These satellites at
geostationary orbits collect radio emissions (
SIGINT) and act as replacements for the older constellation of
Magnum satellites. The satellites have estimated mass close to 5,200 kg and very large (estimated 100 m diameter)[2] radio reflecting dishes.
USA-223 (NROL-32), which is seen as the fifth satellite in the series, is according to NRO director
Bruce Carlson "the largest satellite in the world."[3] It is believed that this refers to the diameter of the main antenna, which might be well in excess of 100 m (330 ft).[4] The mission and capabilities of these satellites are highly
classified, though targets may include telemetry,
VHF radio, cellular mobile phones, paging signals, and mobile data links.[5] Earlier satellites with similar missions, the
Rhyolite/Aquacade series, were built by
TRW; it is not known who made the Orion satellites.[6]
USA-202 shows up as a
magnitude +8 "star" in this image. Note how the real stars are trailed in this 10-second exposure: the geostationary satellite is pinpoint.
USA-223 (NROL-32), the fifth "Mentor" satellite, atop a Delta IV rocket
USA-202 and the nearby commercial geostationary satellite
Thuraya 2
Satellites
Mentor-4 (USA-202) deployment and initial westward drift after launch in January 2009 was controlled by the
Pine Gap base. About 60 days after launch
Menwith Hill Ground Station was to take over control and initiate the collection mission. Mentor-4's initial mission was to survey line-of-sight microwave towers and emitters in the
People's Republic of China for 30 to 45 days as it was drifting from east to west. Moving further west, it was to collect data from the
Thuraya network and monitor
Pakistan and
Afghanistan, followed by another 200 days of monitoring of China. This was to be followed by data collection covering the
Middle East,
Northern Africa, and
Latin America.[7][8]
^Bruce Carlson (13 September 2010).
"National Reconnaissance Office Update"(PDF). afa.org. Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition 2010. Archived from
the original(PDF) on 6 December 2010. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas ( , ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ).
CubeSats are smaller. Crewed flights are underlined. Launch failures are marked with the † sign. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are (enclosed in parentheses).
Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas ( , ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ).
CubeSats are smaller. Crewed flights are underlined. Launch failures are marked with the † sign. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are (enclosed in parentheses).
Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas ( , ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ).
CubeSats are smaller. Crewed flights are underlined. Launch failures are marked with the † sign. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are (enclosed in parentheses).
Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas ( , ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ).
CubeSats are smaller. Crewed flights are underlined. Launch failures are marked with the † sign. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are (enclosed in parentheses).
Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas ( , ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ).
CubeSats are smaller. Crewed flights are underlined. Launch failures are marked with the † sign. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are (enclosed in parentheses).
Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas ( , ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ).
CubeSats are smaller. Crewed flights are underlined. Launch failures are marked with the † sign. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are (enclosed in parentheses).
Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas ( , ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ).
CubeSats are smaller. Crewed flights are underlined. Launch failures are marked with the † sign. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are (enclosed in parentheses).