- USA-227
-
USA-227 Operator US NRO Bus SDS-3 Mission type Communication Launch date 11 March 2011
23:38 UTCCarrier rocket Delta IV-M+(4,2) D353 Launch site Cape Canaveral SLC-37B COSPAR ID 2011-011A Orbital elements Regime Geosynchronous USA-227, known before launch as NRO Launch 27 (NROL-27), is an American communications satellite which was launched in 2011. It is operated by the United States National Reconnaissance Office.
Whilst details of its mission are officially classified, amateur observers have identified USA-227 as being a third-generation Satellite Data System satellite in geosynchronous orbit.[1] The first amateur observation of the satellite was made on 6 April 2011,[2][3] when the spacecraft was located at a longitude of 30.4 degrees west.[3] SDS satellites are used to relay data from American reconnaissance satellites to ground stations.
United Launch Alliance performed the launch of USA-227, using a Delta IV-M+(4,2) carrier rocket flying from Space Launch Complex 37B at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The launch occurred at 23:38 UTC on 11 March 2011.[4] Following liftoff the rocket flew east, placing the satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. By 23:43 UTC, official updates on the status of the launch had been discontinued.[5]
References
- ^ Ray, Justin (11 April 2011). "Information-routing satellite was deployed by Delta 4". Spaceflight Now. http://www.spaceflightnow.com/delta/d353/. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
- ^ Wakelin, Peter (7 April 2011). "SATOBS 2011 April 06-07". SeeSat-L. http://satobs.org/seesat/Apr-2011/0065.html. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
- ^ a b Ted, Molczan (9 April 2011). "NROL-27 / USA 227 elements". SeeSat-L. http://www.satobs.org/seesat/Apr-2011/0090.html. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. http://www.planet4589.org/space/log/launchlog.txt. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
- ^ Ray, Justin. "Mission Status Center". Delta Mission Report. Spaceflight Now. http://www.spaceflightnow.com/delta/d353/status.html. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
← 2010 · Orbital launches in 2011 Elektro-L No.1 | USA-224 | Kounotori 2 | Progress M-09M (Kedr) | Kosmos 2470 | USA-225 | Johannes Kepler | STS-133 (Leonardo) | Kosmos 2471 | Glory · Explorer-1 [Prime] · KySat-1 · Hermes | USA-226 | USA-227 | Soyuz TMA-21 | Compass-IGSO3 | USA-229 | Resourcesat-2 · YouthSat · X-Sat | Yahsat 1A · New Dawn | Progress M-10M | Meridian 4 | USA-230 | STS-134 (AMS-2 · ELC-3) | Telstar 14R | ST-2 · GSAT-8 | Soyuz TMA-02M | SAC-D | Rasad 1 | Zhongxing-10 | Progress M-11M | Kosmos 2472 | USA-231 | Shijian XI-03 | STS-135 (Raffaello · PSSC-2) | Tianlian I-02 | Globalstar M085 · Globalstar M088 · Globalstar M091 · Globalstar M085 · Globalstar M081 · Globalstar M089 | GSAT-12 | SES-3 · KazSat-2 | USA-232 | Spektr-R | Compass-IGSO4 | Shijian XI-02 | Juno | Astra 1N · BSAT-3c/JCSAT-110R | Paksat-1R | Hai Yang 2A | Sich 2 · NigeriaSat-2 · NigeriaSat-X · RASAT · EDUSAT · AprizeSat-5 · AprizeSat-6 · BPA-2 | Ekspress-AM4 | Shijian XI-04 | Progress M-12M | GRAIL-A · GRAIL-B | Zhongxing-1A | Kosmos 2473 | Arabsat 5C · SES-2 | IGS Optical 4 | Atlantic Bird 7 | TacSat-4 | Tiangong 1 | QuetzSat-1 | Kosmos 2474 | Intelsat 18 | Eutelsat W3C | Megha-Tropiques · SRMSAT · VesselSat-1 · Jugnu | ViaSat-1 | Galileo-IOV 1 · Galileo-IOV 2 | NPOESS Preparatory Project · Explorer-1' · RAX · M-Cubed · Dynamic Ionosphere CubeSat Experiment · AubieSat 1 | Progress M-13M · (Chibis-M) | Shenzhou 8 | Kosmos 2475 · Kosmos 2476 · Kosmos 2477 | Fobos-Grunt · Yinghuo-1 | Yaogan 12 · Tian Xun-1Payloads are separated by bullets ( · ), launches by pipes ( | ). Manned flights are indicated in bold text. Uncatalogued launch failures are listed in italics. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are denoted in (brackets).Categories:- 2011 in spaceflight
- Spacecraft launched by Delta rockets
- United States spacecraft stubs
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
