Status
Success
NOSS-3 2A & 2B (USA-173) (NROL-18)
Launch Time
Tue Dec 02, 2003 10:04 UTC
Tue Dec 02, 2003 10:04 UTC
Rocket
Mission Details
NOSS-3 2A & 2B (USA-173) (NROL-18)
NOSS-3 (Naval Ocean Surveillance System), which is likely not the official designation, is the third generation of NOSS satellites, which are low orbit SIGINT satellites. In 2013, the designation Intruder leaked out. These satellites carry equipment to track ships and aircraft via their radio transmissions. Positions of the origin of the transmissions are determined by triangulation. Each launch consists of two satellites of similar size in the same orbit. Both satellites maneuver to stationkeep relative to one another.
Payloads: 2
Location
SLC-3E, Vandenberg SFB, California, USA
Stats
2003
56th orbital launch attempt
Atlas II
59th mission
1st mission of 2003
59th successful mission