During the launch of NROL-68, the US put a new electronic reconnaissance satellite into space

The heavy launch vehicle Delta IV Heavy from United Launch Alliance (ULA) during the launch of NROL-68 launched the Orion 11 / Mentor 9 electronic reconnaissance satellite into Earth orbit. This is reported by the NSF website.

NROL launches are carried out under the National Reconnaissance Office’s (NRO) supervision. This organization is a member of the US intelligence community and an agency of the US Department of Defense. They design, build, launch, and operate intelligence satellites for the U.S. federal government, and provide satellite, radio-electronic, geospatial, and signature intelligence data to other government agencies.

The Orion / Mentor series of satellites have been launched since 1995, are placed in geostationary orbit and, thanks to a huge antenna (estimated to be more than 100 m in diameter), collect large volumes of radio signals and other radio intelligence data. The mass of satellites of the Orion / Mentor series is about 5,200 kg, and they are usually launched into orbit by Delta IV Heavy rockets.

The Delta IV Heavy is a heavy disposable launch vehicle from the United Launch Alliance, in use since 2004, and is second only to NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) (1 launch) and SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy (6 launches) in payload capacity. Delta IV Heavy has 14 successful and 1 partially successful launch, but this rocket is already retiring. NROL-68 is the penultimate flight of the Delta IV Heavy. The last launch, NROL-70, is scheduled for the first quarter of 2024.