USA-227

American communications satellite

USA-227Names| NROL-27
NRO Launch 27

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Mission type| Communication
Operator| NRO
COSPAR ID| 2011-011A
SATCAT no.| 37377
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type| SDS-3
Start of mission
Launch date| 11 March 2011, 23:38:00 UTC
Rocket| Delta IV-M+(4,2)
(Delta D353)
Launch site| Cape Canaveral, SLC-37B
Contractor| United Launch Alliance
Orbital parameters
Reference system| Geocentric orbit
Regime| Geosynchronous orbit
Longitude| 30.4° West

USA-227, known before launch as NRO Launch 27 (NROL-27), is an American communications satellite which was launched in 2011. It is operated by the United States National Reconnaissance Office.

## Launch

[edit]

United Launch Alliance (ULA) performed the launch of USA-227, using a Delta IV-M+(4,2) launch vehicle flying from Space Launch Complex 37B at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS). The launch occurred at 23:38:00 UTC on 11 March 2011.[1] Following liftoff the rocket flew east, placing the satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. By 23:43 UTC, official updates on the status of the launch had been discontinued.[2]

## Mission

[edit]

Whilst details of its mission are officially classified, amateur observers have identified USA-227 as being a third-generation Satellite Data System satellite in geosynchronous orbit.[3] The first amateur observation of the satellite was made on 6 April 2011,[4][5] when the spacecraft was located at a longitude of 30.4° west.[5] SDS satellites are used to relay data from American reconnaissance satellites to ground stations.

## References

[edit]

* Spaceflight portal

1. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
2. ^ Ray, Justin. "Mission Status Center". Delta Mission Report. Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
3. ^ Ray, Justin (11 April 2011). "Information-routing satellite was deployed by Delta 4". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
4. ^ Wakelin, Peter (7 April 2011). "SATOBS 2011 April 06-07". SeeSat-L. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
5. ^ a b Ted, Molczan (9 April 2011). "NROL-27 / USA 227". SeeSat-L. Retrieved 24 April 2011.

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National Reconnaissance Office satellite launches

* L-1
* L-2
* L-3
* L-4
* L-5
* L-6
* L-7
* L-8
* L-9
* L-10
* L-11
* L-12
* L-13
* L-14
* L-15
* L-16
* L-17
* L-18
* L-19
* L-20
* L-21
* L-22
* L-23
* L-24
* L-25
* L-26
* L-27
* L-28
* L-29
* L-30
* L-31
* L-32
* L-33
* L-34
* L-35
* L-36
* L-37
* L-38
* L-39
* L-40
* L-41
* L-42
* ...
* L-45
* L-47
* L-49
* L-55
* L-61
* L-65
* L-66
* L-67
* L-79

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← 2010

Orbital launches in 2011

2012 →

January|

* Elektro-L No.1
* USA-224
* Kounotori 2
* Progress M-09M (Kedr)

February|

* Kosmos 2470
* USA-225
* Johannes Kepler ATV
* STS-133 (Leonardo)
* Kosmos 2471

March|

* Glory, Explorer-1 [Prime], KySat-1, Hermes
* USA-226
* USA-227

April|

* Soyuz TMA-21
* Compass-IGSO3
* USA-229
* Resourcesat-2, YouthSat, X-Sat
* Yahsat 1A, New Dawn
* Progress M-10M

May|

* Meridian 4
* USA-230
* STS-134 (AMS-02, ELC-3)
* Telstar 14R
* ST-2, GSAT-8 / INSAT-4G

June|

* Soyuz TMA-02M
* SAC-D
* Rasad 1
* ChinaSat 10
* Progress M-11M
* Kosmos 2472
* USA-231

July|

* Shijian XI-03
* STS-135 (Raffaello, PSSC-2)
* Tianlian I-02
* Globalstar M083, 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

August|

* 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

September|

* GRAIL-A , GRAIL-B
* Zhongxing-1A
* Kosmos 2473
* Arabsat 5C, SES-2
* IGS Optical 4
* Atlantic Bird 7
* TacSat-4
* Tiangong-1
* QuetzSat 1

October|

* Kosmos 2474 / GLONASS-M 742
* Intelsat 18
* Eutelsat 16A
* Megha-Tropiques, SRMSAT, VesselSat-1, Jugnu
* ViaSat-1
* Galileo-IOV FM1 , Galileo-IOV FM2
* NPP, AubieSat-1, DICE-1, DICE-2, M-Cubed, RAX-2
* Progress M-13M
* Shenzhou 8

November|

* Kosmos 2475 , Kosmos 2476 , Kosmos 2477
* Fobos-Grunt , Yinghuo-1
* Yaogan 12 , Tian Xun-1
* Soyuz TMA-22
* Shiyan Weixing 4 , Chuang Xin 1C
* AsiaSat 7
* Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity)
* Kosmos 2478
* Yaogan 13

December|

* Compass-IGSO5
* Amos-5, Luch 5A
* IGS Radar 3
* Pléiades-HR 1A, SSOT, ELISA 1, ELISA 2, ELISA 3, ELISA 4
* NigComSat-1R
* Soyuz TMA-03M
* Ziyuan-1C
* Meridian 5
* Globalstar M080, Globalstar M082, Globalstar M084, Globalstar M086, Globalstar M090, Globalstar M092

Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas ( , ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ).
Crewed flights are underlined. Launch failures are marked with the † sign. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are (enclosed in parentheses).

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