CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (WFLA) — The United Launch Alliance launched the final Delta Heavy rocket on Tuesday afternoon.
The rocket, launching the NROL-70 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), lifted off from Launch Complex-37 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 12:53 p.m.
The ULA said the NROL-70 mission 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.”
This was the 16th and final launch of a Delta IV Heavy rocket.
According to ULA, the Delta rocket was first launched in 1960.
“When the first Delta launched in 1960, Dwight Eisenhower was president, the No. 1 song in the nation was ‘Stuck on You’ by Elvis Presley and a loaf of bread cost approximately 20 cents,” ULA said.
The rocket is the largest type of the Delta IV family and one of the world’s most powerful rockets.
