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The United Launch Alliance's (ULA) Delta IV Heavy successfully lifted off from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida early morning today. The Delta IV Heavy is one of the most powerful rockets in the U.S., coming second only to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in terms of actual payload weight launched into space. It was the penultimate launch of the tri-booster rocket, one of the few whose second stage features a unique engine nozzle that extends after the first and second stages have separated.

The mission was for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), a government agency that operates classified satellites for a variety of uses, such as reconnaissance and life support. As is typical with NRO launches, in order to protect the details of a satellite's orbit, the feed was cut off soon after the second stage started its journey.

ULA's Delta IV Heavy Marks Another Successful Launch Before Heading To Retirement

Like NASA's Space Launch System (SLS), the Delta IV Heavy also uses liquid hydrogen as its fuel due to its superior characteristics. However, due to its low mass, hydrogen is also quite tricky to use and for safety reasons, ULA burns off the excess fuel around the rocket prior to liftoff for each mission. This gives the Delta IV Heavy the unique distinction of lighting a fire around its base at liftoff - an occurrence that would otherwise raise eyebrows by quite a bit.

Due to the rocket's massive size, it generates 2.1 million pounds of thrust, making it the third most powerful operational rocket in terms of thrust generated. Regarding payload, the rocket is rated to carry as much as roughly 29 tons to low Earth orbit (LEO), which is less than the rated capacity of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy. However, Falcon Heavy generates more thrust at 5,1 million pounds; the maximum payload weight the rocket has successfully lifted off with is ~7.6 metric tons. On the other hand, the heaviest unclassified payload that the Delta IV Heavy has successfully lifted off with is 21 tons.

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The Delta IV Heavy's launch provides more unique views apart from the fire at its base. It has three boosters, each of which is powered by the RS-68A. This engine is one of the most powerful rocket engines in the world, and as a testament to this, only three of these are needed to ensure that the Delta IV Heavy generates the thrust needed. An early morning launch, such as today's, allows these engines to be fired up in their full glory in the backdrop of a dark sky.

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Prior to liftoff, 27 engineers and managers are polled for a variety of the rocket's systems to ensure that they are ready for launch. These include its hydraulic, electrical, pneumatic and other systems. The liftoff sequence starts by igniting the Radially Outward Firing Initiator (ROFI) to burn off the hydrogen. After this, the starboard, center and port engines ignite to life the 1.6 million pound rocket. This is followed by the rocket's boosters and center stage separating. At this point, the Delta IV Heavy rocket weighs roughly six percent of its liftoff mass. The mission tops off with the nozzle of the delta cryogenic second stage (DCSS) extending to continue the remaining journey.

You can take a look at today's Delta IV Heavy launch below.