NROL codenames

[William Graham]

NROL-1 "Nemesis"      - USA-179 - SDS      - 31.08.2004 - Atlas IIAS       - CCAFS
NROL-2                - USA-129 - KH-11    - 20.12.1996 - Titan IV(404)A   - VAFB
NROL-3 (?)            - USA-133 - Lacrosse - 24.10.1997 - Titan IV(403)A   - VAFB
NROL-4                - USA-136 - Trumpet  - 08.11.1997 - Titan IV(401)A   - CCAFS
NROL-5 "Capricorn"    - USA-137 - SDS      - 29.01.1998 - Atlas IIA        - CCAFS
NROL-6                - USA-139 - Mentor   - 09.05.1998 - Titan IV(401)B   - CCAFS
NROL-7 (?)            -         - Mercury  - 12.08.1998 - Titan IV(401)A   - CCAFS
NROL-8 (?)            -         - STEX     - 03.10.1998 - Taurus 1110      - VAFB
NROL-9                - USA-144 - EIS?     - 22.05.1999 - Titan IV(404)B   - VAFB
NROL-10 "Great Bear"  - USA-155 - SDS      - 06.12.2000 - Atlas IIAS       - CCAFS
NROL-11               - USA-152 - Onyx     - 17.08.2000 - Titan IV(403)B   - VAFB
NROL-12 "Aquila"      - USA-162 - SDS      - 10.10.2001 - Atlas IIAS       - CCAFS
NROL-13 "Gemini"      - USA-160 - NOSS     - 08.09.2001 - Atlas IIAS       - VAFB
NROL-14               - USA-161 - KH-11    - 05.10.2001 - Titan IV(404)B   - VAFB
NROL-15               -         - Mentor?  -       2012 - Delta IV-H       - CCAFS
NROL-16               - USA-182 - Onyx     - 30.04.2005 - Titan IV(403)B   - CCAFS
NROL-17               - USA-158 - GeoLITE  - 18.05.2001 - Delta II 7925    - CCAFS
NROL-18 "Libra"       - USA-173 - NOSS     - 02.12.2003 - Atlas IIAS       - VAFB
NROL-19               - USA-171 - Mentor   - 09.09.2003 - Titan IV(401)B   - CCAFS
NROL-20               - USA-186 - KH-11    - 19.10.2005 - Titan IV(404)B   - VAFB
NROL-21               - USA-193 - Tech     - 14.12.2006 - Delta II 7920    - VAFB
NROL-22               - USA-184 - Trumpet  - 28.06.2006 - Delta IV-M+(4,2) - VAFB
NROL-23 "Canis Minor" - USA-181 - NOSS     - 03.02.2005 - Atlas IIIB       - CCAFS
NROL-24 "Scorpius"    - USA-198 - SDS      - 10.12.2007 - Atlas V 401      - CCAFS
NROL-25 "Altair"      -         - NOSS??   -       2012 - Delta IV-M+(5,2) - VAFB
NROL-26               - USA-202 - Mentor   - 18.01.2009 - Delta IV-H       - CCAFS
NROL-27 "Gryphon"     - USA-227 - SDS      - 11.03.2011 - Delta IV-M+(4,2) - CCAFS
NROL-28               - USA-200 - Trumpet  - 13.03.2008 - Atlas V 411      - VAFB
NROL-29               -         -          - cancelled? - Atlas V 501      - VAFB
NROL-30 "Pyxis"       - USA-194 - NOSS     - 15.06.2007 - Atlas V 401      - CCAFS
NROL-31               - Unknown
NROL-32               - USA-223 - Mentor   - 21.11.2010 - Delta IV-H       - CCAFS
NROL-33               -         - SDS?     - Unknown    - Atlas V 401      - CCAFS
NROL-34 "Odin"        - USA-229 - NOSS     - 15.04.2011 - Atlas V 411      - VAFB
NROL-35               -         -          - Unknown    - Atlas V 531      - VAFB
NROL-36               -         - Trumpet? -       2012 - Atlas V 411      - VAFB
NROL-37               -         - Mentor?  -       2015 - Delta IV-H       - CCAFS?
NROL-38               -         - SDS?     -       2012 - Atlas V 401      - CCAFS
NROL-39               -         - FIA-R?   - Unknown    - Atlas V 501      - VAFB
NROL-40               - Unknown
NROL-41               - USA-215 - FIA-R    - 21.09.2010 - Atlas V 501      - VAFB
NROL-42               - Unknown
NROL-43               - Unknown
NROL-44               - Unknown
NROL-45               -         - FIA-R?   - Unknown    - Atlas V 501      - VAFB
NROL-46               - Unknown
NROL-47               - Unknown
NROL-48               - Unknown
NROL-49               - USA-224 - KH-11    - 20.01.2011 - Delta IV-H       - VAFB
NROL-50               - Unknown
NROL-51               - Unknown
NROL-52               - Unknown
NROL-53               - Unknown
NROL-54               - Unknown
NROL-55               -         -          - SDS??      - Atlas V 401      - VAFB
NROL-56               - Unknown
NROL-57               - Unknown
NROL-58               - Unknown
NROL-59               - Unknown
NROL-60               - Unknown
NROL-61               - Unknown
NROL-62               - Unknown
NROL-63               - Unknown
NROL-64               - Unknown
NROL-65               -         -         - Unknown    - Delta IV-H
NROL-66               - USA-225 - RPP     - 06.02.2011 - Minotaur I       - VAFB
NROL-67               -         -         - Unknown    - Atlas V 541      - CCAFS


Launches in italics have not yet taken place

[4353]

I recently obtained a launch patch for NROL-25. It has the name "electra" for the booster name.

[William Graham]

NROL-1 "Nemesis"      - USA-179 - SDS      - 31.08.2004 - Atlas IIAS       - CCAFS
NROL-2                - USA-129 - KH-11    - 20.12.1996 - Titan IV(404)A   - VAFB
NROL-3 (?)            - USA-133 - Lacrosse - 24.10.1997 - Titan IV(403)A   - VAFB
NROL-4                - USA-136 - Trumpet  - 08.11.1997 - Titan IV(401)A   - CCAFS
NROL-5 "Capricorn"    - USA-137 - SDS      - 29.01.1998 - Atlas IIA        - CCAFS
NROL-6                - USA-139 - Mentor   - 09.05.1998 - Titan IV(401)B   - CCAFS
NROL-7 (?)            -         - Mercury  - 12.08.1998 - Titan IV(401)A   - CCAFS
NROL-8 (?)            -         - STEX     - 03.10.1998 - Taurus 1110      - VAFB
NROL-9                - USA-144 - EIS?     - 22.05.1999 - Titan IV(404)B   - VAFB
NROL-10 "Great Bear"  - USA-155 - SDS      - 06.12.2000 - Atlas IIAS       - CCAFS
NROL-11               - USA-152 - Onyx     - 17.08.2000 - Titan IV(403)B   - VAFB
NROL-12 "Aquila"      - USA-162 - SDS      - 10.10.2001 - Atlas IIAS       - CCAFS
NROL-13 "Gemini"      - USA-160 - NOSS     - 08.09.2001 - Atlas IIAS       - VAFB
NROL-14               - USA-161 - KH-11    - 05.10.2001 - Titan IV(404)B   - VAFB
NROL-15               -         - Mentor?  -       2012 - Delta IV-H       - CCAFS
NROL-16               - USA-182 - Onyx     - 30.04.2005 - Titan IV(403)B   - CCAFS
NROL-17               - USA-158 - GeoLITE  - 18.05.2001 - Delta II 7925    - CCAFS
NROL-18 "Libra"       - USA-173 - NOSS     - 02.12.2003 - Atlas IIAS       - VAFB
NROL-19               - USA-171 - Mentor   - 09.09.2003 - Titan IV(401)B   - CCAFS
NROL-20               - USA-186 - KH-11    - 19.10.2005 - Titan IV(404)B   - VAFB
NROL-21               - USA-193 - Tech     - 14.12.2006 - Delta II 7920    - VAFB
NROL-22               - USA-184 - Trumpet  - 28.06.2006 - Delta IV-M+(4,2) - VAFB
NROL-23 "Canis Minor" - USA-181 - NOSS     - 03.02.2005 - Atlas IIIB       - CCAFS
NROL-24 "Scorpius"    - USA-198 - SDS      - 10.12.2007 - Atlas V 401      - CCAFS
NROL-25 "Altair"      -         - NOSS?    -       2012 - Delta IV-M+(5,2) - VAFB
NROL-26               - USA-202 - Mentor   - 18.01.2009 - Delta IV-H       - CCAFS
NROL-27 "Gryphon"     - USA-227 - SDS      - 11.03.2011 - Delta IV-M+(4,2) - CCAFS
NROL-28               - USA-200 - Trumpet  - 13.03.2008 - Atlas V 411      - VAFB
NROL-29               -         -          - cancelled? - Atlas V 501      - VAFB
NROL-30 "Pyxis"       - USA-194 - NOSS     - 15.06.2007 - Atlas V 401      - CCAFS
NROL-31               - Unknown
NROL-32               - USA-223 - Mentor   - 21.11.2010 - Delta IV-H       - CCAFS
NROL-33               -         - SDS?     -    2014/15 - Atlas V 401      - CCAFS
NROL-34 "Odin"        - USA-229 - NOSS     - 15.04.2011 - Atlas V 411      - VAFB
NROL-35               -         -          - Unknown    - Atlas V 531      - VAFB
NROL-36               -         - NOSS??   -       2012 - Atlas V 411      - VAFB
NROL-37               -         - Mentor?  -       2015 - Delta IV-H       - CCAFS?
NROL-38 "Drake"       -         - SDS?     -       2012 - Atlas V 401      - CCAFS
NROL-39               -         - FIA-R?   -    2014/15 - Atlas V 501      - VAFB
NROL-40               - Unknown
NROL-41               - USA-215 - FIA-R    - 21.09.2010 - Atlas V 501      - VAFB
NROL-42               - Unknown
NROL-43               -         -          -            -                  - VAFB
NROL-44               - Unknown
NROL-45               -         - FIA-R?   - Unknown    - Atlas V 501      - VAFB
NROL-46               -         -          -            -                  - CCAFS
NROL-47               -         -          -            -                  - VAFB
NROL-48               - Unknown
NROL-49               - USA-224 - KH-11    - 20.01.2011 - Delta IV-H       - VAFB
NROL-50               - Unknown
NROL-51               - Unknown
NROL-52               - Unknown
NROL-53               - Unknown
NROL-54               - Unknown
NROL-55               -         -          - SDS??      - Atlas V 401      - VAFB
NROL-56               - Unknown
NROL-57               - Unknown
NROL-58               - Unknown
NROL-59               -         -          -            -                  - VAFB
NROL-60               - Unknown
NROL-61               - Unknown
NROL-62               - Unknown
NROL-63               - Unknown
NROL-64               - Unknown
NROL-65               -         - KH-11    -       2013 - Delta IV-H       - VAFB
NROL-66               - USA-225 - RPP      - 06.02.2011 - Minotaur I       - VAFB
NROL-67               -         -          -    2014/15 - Atlas V 541      - CCAFS


Launches in italics have not yet taken place

[William Graham]

According to a budget report, the US Air Force is expecting to take delivery of SBIRS-HEO 3 in August. Not sure what to make of that - the gap between delivery and launch was about two years for the last two SBIRS-HEO payloads, but both launches had been severely delayed. I would expect that HEO-3 will be mounted on an Improved Trumpet satellite like the last two, so it would probably be on an Atlas V 411 or Delta IV-M+(4,2) from VAFB. I had identified L-38 as the probable candidate, but given that it is scheduled for launch in August, it seems less likely. From my analysis of past Jumpseat/Trumpet launches, I would be surprised to see two launches in the next two years, so unless delivery, integration and launch can be conducted in the space of a month, NROL-38 is likely to be NOSS.

SBIRS-HEO 4 isn't due to be delivered until January 2015, so we could be looking at the current Trumpet satellites being replaced after about 9-10 years in orbit (the first was launched in 2006).

[William Graham]

Looking for some information on NROL-55, I stumbled upon an old post at Novosti Kosmonavtiki. It quotes a no-longer-accessible NASA document on EELV operations, and gives the launch sites and scheduled dates for a number of scheduled launches, circa 2005. There's a figure on page 5 of the thread which appears to have been taken from the document.

http://www.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3345

NROL-22 Delta IV (4,2) VAFB SLC-6 2005.07
NROL-26 Delta IV CCAFS SLC-37B 2005.12
NROL-25 Delta IV (4,0) VAFB SLC-6 2006.03
NROL-30 Atlas V (501) CCAFS SLC-41 2006.03
NROL-28 Atlas V (411) VAFB SLC-3E 2006.05
NROL-29 Atlas V (Unk) VAFB SLC-3E 2006.07
STP-1 Atlas V (401) CCAFS SLC-41 2006.09
NROL-24 Atlas V (401) CCAFS SLC-41 2007.07
NROL-41 Atlas V (501) VAFB SLC-3E 2007.09
NROL-32 CCAFS 2007.10
NROL-43 VAFB 2008.01
NROL-39 Atlas V (501) VAFB SLC-3E 2008.10
NROL-27 CCAFS 2009.01
NROL-34 CCAFS 2009.07
NROL-45 Atlas V (501) VAFB SLC-3E 2009.10
NROL-38 CCAFS 2009.10
STP-2 CCAFS 2010.04
NROL-15 CCAFS 2010.04
STTR-1 CCAFS 2011.01
NROL-36 CCAFS 2012.01
NROL-46 CCAFS 2012.01
NROL-47 VAFB 2012.01
NROL-33 CCAFS 2012.01
NROL-59 VAFB 2012.10
ODSI 1a&b CCAFS 2013.01
NROL-35 VAFB 2013.07

A few interesting things here:
NROL-25 was slated to fly on a Delta IVM. That suggests that it has a very low mass, and that its expected size must have increased to justify the change to the M+(5,2) - with the IVM apparently out of service, the M+(4,2) seems to be launching the other payloads which were slated for it.

NROL-30 was listed as being on an Atlas V 501, rather than the 401 which actually launched it. Not sure what to make of this, and it could be an error in the document (the figure lists it as an Atlas but uses the Delta IV symbol instead of the Atlas one, so other errors may have crept in). If it was actually expected to use a 501, then it would be interesting, because it has until now been assumed that the payload was a third-generation NOSS; several of which had been launched by earlier Atlas models, so the fairing requirements would have been well known. The implication would be that this could be the first fourth-generation satellite.

NROL-34 appears to have been moved from Canaveral to Vandenberg, presumably to relieve manifest congestion. Not a huge surprise, and we already knew that NOSS could launch from either coast.

NROL-36 has also been moved from Canaveral to Vandenberg. In theory, SDS (Molniya) and Trumpet can probably be launched from either coast, current generation satellites have thus far launched exclusively from the East and West coasts respectively. That gives a very weak indication that it might be a NOSS.



Interestingly, the thread also contained a link to a copy of a USAF press release which effectively stated that NROL-25 could not be launched using an Atlas V. It's a medium-class payload well within the capacity of both EELVs, and the release is dated after conversion of SLC-3E had been authorised, so that doesn't make much sense. At the time, NROL-25 was expected to launch in 2005, so I can only think they wanted to make sure that it didn't have to wait for pad conversion work (which itself doesn't make sense, given the fact it was later delayed five years in order to make sure NROL-49 launched on time), and since all indications are that NROL-25 is NOSS, it could probably have launched on an Atlas from Canaveral anyway.



With regards to the NROL-30 question, does anyone have any information on the fairings used by the Atlas II and III NOSS launches?

[Stan Black]

http://web.archive.org/web/20061013184614/http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/apio/pdf/cev/11_dod_perspective.pdf

[Skyrocket]

With regards to the NROL-30 question, does anyone have any information on the fairings used by the Atlas II and III NOSS launches?

Same as in Atlas V: The extended payload fairing (EPF)

[Jim]

What about the fairings?

Also,the DIVM is still available.

[William Graham]

With regards to the NROL-30 question, does anyone have any information on the fairings used by the Atlas II and III NOSS launches?

Same as in Atlas V: The extended payload fairing (EPF)

Thanks - no discernable change, so I'm going to assume the 501 was just a typo.

What about the fairings?

Also,the DIVM is still available.

I was curious as to whether the same fairing was used for Atlas II/III and V NOSS launches, in order to ascertain whether any change in the size of the spacecraft occurred with the change in rockets (which would have explained why L-30 was listed as a 501 not a 401 in the NASA document.

Thanks for the clarification about the DIVM, I thought I had read something about standardising on the M+ around the time that the GPS launches switched to it, but I can't find it now.

[William Graham]

According to MSDB, L-65 will launch from Vandenberg next year on a DIVH. That means it is almost certainly a KH-11.

[alexw]

According to MSDB, L-65 will launch from Vandenberg next year on a DIVH. That means it is almost certainly a KH-11.

    I thought NROL-49 in January 2011 was supposed to be the last KH-11, built from spare parts after the collapse of FIA. But WP (FWIW) says "NRO ordered two additional legacy hardware KH-11s"?
       -Alex

[Prober]

Was NROL-37 a slip in the timeline?

[Targeteer]

Ted Molczan has released an interesting speculation of upcoming NRO payloads

http://www.satobs.org/seesat/Apr-2012/0199.html

Launch Date  Launch   Site     Vehicle        Payload Guess                 Confidence
20 Jun 2012  NROL-38  CCAFS  Atlas V-401   SDS GEO or HEO                    90%
28 Jun 2012  NROL-15  CCAFS  Delta IV-H     Misty 1-3                         70
02 Aug 2012  NROL-36  VAFB   Atlas V-401   NOSS 3-6                         100
    CY 2013  NROL-65  VAFB   Delta IV-H     Final Block 4 KH-11              100
    FY 2014  AFSPC-4  CCAFS  Delta IV-M(4,2)  Trumpet-FO 3 + SBIRS-HEO 3        80
    FY 2014  NROL-39  VAFB   Atlas V-501    FIA Radar 3                      100
    FY 2014  NROL-67  CCAFS  Atlas V-541    Next Generation GEO SIGINT        90
    FY 2014  NROL-33  CCAFS  Atlas V-401    SDS HEO or GEO, or NOSS           95

[vapour_nudge]

HTH I found an ULA article a few weeks back that lists the following:

NROL-42 - 2017 - Atlas V 541 -  VAFB SLC-3E   LEO
NROL-55 - 2015 - Atlas V 401 -  VAFB SLC-3E   LEO
NROL-61 - 2017 - Atlas V 411 -  CCAFS-SLC41  GTO
NROL-67 - 2014 - Atlas V 541 -  VAFB SLC-3E   LEO
NROL-79 - 2017 - Atlas V 401 -  VAFB SLC-3E   LEO

[Targeteer]

HTH I found an ULA article a few weeks back that lists the following:

NROL-42 - 2017 - Atlas V 541 -  VAFB SLC-3E   LEO
NROL-55 - 2015 - Atlas V 401 -  VAFB SLC-3E   LEO
NROL-61 - 2017 - Atlas V 411 -  CCAFS-SLC41  GTO
NROL-67 - 2014 - Atlas V 541 -  VAFB SLC-3E   LEO
NROL-79 - 2017 - Atlas V 401 -  VAFB SLC-3E   LEO

Do you have a link to the article?

Interesting that NROL-67 moved to the west coast according to the two references. Is that move real or an error with one of the sources?

[William Graham]

HTH I found an ULA article a few weeks back that lists the following:

NROL-42 - 2017 - Atlas V 541 -  VAFB SLC-3E   LEO
NROL-55 - 2015 - Atlas V 401 -  VAFB SLC-3E   LEO
NROL-61 - 2017 - Atlas V 411 -  CCAFS-SLC41  GTO
NROL-67 - 2014 - Atlas V 541 -  VAFB SLC-3E   LEO
NROL-79 - 2017 - Atlas V 401 -  VAFB SLC-3E   LEO

Very unusual to see the orbits included...not sure how accurate they will be, but assuming they are, I'd say the two 401s are probably NOSS.

The others are a little odd - the only NRO payloads that launch on a 411 are NOSS and Improved Trumpet, and they don't go to GTO. I can't see an Improved Trumpet class launching on a 411 to GEO because it would have to carry a kick motor or a lot more fuel, so it would need a bigger rocket. Best guess would be a fourth-generation SDS.

That leaves the two 541s. LEO from VAFB usually means IMINT. I can't see FIA-R being replaced that soon, so my guess would be a new electro-optical satellite. Rocket is a little large for that though - comparable commercial satellites are booked to launch on 401s.

That said, this assumes that the orbits are accurate.

[Jim]

That leaves the two 541s. LEO from VAFB usually means IMINT. I can't see FIA-R being replaced that soon, so my guess would be a new electro-optical satellite. Rocket is a little large for that though - comparable commercial satellites are booked to launch on 401s.

Huh?  Too large?  Commercial satellites aren't comparable.  Spacecraft on Delta IV Heavy would be.

[William Graham]

That leaves the two 541s. LEO from VAFB usually means IMINT. I can't see FIA-R being replaced that soon, so my guess would be a new electro-optical satellite. Rocket is a little large for that though - comparable commercial satellites are booked to launch on 401s.

Huh?  Too large?  Commercial satellites aren't comparable.  Spacecraft on Delta IV Heavy would be.

True, but I was under the impression the NRO was moving towards smaller satellites, not much larger than the commercial ones. Before its cancellation, FIA-O was believed to be slated for a 521.

[vapour_nudge]

The document was dated May 29-30 2012, the copyright was 2011. I kept a screenshot of the table of launches. It is quite possible they got the Atlas V 541 launch wrong, also note the launch years were labelled FY2015 etc. I am not sure what the US FY is. In Australia it ends on June 30.

The launches were listed as either WR or ER (Western or Eastern Range) and the only indication of LEO launches for the NRO launches was in the notes on the right hand side. Still, it might prove helpful to someone.

Check out the table and see what you think

[William Graham]

I think the US financial year starts on 1 October.

I also managed to find the table in its original context:
http://icubesat.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/icubesat-org-2012-c-2-1_presentation_szatkowski.pdf