USA 245 (NROL-65)

Spacecraft nº:

US spacecraft nº:

Launch data:

Spacecraft data:

Description:

• A United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket will launch a classified spy satellite cargo for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The largest of the Delta 4 family, the Heavy version features three Common Booster Cores mounted together to form a triple-body rocket.

Mission details:

• Launch delayed from August 2013.
• A Delta 4 Heavy took off from Vandenberg AFB's Space Launch Complex 6 on Aug 28, 2013 carrying a secret payload for the National Reconnaissance Office. The payload is thought to be an imaging spy satellite of the EIS/Enhanced CRYSTAL type (The recent leak of NRO budget documents refer to a new Evolved Enhanced CRYSTAL program, but funding for this began in FY2012 which is a little recent for this launch to be part of it.) The satellite entered a 254 x 999 km x 97.9 deg low polar sun-synchronous orbit, with 0948 LT descending node. The orbit was boosted to 259 x 1002 km on Aug 30, 2013.
• Despite the secrecy of the launch, both payload and Delta rocket were spotted on the first orbit. The launch was designated NROL-65; the payload has the on-orbit cover name USA 245. The Delta rocket was not seen on the second orbit, as expected - it was deorbited over the Pacific around 20:05 UTC.