Status
Success
Trumpet 3 (USA-136) (NROL-4)
Launch Time
Sat Nov 08, 1997 02:05 UTC
Sat Nov 08, 1997 02:05 UTC
Rocket
Mission Details
Trumpet 3 (USA-136) (NROL-4)
Trumpet signal intelligence satellites were launched by Titan-4(01)A Centaur-T into highly elliptic Molniya-type orbits. In their elliptical orbits they would move very slowly over the northern hemisphere for most of their orbital period, allowing interception of microwave line-of-sight communications beams. Since they would move slowly through the beams during their orbit, a constellation of such satellites was required to monitor Soviet communications throughout the day.
Location
SLC-41, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA
Stats
1997
71st orbital launch attempt
Titan IV
23rd mission
4th mission of 1997
22nd successful mission
16th consecutive successful mission