Also called Onyx
American military reconnaissance program
Lacrosse (and later Onyx) are terrestrial radar imaging reconnaissance
satellite operated by the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).
Equipped with a Synthetic Aperture Radar which provides 1 m resolution data.
Lifetime = 5 years, 14 tons.
Can take pictures as much as 1000 km off of the ground track. The great
advantage of those satellites over the KH
imaging satellites is that it can view through clouds. The system probably uses
high and low resolution modes and transmits large amount of data for computer
processing on the ground. It probably downlinks via TDRS
A project to
develop a SAR satellite was initiated in late 1976, which led to the successful
test of the Indigo prototype imaging radar satellite in January 1982.
Development of the Lacrosse system was approved in 1983.
According to observers, the distinguishing features of the design of the
Lacrosse satellite include a very large radar antenna, and solar panels to
provide electrical power for the radar transmitter. Reportedly, the solar arrays
have a wingspan of almost 45 meters, which suggests that the power available to
the radar could be in the range of 10 to 20 kilowatts, as much as ten times
greater than that of any previously flown space-based radar.
Lacrosse satellites are deployed in two different orbital inclinations, 57°
and 68° of around 650 km height, but the satellites occasionally maneuvre to
different heights.
| Type / Application: |
Reconnaissance, Radar (Data transmission type) |
| Operator: |
NRO |
| Contractors: |
Martin Marietta -> Lockheed Martin |
| Satellite |
Date |
LS |
Launcher |
Remarks: |
| Lacrosse 1 (Onyx 1, USA 34) |
02.12.1988 |
CC, LC-39B |
Shuttle |
with Atlantis F3 |
| Lacrosse 2 (Onyx 2, USA 69) |
08.03.1991 |
Va, SLC-4E |
Titan-4(03)A |
|
| Lacrosse 3 (Onyx 3, USA 133) |
24.10.1997 |
Va, SLC-4E |
Titan-4(03)A |
|
| Lacrosse 4 (Onyx 4, USA 152) |
17.08.2000 |
Va, SLC-4E |
Titan-4(03)B |
|
| Lacrosse 5 (Onyx 5, USA 182) |
30.04.2005 |
CC, SLC-40 |
Titan-4(03)B |
|
Ref: #14, #15 - update: 20.12.05