Story behind ULA Delta IV Heavy Rocket Art for its final launch

United Launch Alliance (ULA) has scheduled a Delta IV Heavy rocket launch on April 9. This is a dedicated mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). It will liftoff from Space Launch Complex-37 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. Its launch window will open at 12:53 p.m. EDT.

The ULA has designed a unique launch art to farewell Delta IV Heavy rocket with the NROL-70 mission. Here is a brief overview of the art.

Snow Leopard

• The snow leopard illustrates the quiet strength with which the NRO provides an advantage to the community, the nation, and its allies.

Delta IV Heavy Rocket

• The triple-core Delta IV Heavy rocket shows the rocket’s capability to deliver the NROL-70 mission to the destined orbit.

Ultimate Delta IV Heavy

• It is the last ride for the Delta IV Heavy rocket. The launch vehicle was first liftoff in 2004 and used to deliver payload for NRO, NASA, and the U.S. Space Force throughout the past years.

Advantage Through Knowledge

“The National Reconnaissance Office makes the world a better, safer, stronger place and ensures America remains the undisputed leader in space,” explains ULA.

ULA Delta IV Heavy Rocket Art (Image Credit United Launch Alliance)

Launch:

Cape Canaveral’s weather looks favorable for this launch. A previous schedule on March 28 scrubeed due to an issue with a liquid pump failure on the gaseous nitrogen pipeline which provides pneumatic pressure to the launch vehicle systems.

ULA has fixed this issue and the launch vehicle is ready for another attempt on April 9.