with 100 percent mission success.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to continue to build on a legacy of outstanding teamwork and collaboration with our national security partners,” said Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of Government and Commercial Programs. “We specialize in complex high-energy orbits and the team is proud to have launched this mission direct to geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) to meet our nation’s space protection needs.”

SILENTBARKER/NROL-107 was ULA’s 98th launch for national security and was the final NRO launch aboard an Atlas V rocket as ULA transitions future missions to the next generation Vulcan rocket that will offer unprecedented flexibility in a single system with streamlined operations and greater affordability.

ULA’s next launch is the Amazon Project Kuiper Protoflight mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.

About United Launch Alliance

Leveraging a legacy of 100 percent mission success launching more than 155 missions to explore, protect and enhance our world, ULA is the nation’s most experienced and reliable launch service provider with world-leading reliability, schedule confidence, and mission optimization. We deliver value unmatched by any launch services company in the industry, a tireless drive to improve, and commitment to the extraordinary.

SpaceRef co-founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.