US Spy Satellite Launch Delayed Again

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A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket moves to the launch pad carrying the classified NROL-52 spy satellite for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office ahead of a planned launch from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Oct. 5, 2017.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket moves to the launch pad carrying the classified NROL-52 spy satellite for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office ahead of a planned launch from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Oct. 5, 2017. (Image credit: United Launch Alliance/Jeff Spotts)

Editor's note: The launch of the NROL-52 spy satellite launch was delayed for the third day in a row today, Oct. 7, this time due to a telemetry transmitter problem on the satellite's Atlas V rocket. United Launch Alliance will replace and test the transmitter and select a new launch date once that work has concluded. Our preview story was originally posted Oct. 4, and updated Oct. 5 and 6 for the earlier weather-related launch delays.

The United States is launching another spy satellite on a secret mission early Saturday (Oct. 7) after a one-day delay, and you can watch the liftoff live.

The NROL-52 satellite is scheduled to launch atop a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 3:59 a.m. EDT (0759 GMT). You can watch it live here at Space.com beginning at 3:39 a.m. EDT (0739 GMT), courtesy of ULA. The mission was originally scheduled to lift off Thursday morning (Oct. 5), but unacceptable wins prevented launch, ULA representatives said. A second launch attempt early Friday was also prevented by foul weather.

You can also follow the action live directly at ULA's website: http://www.ulalaunch.com

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket topped by the NROL-52 spy satellite is rolled to the pad at Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station ahead of a planned Oct. 5, 2017, launch. (Image credit: United Launch Alliance/Jeff Spotts)

NROL-52 will be operated by the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), which manages the country's fleet of spy satellites. NRO missions tend to be classified, so it's unclear what exactly NROL-52 will be doing as it circles Earth.

Thursday's launch comes less than two weeks after ULA's previous NRO launch. On Sept. 24, an Atlas V lofted the NROL-42 satellite to orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.

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Mike Wall
Mike Wall
Senior Space Writer

Michael Wall is a Senior Space Writer with Space.com and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers exoplanets, spaceflight and military space, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, "Out There," was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.