USA-202
ELINT | |
| Operator | NRO |
|---|---|
| COSPAR ID | 2009-001A |
| SATCAT no. | 33490 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | Orion |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 18 January 2009, 02:47 UTC |
| Rocket | SLC-37B |
| Contractor | United Launch Alliance |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Geosynchronous |
| Longitude | 44° east[1] |
| Perigee altitude | 35,777 kilometers (22,231 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 35,809 kilometers (22,251 mi) |
| Inclination | 3.69 degrees |
| Period | 23.93 hours |
| Epoch | 1 January 2014, 15:43:08 UTC[2] |
| |
USA 202,Aviation Week, it "fundamentally involves America's biggest, most secret and expensive military spacecraft on board the world's largest rocket."[4] The combined cost of the spacecraft and launch vehicle has been estimated to be over US$2 billion.[4]
Amateur astronomer observations suspected the satellite was eavesdropping on Thuraya 2 and this was reported to be confirmed by documents released on Sep 9, 2016[5] by The Intercept as part of the Snowden Files.[6]
Launch
USA-202 was launched from
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, on the third flight of a Delta IV Heavy rocket. The launch was originally scheduled for 2005, but was delayed due to a number of issues, and lift-off took place at 02:47 GMT on 18 January 2009.[7]
References
- ^ "UCS Satellite Database". Union of Concerned Scientists. 1 September 2013. Archived from the original on 4 January 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
- ^ Peat, Chris (1 January 2014). "USA 202 - Orbit". Heavens Above. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Issue 605". Jonathan's Space Report. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
- ^ Aviation Week. Dec 10, 2008. Archived from the originalon March 22, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2009.
- ^ "Documents". The Intercept.
- ^ "The Space Review: A Nemesis in the Sky: PAN, MENTOR 4". The Space Review.
- ^ "First ULA Delta IV Heavy NRO Mission Successfully Lifts Off From Cape Canaveral". ULA. Archived from the original on 2009-02-16.
External links
- Delta IV Heavy NROL-26 - launch information from ULA.
- The USA 202 ORION satellite A technical analysis of the satellite
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| Research and development |
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| Unknown |
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