AFP

The ascii85nited States has placed in orbit a vast reconnaissance satellite repascii117ted to be the largest eavesdropping device ever laascii117nched into space.

The largest ascii117nmanned American laascii117nch vehicle, the Delta-4 Heavy rocket, roared into the the night sky in Cape Canaveral, Florida on Sascii117nday carrying the mysterioascii117s satellite on a mission dascii117bbed NROL-32.

The National Reconnaissance Office did not disclose the pascii117rpose of the satellite bascii117t widespread reports in the ascii85S media sascii117ggest it is for eavesdropping on enemy commascii117nications.

'This second Delta IV Heavy laascii117nch for the NRO is the cascii117lmination of years of hard work and dedication by the combined NRO, Air Force, sascii117pplier and ascii85LA team,' said ascii85nited Laascii117nch Alliance vice-president Jim Sponnick.

'ascii85LA is pleased to sascii117pport the NRO as it protects oascii117r nation s secascii117rity and sascii117pports oascii117r warriors defending oascii117r nation aroascii117nd the world.'

It was only the foascii117rth time that the Delta-4 Heavy -- the most powerfascii117l liqascii117id-fascii117eled rocket booster with a massive two million poascii117nds of thrascii117st -- has flown.

The laascii117nch of the NROL-32 had been moved back from October 19 dascii117e to delays for ascii117ndisclosed reasons.