Delta-IV/NROL-22 launch from Vandenberg AFB
June 27, 2006

(Download a higher resolution picture by clicking on any picture below.)

NROL-22, a classified National Reconnaissance Office satellite was lofted into orbit from Space Launch Complex 6 (SLC-6, pronounced slick six) by the first Delta-IV rocket to be launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 8:33 PM PDT Tuesday, June 27.

SLC-6 was built forty years ago to support launches of the Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) program. The Air Force had intended to launch MOL missions on Titan IIIM boosters. The laboratory was mounted in a modified Titan propellant tank. The Gemini-B capsule was equipped with a door in the heat shield for the crew to access the laboratory. The MOL program was cancelled in 1969.

SLC-6 was modified to support space shuttle launches in the 1970s, but the Air Force space shuttle program was cancelled following the loss of Challenger in 1986.

In the 1990s, a "milkstool" was installed over one of the flame trenches at SLC-6 to support launches of smaller rockets. One Lockheed-Martin Launch Vehicle and two Athenas were launched from SLC-6. The Delta IV is the first rocket on a scale commensurate with the structure of SLC-6 to be launched from the space launch complex.

The Delta-IV climbed into sunlight about 45 seconds after lift-off.

Tailspin Tommy Harnish photographed the launch from Carlsbad, California, approximately 215 miles from the launch pad.

After the two solid-fuel boosters burned out, the exhaust of the liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen fueled core was transparent.

The view from Carlsbad. Photo courtesy Tailspin Tommy Harnish.

The two solid fuel boosters trailed behind the accelerating core.

The view from Carlsbad. Photo courtesy Tailspin Tommy Harnish.

The water vapor exhaust trail of the Delta-IV expanded as the rocket climbed out of the atmosphere.

Winds aloft quickly distorted the exhaust trail of the rocket.

The Delta-IV left an expanding cloud at high altitude.

The crescent Moon hung over the western horizon.

The view from Carlsbad reveals that the exhaust cloud stretched across the sky to the south. Photo courtesy Tailspin Tommy Harnish.

The exhaust cloud appeared more compact looking nearly directly up the path of the Delta-IV.

More Vandenberg AFB launch photography.

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Rocket Launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base

2008 Calendar

You can buy a 2008 calendar featuring my photographs of rocket raunches from Vandenberg Air Force Base.

A dozen photos rocket launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base:

Atlas IIAS/Terra, December 18, 1999
Delta II/Gravity Probe B, April 20, 2004
LGM-118 Peacekeeper, July 21, 2004
Minuteman III, August 25, 2005
Minuteman III, September 7, 2005
Titan IV/National Reconnaissance Office satellite, October 19, 2005
Delta II/CALIPSO Cloudsat, April 28, 2006
Delta IV/DMSP F17, November 4, 2006
Delta II/National Reconnaissance Office satellite, December 14, 2006
Delta II/COSMO-Skymed, May 7, 2007
Minotaur, August 23, 2007
Delta II/Worldview 1, September 18, 2007

Put a copy of the Rocket Launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base: 2008 Calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $16.95.

Rocket Launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base

2007 Calendar

You can buy a 2007 calendar featuring my photographs of rocket raunches from Vandenberg Air Force Base.

A dozen photos of rocket launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base:

Pegasus-XL/Wide-Field Infra-red Explorer (WIRE) March 4, 1999
Atlas-IIAS/Terra December 18, 1999
Delta-II/Iridium February 11, 2002
Delta-II/AQUA May 4, 2002
Delta-II/Gravity-B April 20, 2004
Minuteman-III September 14, 2005
Minotaur/Streak September 22, 2005
Titan-IV/National Reconnaissance Office Satellite October 19, 2005
Minuteman-III February 16, 2006
Delta-II/Cloudsat-CALIPSO April 28, 2006
Minuteman-III June 14, 2006
Delta-IV/National Reconnaissance Office Satellite June 27, 2006

Put a copy of the Rocket Launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base: 2007 Calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $16.95.

Rocket Launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base

2006 Calendar

You can buy a 2006 calendar featuring my photographs of Rocket Launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base.

Reduced price: $13.95!

A dozen photos of rocket and missile launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Daytime launches include:

Titan IV/National Reconnaissance Office satellite, December 20, 1996,
Atlas IIAS/Terra, December 18, 1999, and
Delta II/Iridium, February 11, 2002.

Time exposures capture the arching trajectories of:

Delta II/Iridium, November 8, 1997,
Titan IV/National Reconnaissance Office satellite, May 22, 1999,
Titan II/Coriolis, January 6, 2003,
Minuteman III, September 10, 2003,
Atlas IIAS/National Reconnaissance Office satellite, December 2, 2003,
LGM-118 MX, July 21, 2004,
Delta II/AURA, July 15, 2004,
Minuteman II, July 23, 2004, and
Delta II/NOAA-18, May 20, 2005.

Satellite payloads include:

National Reconnaissance Office satellite, December 20, 1996,
National Reconnaissance Office satellite, May 22, 1999,
Terra, December 18, 1999,
Iridium, February 11, 2002,
Coriolis, January 6, 2003,
National Reconnaissance Office satellite, December 2, 2003,
AURA, July 15, 2004, and
NOAA-18, May 20, 2005.

Put a copy of the Rocket Launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base: 2006 Calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $13.95.