List of NRO launches

This is a list of NRO Launch (NROL) designations, i.e. satellites operated by the United States National Reconnaissance Office. Those missions are generally classified, so that their exact purposes and orbital elements are not published. However, amateur astronomers have managed to observe most of the satellites, and leaked information has led to the identification of many of the payloads.

The National Reconnaissance Office logo.

Launch statistics

Launch vehicle families

1

2

3

4

'96

'97

'98

'99

2000

'01

'02

'03

'04

'05

'06

'07

'08

'09

2010

'11

'12

'13

'14

'15

'16

'17

'18

'19

2020

•   Titan
•   Atlas
•   Taurus/Minotaur
•   Delta
•   Falcon
•   Electron
•   Antares

Launch sites

1

2

3

4

'96

'97

'98

'99

2000

'01

'02

'03

'04

'05

'06

'07

'08

'09

2010

'11

'12

'13

'14

'15

'16

'17

'18

'19

2020

•   Vandenberg (CA)
•   Cape Canaveral (FL)
•   Kennedy (FL)
•   Wallops Island (VA)
•   Mahia (New Zealand)

Launch history

Launch designation	Payload nickname	Satellite designation	Date/Time (UTC)	Launch site	Rocket	Orbit	Project	Function	Status	Patch	Remarks
L-1	Nemesis [1]	USA-179 [1]	August 31, 2004 23:17 [2]	CCAFS, SLC-36A [2]	Atlas IIAS [2]	Molniya	Quasar [1]	Communications [2]	Active
L-2		USA-129	December 20, 1996 18:04	VAFB, SLC-4E	Titan IV	LEO	KH-11	Optical imaging	Reentered April 24, 2014 [3]
L-3		USA-133	October 24, 1997 02:32	VAFB, SLC-4E	Titan IV	LEO	Lacrosse	ELINT	Active
L-4	Oscar	USA-136	November 8, 1997 02:05	CCAFS, SLC-41	Titan IV/Centaur	Molniya	Trumpet	ELINT	Active
L-5	Capricorn [1]	USA-137 [1]	January 29, 1998 18:37	CCAFS, SLC-36A	Atlas IIA	Molniya	Quasar [1]	Communications	Active
L-6	Jack	USA-139 [4]	May 9, 1998 01:38	CCAFS, SLC-40	Titan IV/Centaur	GSO	Orion	ELINT
L-7	Elwood	N/A	August 12, 1998 11:30	CCAFS, SLC-41	Titan IV/Centaur	GSO (planned)	Mercury	ELINT	Destroyed	"Cheers! Saving the Best for Last!!"	Rocket self-destructed 40 seconds into launch due to guidance problem.[5]
L-8		USA-140, USA-141	October 3, 1998 10:04	VAFB, LC-576E	Taurus 1110	LEO	STEX	Technology			ATEX experiment jettisoned on 1999-01-16 and catalogued as USA-141.
L-9		USA-144 [1]	May 22, 1999 09:36 [6]	VAFB, SLC-4E [6]	Titan IVB [6]		Misty [1]	Optical imaging[1]			First Titan IV-B launch from VAFB.
L-10	Ursa Major [1] (Great Bear)	USA-155 [1]	December 6, 2000 02:47 [2]	CCAFS, SLC-36A [2]	Atlas IIAS [2]	GSO [2]	Quasar [1]	Communications [2]	Active
L-11	Onyx / Vega	USA-152	August 17, 2000 23:45	VAFB, SLC-4E	Titan IVB	LEO	Lacrosse	Radar imaging	Active
L-12	Aquila [1]	USA-162 [1]	October 11, 2001 02:32 [2]	CCAFS, SLC-36B [2]	Atlas IIAS [2]	GSO [2]	Quasar [1]	Communications	Active
L-13	Gemini [1]	USA-160 [1]	September 8, 2001 15:25	VAFB, SLC-3E [2]	Atlas IIAS [2]	LEO [2]	Intruder [1]	Naval reconnaissance [2]	Active		Two satellites.[2]
L-14		USA-161	October 5, 2001 21:21	VAFB, SLC-4E	Titan IVB	LEO	KH-11	Optical reconnaissance	Reentered late 2014. [7]
L-15		USA-237	June 29, 2012 13:15 [8]	CCAFS, SLC-37B	Delta IV Heavy (first RS-68A upgrade)	GSO	Mentor *	ELINT	Active		* or follow-on.
L-16	Prometheus	USA-182 [4]	April 30, 2005 00:50 [9]	CCAFS, SLC-40	Titan IVB	LEO	Lacrosse	Radar imaging	Active
L-17	GeoLITE [1]	USA-158 [1]	May 18, 2001 17:45 [10]	CCAFS, SLC-17B [10]	Delta II 7925-9.5 [10]	GSO [10]	GeoLITE [1]	Technology demonstration[10]	Active
L-18	Libra [1]	USA-173 [1]	December 2, 2003 10:04 [2]	VAFB, SLC-3E [2]	Atlas IIAS [2]	LEO [2]	Intruder [1]	Naval reconnaissance [2]	Active		Two satellites.[2]
L-19	Homer [11]	USA-171 [4]	September 9, 2003 04:29 [12]	CCAFS, SLC-40	Titan IVB-Centaur	GSO	Orion	ELINT	Active
L-20		USA-186 [4]	October 19, 2005 18:05 [13]	VAFB, SLC-4E	Titan IVB	LEO	KH-11	Optical imaging	Active		Last launch of a Titan rocket.
L-21		USA-193 [1]	December 14, 2006 21:00 [10]	VAFB, SLC-2W [10]	Delta II 7920-10 [10]	LEO [10]	Unknown	Unknown	Failed; intentionally destroyed in 2008.		Failed immediately after launch. Destroyed by ASAT on 21 February 2008.
L-22		USA-184 [1]	June 28, 2006 03:33	VAFB, SLC-6	Delta IV M+(4,2)	Molniya	Improved Trumpet [1]	ELINT	Active
L-23	Canis Minor [1]	USA-181 [1]	February 3, 2005 07:41	CCAFS, SLC-36B	Atlas IIIB	LEO	Intruder [1]	Naval reconnaissance	Active		Two satellites.
L-24	Scorpius [1]	USA-198 [1]	December 10, 2007 22:05	CCAFS, SLC-41	Atlas V 401	Molniya	Quasar [1]	Communications	Active
L-25	Altair	USA-234	April 3, 2012 23:12 [14][15]	VAFB, SLC-6	Delta IV M+(5,2)	Retrograde LEO [16]	Topaz	Radar imaging	Active
L-26		USA-202	January 18, 2009 02:47	CCAFS, SLC-37B	Delta IV Heavy	GSO	Orion	ELINT	Active
L-27	Gryphon [11]	USA-227	March 11, 2011 23:38	CCAFS, SLC-37B	Delta IV M+(4,2)	GSO	Quasar	Communications	Active
L-28		USA-200	March 13, 2008 10:02	VAFB, SLC-3E	Atlas V 411	Molniya	Improved Trumpet [17]	ELINT	Active
L-29		N/A		VAFB, SLC-3E	Atlas V 521 [18]				Canceled
L-30	Pyxis [1]	USA-194 [1]	June 15, 2007 15:12	CCAFS, SLC-41	Atlas V 401 [1]	LEO	Intruder [1]	Naval reconnaissance	Active		Two satellites. Premature 2nd stage cutoff during launch. Lifetime reduced by need to correct orbit.
L-32 [19]		USA-223	November 21, 2010 22:58 [20]	CCAFS, SLC-37B	Delta IV Heavy	GSO	Orion [21]	ELINT	Operational
L-33 [22]		USA-252	May 22, 2014 13:09	CCAFS, SLC-41	Atlas V 401	GSO	Quasar	Communications	Active
L-34	Odin[23]	USA-229	April 15, 2011 04:24	VAFB, SLC-3E[20]	Atlas V 411[20]	LEO	Intruder	Naval SIGINT	Operational[24]		Two satellites
L-35	Jacquelyn	USA-259	December 13, 2014 03:19	VAFB, SLC-3E	Atlas V 541	Molniya	Trumpet (third generation)[17]	ELINT	Active		First flight of the RL10C-1 rocket engine, used by the Centaur upper stage
L-36 [25]		USA-238[26]	September 13, 2012 21:39[15]	VAFB, SLC-3E	Atlas V 401[27]	LEO	Intruder	SIGINT	Launched		Two satellites sharing a designation
L-37 [28]		USA-268	June 11, 2016 17:51	CCAFS, SLC-37B	Delta IV Heavy	GSO	Orion	SIGINT[29]	Launched		Likely the seventh so called Mentor/Orion satellite for the National Security Agency.[17]
L-38 [30]	Drake	USA-236	June 20, 2012 12:28[15]	CCAFS, SLC-41	Atlas V 401	GSO	Quasar	Communications	Active
L-39 [31]		USA-247	December 6, 2013 07:14[32]	VAFB, SLC-3E	Atlas V 501	LEO	Topaz	Radar imaging	Active
L-41 [19]	Gladys[11]	USA-215[1]	September 21, 2010 04:03[20]	VAFB, SLC-3E	Atlas V 501	LEO (retrograde)[33] 1058 × 1072 km [34]	Topaz	Radar imaging	Operational
L-42 [35]		USA-278	September 24, 2017 05:49:47	VAFB, SLC-3E	Atlas V 541	Molniya	Trumpet (third generation)[17]	ELINT	Launched[36]
L-44 [35]		-	August 26, 2020[37]	CCAFS, SLC-37B	Delta IV Heavy	GSO	Orion[17]	SIGINT[29]	Awaiting launch
L-45 [31]		USA-267	February 10, 2016 11:40	VAFB, SLC-6	Delta IV M+(5,2)	LEO (retrograde)[38] 1084 x 1086 km x 123°[39]	Topaz	Radar imaging	Launched
L-47		USA-281	January 12, 2018 22:11	VAFB, SLC-6	Delta IV M+(5,2)	LEO (retrograde)	Topaz[17]	Radar imaging	Launched
L-49 [19]	Betty[11]	USA-224	January 20, 2011 21:10[40]	VAFB, SLC-6	Delta IV Heavy	LEO 239 x 1005 km[41]	KH-11[40]	Optical imaging	Operational
L-52 [35]		USA-279	October 15, 2017 07:28	CCAFS, SLC-41	Atlas V 421	GSO	Quasar 21[17]	Communications	Launched
L-55 [35]		USA-264	October 8, 2015 12:49	VAFB, SLC-3E	Atlas V 401	LEO 1000 x 1200 km x 63.4°[42]	Intruder	Naval SIGINT ELINT[17]	Launched		Two classified satellites (NROL-55) and 13 cubesats.
L-61 [35]	Spike[43]	USA-269	July 28, 2016 12:37[44]	CCAFS, SLC-41	Atlas V 421	GSO[45]	Quasar 20[45][17]	Communications	Launched
L-65 [46]		USA-245	August 28, 2013 18:03	VAFB, SLC-6	Delta IV Heavy	LEO	KH-11	Optical imaging	Launched
L-66 [47]		USA-225	February 6, 2011 12:26	VAFB, SLC-8	Minotaur I	LEO	RPP	Technology	Operational
L-67 [48]		USA-250	April 10, 2014 17:45	CCAFS, SLC-41	Atlas V 541				Launched
L-68 [29]		-	2023[49]	CCAFS, SLC-37B	Delta IV Heavy				Awaiting launch
L-70 [29]		-	2024[49]	CCAFS, SLC-37B	Delta IV Heavy				Awaiting launch
L-71 [35]		USA-290	January 19, 2019 19:05[15][50]	VAFB, SLC-6	Delta IV Heavy	LEO	KH-11[17]	Optical imaging	Launched
L-76 [51]		USA-276	May 1, 2017 11:15[52]	KSC, LC-39A	Falcon 9 Full Thrust	LEO[53][54]			Launched
L-79 [35][55]		USA-274	March 1, 2017 17:50[56]	VAFB, SLC-3E	Atlas V 401	LEO	Intruder 8[17]	Naval reconnaissance	Launched		Two classified satellites sharing a designation
L-82 [29][57]		-	Q4 2020[58]	VAFB, SLC-6	Delta IV Heavy			Electro-optical surveillance	Awaiting launch
L-85 [59]		-	December 2021	CC, 39A or 40	Falcon 9 Block 5	LEO 63° [60]	Intruder	Naval reconnaissance	Awaiting launch
L-87 [59]		-	December 2021[50]	VAFB, SLC-4E	Falcon 9 Block 5	SSO [60]			Awaiting launch
L-91 [57]		-	H2 2022[61]	VAFB, SLC-6	Delta IV Heavy				Awaiting launch
L-101 [35]		-	September 2020[58]	CCAFS, SLC-41	Atlas V 531				Awaiting launch
L-107 [59]		-	March 2022	CCAFS, SLC-41	Atlas V 551	GSO 42464 x 41864 km x 0°	Silent Barker	Situational Awareness [62]	Awaiting launch
L-111 [63][64]		-	Early 2021 [65]	MARS, LP-0B	Minotaur I			Technology	Awaiting Launch
L-129 [66][67]		-	July 15, 2020, 13:46 UTC	MARS, LP-0B	Minotaur IV / Orion 38				Launched		Four payloads. First NRO launch on a Minotaur IV and first from Virginia's Space Coast.[65]
L-151 [68][69] (RASR-1)		USA-294 [70]	31 January 2020 02:56 [71]	Mahia, LC-1A	Electron	LEO		Technology	Launched		First Rocket Lab Electron launch, first launch from outside the United States (New Zealand), and first launch procured under NRO's Rapid Acquisition of a Small Rocket (RASR) program. Flew on Rocket Lab's "Birds of a Feather" mission.
RASR-2 [72][73]		USA-301 USA-302 USA-303	13 June 2020 05:12	Mahia, LC-1A	Electron				Launched		Three technology demonstration smallsats. Primary customer of the rideshare mission procured under NRO's Rapid Acquisition of a Small Rocket (RASR) program. Flew on Rocket Lab's "Don't Stop Me Now" mission.
Undesignated[74]		IMPACT-2A IMPACT-2B	2 November 2019 13:59:47	M.A.R.S. Pad 0A	Antares			Technology Demonstration	Launched		Two technology demonstration cubesats launched as part of the NRO's IMPACT program. Secondary payloads, launched with Cygnus NG-12.
TBD [75]		-	Late Spring 2021	Mahia, LC-1A	Electron				Awaiting Launch		Back-to-back launch under NRO's Rapid Acquisition of a Small Rocket (RASR) program.
TBD [75]		-	Late Spring 2021	Mahia, LC-1B	Electron				Awaiting Launch		Back-to-back launch under NRO's Rapid Acquisition of a Small Rocket (RASR) program.
L-174 [76]		-	Late 2021	MARS, LP-0B	Minotaur IV / Orion 38				Awaiting launch
Launch Designation	Launch Name	Satellite Designation	Launch Date/Time (UTC)	Launch Site	Rocket	Orbit	Project	Function	Status	Patch	Remarks

See also

• List of USA satellites

References

1. Steven Pietrobon's Space Archive – US Military Launch Record. None. Retrieved on September 15, 2011.
2. Encyclopedia Astronautica – Atlas IIAS. Astronautix.com. Retrieved on September 15, 2011.
3. "USA 224 recovered, USA 186 still drifting, and looking for GPS IIF-6 20 minutes after launch". Marco Langbroek. May 21, 2014. Retrieved May 13, 2016.
4. NRO codenames. Forum.nasaspaceflight.com. Retrieved on September 15, 2011.
5. "National Reconnaissance Office Satellite Destroyed August 19, 1998" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 21, 2016. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
6. National Reconnaissance Satellite Successfully Launched May 22, 1999 Archived May 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
7. "USA 224 recovered: an update of the KH-11 constellation". Marco Langbroek. June 30, 2016. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
8. Space Videos (June 29, 2012). "[Delta] Launch of Delta IV Heavy with NROL-15 Payload" – via YouTube.
9. NRO Successfully Launches Last Titan from Cape Canaveral April 29, 2005 Archived May 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
10. Encyclopedia Astronautica – Delta 7000 Archived March 7, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
11. "Re: NROL codenames". nasaspaceflight.com. January 22, 2011.
12. NRO SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHES PAYLOAD FROM TITAN IV September 10, 2003 Archived May 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
13. NRO Payload Takes Last Ride Aboard Titan IV October 20, 2005 Archived August 26, 2006, at Archive.today
14. "Spaceflight Now - Delta Launch Report – Mission Status Center".
15. Spaceflight Now: Worldwide launch schedule. Spaceflightnow.com. Retrieved on February 3, 2012.
16. "Spaceflight Now - Delta Launch Report – Launch warnings show Delta 4 headed for backwards orbit".
17. Krebs, Gunter. "NROL launches". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
18. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
19. Spaceflight Now: Worldwide launch schedule. Spaceflightnow.com. Retrieved on September 15, 2011.
20. Atlas Launch Report | Mission Status Center. Spaceflight Now. Retrieved on September 15, 2011.
21. Delta IV Heavy launches with NROL-32. NASASpaceFlight.com (2010-11-21). Retrieved on September 15, 2011.
22. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on February 17, 2013. Retrieved March 25, 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
23. :::: United Launch Alliance, LLC :::: Archived September 1, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Ulalaunch.com. Retrieved on September 15, 2011.
25. "Technical details for satellite USA 238".
26. "NASA - NSSDCA - Spacecraft - Details".
27. http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/Launch.shtml#/30/ Archived September 1, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
28. "Triple-barrel Delta 4-Heavy launches national security satellite". Spaceflight Now. June 11, 2016. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
29. Ray, Justin (June 7, 2016). "Surveillance satellite launching Thursday atop Delta 4-Heavy rocket". Spaceflight Now.
30. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 15, 2011. Retrieved March 22, 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
31. "18 -- Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) - Federal Business Opportunities: Opportunities".
32. NRO Press Release 2013-04
33. Barhorst, Leo (October 1, 2010). "Reason for FIA Radar 1/USA 215 retrograde orbit?". Retrieved October 2, 2010.
34. Molczan, Ted (September 22, 2010). "NROL 41". Retrieved October 2, 2010.
35. "2016 manifest preview: United Launch Alliance's busy year ahead". Spaceflight Now. April 20, 2015. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
36. NROL-42 launch time:0549 GMT
37. Clark, Stephen. "Spy satellite launch on Delta 4-Heavy rocket delayed to August – Spaceflight Now". Retrieved June 16, 2020.
38. "ULA Delta IV launches with NROL-45 | NASASpaceFlight.com". www.nasaspaceflight.com. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
39. McDowell, Jonathan (February 10, 2016). "Twitter". Retrieved February 13, 2016. TOPAZ 4 (USA 267) has been observed by hobbyist @cgbassa in a 1084 x 1086 km x 123° orbit following today's launch from Vandenberg
40. Graham, William (January 20, 2011). "Delta IV Heavy launches on debut West Coast launch with NRO L-49". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved January 21, 2011.
41. Molczan, Ted (January 22, 2011). "RE: NROL-49 search elements".
42. Graham, William (October 7, 2015). "NROL-55 takes a ride uphill on ULA Atlas V". NASA Spaceflight.
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45. "NROL-61 satellite launched Thursday spotted in space by sky-watchers". Spaceflight Now. July 30, 2016.
46. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on February 17, 2013. Retrieved March 22, 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
47. Graham, William (February 6, 2011). "Orbital's Minotaur I launches with NROL-66". nasaspaceflight.com.
48. "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Second Mission in Just Seven Days". United Launch Alliance. Archived from the original on December 7, 2013. Retrieved April 11, 2014.
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50. Pietrobon, Steven (September 4, 2019). "United States Military Manifest". Retrieved September 4, 2019.
51. Gruss, Mike. "NRO discloses previously unannounced launch contract for SpaceX". SpaceNews. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
52. Clark, Stephen (April 6, 2017). "Launch schedule". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on December 24, 2016. Retrieved March 9, 2017.
53. Klotz, Irene (April 30, 2017). "Secret US Spy Satellite Heading to Low-Earth Orbit, SpaceX Launch License Shows". Space.com. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
54. Clark, Stephen (May 24, 2017). "Observers spot top secret satellite launched by SpaceX earlier this month". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved May 25, 2017.
55. USAF. "EELV PHASE 1A NROL-79 Request For Proposal".
56. "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches NROL-79 Payload for the National Reconnaissance Office".
57. Gruss, Mike (August 8, 2016). "No complaint from SpaceX as Air Force skips competition for pair of NRO missions". SpaceNews. Retrieved August 10, 2016. In its announcement, the Defense Department said it plans to award a formal contract for the first mission, known as NROL-82, later this year for a 2020 launch. It also plans to award a contract for the second mission, known as NROL-91, in late 2017 with a tentative launch date of 2023.
58. Clark, Stephen. "AEHF satellite arrives in Florida for first of nearly 20 Space Force launches this year – Spaceflight Now". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
59. Ray, Justin (June 30, 2017). "Air Force selects Atlas 5 to launch multipurpose satellite to high orbit". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
60. "NROL launches". Gunter's Space Page. February 20, 2019. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
61. Henry, Caleb (August 21, 2019). "ULA's Delta 4 Heavy down to final five missions". SpaceNews. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
62. Erwin, Sandra. "Air Force awards $739 million in launch contracts to ULA and SpaceX". Space News. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
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64. "NROL-111". Gunters Space Page.
65. "NROL-129 Launch Press Kit" (PDF). Retrieved July 9, 2020.
66. Clark, Stephen (March 21, 2019). "Two Minotaur launches planned this year from Virginia". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
67. "NROL-129". Gunters Space Page.
68. Erwin, Sandra (January 20, 2020). "Rocket Lab to launch small satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office". Space News. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
69. "Birds of a Feather". Rocket Lab. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
70. https://space.skyrocket.de/index.html - 1 February 2020
71. Lab, Rocket (January 30, 2020). "And we have resumed the count! New target lift-off time is 02:56 UTC (15:56 NZDT / 18:56 PST / 21:56 EST). Still a possibility of standing down due to high ground winds". @RocketLab. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
72. "NRO launches second mission of 2020 with Rocket Lab". National Reconnaissance Office. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
73. "Don't Stop Me Now". Rocket Lab. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
74. "NRO launches two IMPACT small satellites as rideshare on NG-12". National Reconnaissance Office. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
75. "Rocket Lab wins NRO contracts for back-to-back launches". SpaceNews.com. June 18, 2020. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
76. Clark, Stephen. "Minotaur rocket successfully deploys four NRO satellites in orbit – Spaceflight Now". Retrieved July 16, 2020.

External links

• National Security Space Launch Report (pages 112)