14 DAY TRIAL // The Atlas 5 rocket - built by Lockheed Martin Corp. and marketed under a new Lockheed-Boeing Co. joint venture called United Launch Alliance and directed by the National Reconnaissance Office that was carrying a secret spy satellite into space, encountered some technical problems right after launch.
The NRO - one of the 16 intelligence agencies in the U.S. which designs, builds and operates the reconnaissance satellites of the United States government - said that the launch was successful, although the rocket's upper stage, called Centaur, had a "technical anomaly which resulted in minor performance degradation." It was considered a "manageable problem" according to an NRO spokesman, Rick Oborn, who didn't comment on what exactly the rocket was carrying or how it would be used.
"We're confident we're going to perform our mission," Oborn said. When asked if replacement launches would be needed, Oborn said: "If you've got something that's working why do you need a replacement?"
The official explanation of United Launch Alliance for the secret cargo was that it's designed to monitor the globe "for early warning of potential trouble spots, compliance with international agreements of all kinds, and changing environmental conditions."
That's really a nice way to say "we're launching a satellite to spy on our enemies and maybe our allies too." Since when have enemy troops become "environmental conditions" is not known yet, and I'm sure that the spy satellite will be used for tracking the migration of birds and whales, and if an airplane happens to be flying near the birds, or if a submarine gets near the whales, well, it's not their fault...
In the United States, most information is available on programs regarding spy satellites that existed up to 1972. Some information about programs prior to that time is still classified and a small trickle of information is available on subsequent missions.