Secret NRO satellite mounted on top of Atlas 5 rocket for the launch on 28th July, 2016

A spy satellite NROL-61 of US National Reconnaissance Office, the Government Agency which oversees the country's spy satellite fleet which is to be launched on 28th July, 2016 has been mounted atop an Atlas 5 rocket on 20th July, 2016 morning.

United Launch Alliance will perform the deployment mission on 28th July, 2016.   The rocket will head in easterly direction away from Cape Canaveral along an initial flight azimuth of 99 degrees.   The lift off of the Atlas 5 is planned at 08:37 AM EDT ( 12:37 GMT ) on 28th July, 2016.  The duration of the visible launch window is a secret.  but some source of information says that lift off may be at 1200 noon EDT ( 1600 GMT).  The rocket will be operating in its 421 configuration with a 14 foot wide nose cone, two side-mounted solid boosters and a single engine Centaur upper stage.

This is the first time NRO has has used the Atlas 5-421 rocket to launch one of its satellites. The payload was delivered to the vertical integration facility which is adjacent to the Complex 41 on 20th July, 2016 morning.  The spy satellite was lifted off from its transporter by overhead crane and maneuvered atop the Centaur upper stage for mating.   Some of the statistics of NROL-61 are listed below.

• This is the 646th launch for Atlas program since 1957
• This is 351st Atlas launch from Cape Canaveral
• 235th mission of a Centaur upper stage
• 212th use of Centaur by an Atlas rocket
• The 470th production RL10 engine to be launched
• The 13th RL10C-1 engine launched
• The 70th flight of the RD-180 main engine
• The 64th launch of an Atlas 5 since 2002
• The 53rd launch of an Atlas 5 from Cape Canaveral
• The 4th Atlas 5 launch of 2016
• The 96th Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle flight
• The 13th National Reconnaissance Office use of Atlas 5
• The 109th United Launch Alliance flight overall
• The 56th Atlas 5 under United Launch Alliance
• The 23rd NRO launch by United Launch Alliance
• The 78th United Launch Alliance flight from Cape Canaveral
• The 43rd 400-series flight of the Atlas 5
• The 6th Atlas 5 to fly in the 421 configuration
• The 45th NRO launch since acknowledging flights in 1996
• The 22nd NRO launch from the Cape Caneraval
• The 3rd NRO launch this year