ILS To Launch NRO Payload On Atlas

Payload: National security payload, designated NROL-1

Launch Vehicle: Atlas IIAS, designated AC-167

Height: 156 feet (47.6 meters)

Fairing: 14 ft (4.3 m) diameter aluminum

Launch Date: Friday, Aug. 27, 2004

Launch Period: 6-8 p.m. EDT (2200-2400 GMT)

Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Launch Complex 36, Pad A

Customer: National Reconnaissance Office, Chantilly, Va.

Launch Vehicle Manufacturer: Atlas vehicle and Centaur upper stage built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Denver, Colo.; San Diego, Calif.; and Harlingen, Texas.

Launch Services Provider: International Launch Services, McLean, Va.

Satellite Use: National security

Mission Profile: Standard parking ascent trajectory with two Centaur burn
phases to place the NRO spacecraft into a transfer orbit.

Spacecraft Separation: Approximately 73 minutes after liftoff.

ILS Mission Statistics:

5th ILS mission on Atlas this year

8th mission on any launch vehicle for ILS in 2004

6th NRO mission overall on Atlas

30th and final mission for Atlas IIAS

Atlas II series has perfect record

Atlas overall has 100% success in 72 consecutive flights

NEWS MEDIA ACTIVITIES

All times are EDT

There will be no pre-launch media briefing.

Live Broadcast: Intelsat Americas 5, transponder 20/C-band, located at 97
degrees West; downlink 4100 MHz/horizontal

Test signals begin about 6:30 p.m. Broadcast will also be webcast at www.ilslaunch.com .

More Information: General mission information and highlights of the launch
will be available on the ILS web site at www.ilslaunch.com