- USA-225
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USA-225
NROL-66, carrying advanced dosimeters, during ground processingOperator NRO Mission type Technology Launch date 6 February 2011
12:26 UTCCarrier rocket Minotaur I SLV-10 Launch site Vandenberg SLC-8 COSPAR ID 2011-006A Orbital elements Regime Low Earth USA-225, also known as the Rapid Pathfinder Prototype (RPP) and NRO Launch 66 (NROL-66), is an American satellite which was launched in 2011. The satellite is being used to perform technology demonstration and development experiments, including advanced dosimeters to characterize the space environment from a 1,200 kilometer low Earth orbit.[1] It is operated by the United States National Reconnaissance Office.[2]
Rapid Pathfinder was developed for less than US$ 20 million over a period of less than two years. Its dimensions are 0.5 m times 0.5 m times 0.5 m, and its mass including payload is 235 kg.[1]
A Minotaur I carrier rocket was used to launch USA-225, flying from Space Launch Complex 8 of the Vandenberg Air Force Base. The launch of was originally scheduled for March 2011, however it was subsequently moved forwards to 5 February.[3] During the attempt to launch on 5 February 2011, a transmitter malfunctioned, and the launch attempt was scrubbed. Another attempt was scheduled for the next day. At 12:26 on 6 February 2011, the Minotaur lifted off, carrying USA-225 into orbit.[4] The launch was conducted by Orbital Sciences Corporation.
For launch, the RPP satellite was given the designation NRO Launch 66, or NROL-66. Upon reaching orbit it was named USA-225 in accordance with the usual naming system for American military spacecraft. The satellite received the International Designator 2011-006A, and the Satellite Catalog Number 37364.[5]
See also
References
- ^ a b Carlson, Bruce (8 August 2011). "NRO’s Historical, Current, and Potential Use of Small Satellites". NRO. http://www.nro.gov/news/speeches/2011/2011-01.pdf. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
- ^ Krebs, Gunter. "RPP". Gunter's Space Page. http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/rpp.htm. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
- ^ "Launch Log". Tracking Station. Spaceflight Now. http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/launchlog.html. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
- ^ Clark, Stephen (6 February 2011). "Classified satellite climbs to space on Minotaur rocket". Spaceflight Now. http://www.spaceflightnow.com/minotaur/nrol66/index.html. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
- ^ "USA 225 Satellite details 2011-006A NORAD 37364". N2YO. http://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=37364. Retrieved 9 February 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 Minotaur rockets
- United States spacecraft stubs
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