Status
Success
Rocket
Mission Details
NOSS-3 6A & 6B (USA-238) (NROL-36)
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
2012
50th orbital launch attempt
United Launch Alliance
64th mission
8th mission of 2012
63rd successful mission
59th consecutive successful mission
Atlas V
33rd mission
5th mission of 2012
32nd successful mission
23rd consecutive successful mission