USA-223 - Misplaced Pages

(Redirected from NROL-32) American reconnaissance satellite

USA-223
Spacecraft properties

Mission type	ELINT
Operator	US NRO
COSPAR ID	2010-063A
SATCAT no.	37232


Spacecraft type	Orion


Start of mission
Launch date	21 November 2010, 22:58 (2010-11-21UTC22:58Z) UTC
Rocket	Delta IV Heavy D351
Launch site	Cape Canaveral SLC-37B
Contractor	ULA


Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Geosynchronous
Longitude	100.9° east
Perigee altitude	35,601 kilometers (22,121 mi)
Apogee altitude	35,985 kilometers (22,360 mi)
Inclination	5.09 degrees
Period	23.93 hours
Epoch	14 May 2013, 18:44:29 UTC

USA-223, known before launch as NRO Launch 32 (NRO L-32), is an American reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 2010. It is operated by the United States National Reconnaissance Office. It presently holds the record for being the largest spy satellite ever launched.

Whilst details of its mission are officially classified, amateur observers have identified USA-223 as an Orion satellite; the seventh in the Magnum/Orion series. Orion spacecraft are used for electronic signals intelligence, and carry large antennas to enable them to intercept radio transmissions. These antennas are believed to have a diameter of around 100 metres (330 ft). Bruce A. Carlson, the director of the NRO, described the spacecraft as being the largest satellite ever launched.

USA-223 was launched by United Launch Alliance, aboard a Delta IV Heavy carrier rocket flying from Space Launch Complex 37B at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The launch occurred at 22:58 UTC on 21 November 2010. Following liftoff the rocket flew East towards a geosynchronous orbit. By 23:05 UTC, official updates on the status of the launch had been discontinued.

References

^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Issue 635". Jonathan's Space Report. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
"UCS Satellite Database". Union of Concerned Scientists. 1 September 2013. Archived from the original on 4 January 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
Peat, Chris (14 May 2013). "USA 223 - Orbit". Heavens Above. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
Malik, Tariq (November 21, 2010). "Secret U.S. Spy Satellite Launches Into Orbit on Huge Rocket". space.com. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
Ray, Justin (17 November 2010). "Essential U.S. Spy Satellite Launching Friday". Space.com. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
Harwood, William (21 November 2010). "Delta 4 rocket blasts off with classified NRO satellite". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
Ray, Justin. "Mission Status Center". Delta Mission Report. Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 24 November 2010.

v t e National Reconnaissance Office satellite launches
L-1 L-2 L-3 L-4 L-5 L-6 L-7 L-8 L-9 L-10 L-11 L-12 L-13 L-14 L-15 L-16 L-17 L-18 L-19 L-20 L-21 L-22 L-23 L-24 L-25 L-26 L-27 L-28 L-29 L-30 L-31 L-32 L-33 L-34 L-35 L-36 L-37 L-38 L-39 L-40 L-41 L-42 ... L-45 L-47 L-49 L-55 L-61 L-65 L-66 L-67 L-79

v t e ← 2009 Orbital launches in 2010 2011 →
January	Compass-G1 Globus-1M No.12L
February	Progress M-04M STS-130 (Tranquility, Cupola) SDO Intelsat 16
March	Kosmos 2459 / GLONASS-M 731, Kosmos 2460 / GLONASS-M 732, Kosmos 2461 / GLONASS-M 735 GOES-15 / EWS-G2 Yaogan 9A, Yaogan 9B, Yaogan 9C EchoStar XIV
April	Soyuz TMA-18 STS-131 (Leonardo MPLM) CryoSat-2 GSAT-4 Kosmos 2462 USA-212 SES-1 Kosmos 2463 Progress M-05M
May	STS-132 (Rassvet, ICC-VLD) Akatsuki, IKAROS (DCAM-1, DCAM-2), Shin'en, Waseda-SAT2, Hayato, Negai ☆'' Astra 3B, COMSATBw-2 USA-213
June	SERVIS-2 Compass-G3 Badr-5 Dragon Spacecraft Qualification Unit STSAT-2B Shijian XII Prisma, Picard, BPA-1 Soyuz TMA-19 TanDEM-X Ofek-9 Arabsat-5A, Chollian Progress M-06M
July	EchoStar XV Cartosat-2B, AlSat-2A, StudSat, AISSat-1, TIsat-1 Compass-IGSO1
August	Nilesat 201, RASCOM-QAF 1R Yaogan 10 USA-214 Tian Hui 1
September	Kosmos 2464, Kosmos 2465, Kosmos 2466 Chinasat-6A Gonets-M No.2, Kosmos 2467, Kosmos 2468 Progress M-07M Michibiki USA-215 Yaogan 11, Zheda Pixing 1B, Zheda Pixing 1C USA-216 Kosmos 2469
October	Chang'e 2 Shijian 6G, Shijian 6H Soyuz TMA-01M XM-5 Globalstar 73, Globalstar 74, Globalstar 75, Globalstar 76, Globalstar 77, Globalstar 79 Progress M-08M Eutelsat W3B, BSat 3B Compass-G4
November	Meridian 3 Fengyun 3B COSMO-4 SkyTerra-1 STPSat-2, USA-220 / FASTSAT (NanoSail-D2), USA-221 / FalconSat-5, USA-222 / FASTRAC-1, USA-222 / FASTRAC-2, USA-218 / RAX, USA-219 / O/OREOS USA-223 / Orion 7 Chinasat 20A Intelsat 17, HYLAS-1
December	Glonass-M No.39, Glonass-M No.40, Glonass-M No.41 SpaceX COTS Demo Flight 1, Mayflower, SMDC-ONE 1, QbX-1, QbX-2, Perseus 000, Perseus 001, Perseus 002, Perseus 003 Soyuz TMA-20 Compass-IGSO2 GSAT-5P KA-SAT
Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas ( , ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ). Crewed flights are underlined. Launch failures are marked with the † sign. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are (enclosed in parentheses).

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