USA-202 explained

USA-202
Insignia:NROL26 USA202 patch.jpg
Mission Type:ELINT
Operator:NRO
Cospar Id:2009-001A
Satcat:33490
Spacecraft Type:Orion
Launch Date: UTC
Launch Rocket:Delta IV Heavy
Launch Site:Cape Canaveral SLC-37B
Launch Contractor:United Launch Alliance
Orbit Epoch:1 January 2014, 15:43:08 UTC[1]
Orbit Reference:Geocentric
Orbit Regime:Geosynchronous
Orbit Periapsis:35777km (22,231miles)
Orbit Apoapsis:35809km (22,251miles)
Orbit Inclination:3.69 degrees
Orbit Period:23.93 hours
Orbit Longitude:44° east[2]
Apsis:gee

USA 202,[3] previously NRO Launch 26 or NROL-26, is a classified spacecraft which is operated by the United States National Reconnaissance Office. It is an Advanced Orion ELINT satellite. According to 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.

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 Space Launch Complex 37B at the 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]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: USA 202 - Orbit. Chris. Peat. Heavens Above. 1 January 2014. 3 January 2014.
  2. Web site: UCS Satellite Database. Union of Concerned Scientists. 1 September 2013. 3 January 2014. 4 January 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140104234546/http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/nwgs/UCS_Satellite_Database_9-1-13.txt. dead.
  3. Web site: Issue 605. McDowell. Jonathan. Jonathan's Space Report. 2020-09-01.
  4. Web site: NRO Delays Delta IV Heavy Launch . Dec 10, 2008 . . January 10, 2009 . March 22, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120322015507/http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=space&id=news%2FNRODSP12108.xml . dead .
  5. Web site: Documents . The Intercept.
  6. Web site: The Space Review: A Nemesis in the Sky: PAN, MENTOR 4 . The Space Review.
  7. Web site: First ULA Delta IV Heavy NRO Mission Successfully Lifts Off From Cape Canaveral . ULA . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090216180905/http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=%2Fwww%2Fstory%2F01-17-2009%2F0004956494 . 2009-02-16 .