USA-229

USA-229Names| NROL-34
NRO Launch 34
NOSS-3 5A and 5B
Intruder 9A and 9B

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Mission type| SIGINT
Operator| United States NRO
COSPAR ID| 2011-014A
SATCAT no.| 37386 and 37391
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft| NOSS-3 5 (3rd Generation)
Spacecraft type| Intruder
Bus| NOSS-3
Manufacturer| Lockheed Martin
Launch mass| 3250 kg (each)
Start of mission
Launch date| 15 April 2011, at 04:24 UTC
Rocket| Atlas V 411 (AV-027)
Launch site| Vandenberg Air Force Base , SLC-3E
Contractor| ULA
Orbital parameters
Reference system| Geocentric orbit
Regime| Low Earth orbit
Perigee altitude| 1015 km
Apogee altitude| 1207 km
Inclination| 63.46° [1]

Naval Ocean Surveillance System

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USA-229, known before launch as NRO Launch 34 (NROL-34), is a pair of United States signals intelligence satellites which were launched in 2011. They are operated by the United States National Reconnaissance Office.

Both satellites were deployed by a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 411 launch vehicle, which launched from SLC-3E at the Vandenberg Air Force Base . The launch occurred at 04:24 UTC on 15 April 2011.[2] The rocket placed the satellites into a low Earth orbit. By 04:29 UTC, official updates on the status of the spacecraft had been discontinued.[3]

Whilst details of the satellites and their missions are officially classified, amateur observers have identified that the Atlas V deployed two satellites, one of which has officially been catalogued as debris. The two spacecraft have been identified as being a pair of third or fourth generation Naval Ocean Surveillance System satellites.[4] Amateur observations have located the spacecraft in an orbit with a perigee of 1,015 kilometres (631 mi) and an apogee of 1,207 kilometres (750 mi), inclined at 63.46° to the plane of the equator.[2] Current generation NOSS satellites are always launched and operated in pairs,[5] and are used to locate and track ships and aircraft from the radio transmissions that they emit.[6]

## References

1. ↑ Molczan, Ted (24 April 2011). "NROL-34: NOSS 3-5 elements". SatObs. http://www.satobs.org/seesat/Apr-2011/0262.html.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 McDowell, Jonathan. "Issue 640". Jonathan's Space Report. https://planet4589.org/space/jsr/back/news.640.txt.
3. ↑ Ray, Justin. "Mission Status Center". Spaceflight Now. http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av027/status.html.
4. ↑ Ted, Molczan (17 April 2011). "NROL-34 - NOSS 3-5 pair spotted tonight from Austin, Texas". Satobs. http://www.satobs.org/seesat/Apr-2011/0207.html.
5. ↑ Krebs, Gunter. "NOSS-3". Gunter's Space Page. http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/noss-3.htm.
6. ↑ Ray, Justin (18 April 2011). "Observers confirm identity of last week's Atlas payload". Spaceflight Now. https://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av027/status.html.

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