The United States launched an unmanned rocket to bring the NROL-32, what is called “the largest satellite” in the world. The Delta 4 Heavy rocket lifted off 5:58 pm Sunday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida bearing a classified payload for the US National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).

Air Force Brig. Gen Ed Wilson, commander of the 45^th Space Wing, bared that the mission of spy satellite was to make sure that the NRO will continue to strengthen the United States defensive capability. The NROL-32 was originally set to be launched November 19 but due to a problem in faulty temperature sensors, the launch date was moved to a couple of days later.

On July 2009, the TerreStar-1, dubbed as the largest commercial satellite ever built was launched into orbit by Ariane 5 rocket. The satellite weighs 15,233 pounds and comes with a huge 60-foot antenna. In contrast, the Delta 4 Heavy Rocket is the biggest unmanned rocket currently operating. It has 2 million pounds of thrust which makes it the most powerful liquid fueled booster available. The Delta 4 Heavy Rocket is 235 feet tall and is divided into three boosters called Common Booster Core.

Designed and operated by the United Launch Alliance, a collaboration between Lockheed Martin and Boeing, the Delta 4 made its initial launch in 2004 and can carry a maximum of 24 tons into low-Earth orbit and 11 tons to the geosynchronous orbits utilized by communications satellites. Its latest flight is the fourth and the second satellite launched by the NRO. On September 20, the Atlas 5 bearing the NROL-41 reconnaissance satellite was launched.

According to Bruce Carlson, Director of the NRO and a retired Air Force general, the latest satellite missions is the most aggressive that the agency has had in 20 years. The current launches are meant to replace older satellite prior to their failure. Most of them were purchased for three, five, or eight years and remains on orbit from 10 to 20 years.

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