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.
In contrast to the earlier first generation (Parcae) and second generation constellations, it features only two satellites. Notably absent is also the dispenser unit, which deployed the earlier generations. Like the earlier generations, it features the same orbit. Each pair has reportedly a combined weight of 6500 kg.
The fourth launch was left in a slightly too low orbit, as the Centaur upper stage shust down too early during the second burn. The payload was able to reach its intended orbit on its own propulsion system. Due to this problem the launch vehicle configuration was changed for the next launch from Atlas-5(401) to Atlas-5(411)¹ to allow a single burn mission for greater reliability. After confidence was restored, the launches reverted back to the Atlas-5(401) version.
The ninth launch (Intruder 13, NOSS-3 9, NROL 85) is listed tentatively here, as the observed orbit is fitting to a NOSS-3 payload. But in this case no second payload was observed, which might either hint towards an other payload or a seperation failure.
Note: The NROL designations refer to the launch, not to the payload.
Nation: | USA |
---|---|
Type / Application: | Ocean Surveillance, ELINT |
Operator: | US Navy |
Contractors: | Lockheed Martin |
Equipment: | ? |
Configuration: | ? |
Propulsion: | ? |
Power: | Solar arrays, batteries |
Lifetime: | |
Mass: | ~ 6500 kg each pair |
Orbit: | 1100 km × 1100 km, 63° |
Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Intruder 5A (NOSS-3 1A, USA 160, NROL 13) | 2001-040A | 08.09.2001 | Va SLC-3E | Atlas-2AS | with Intruder 5B | |
Intruder 5B (NOSS-3 1B, USA 160-2, NROL 13) | 2001-040C | 08.09.2001 | Va SLC-3E | Atlas-2AS | with Intruder 5A | |
Intruder 6A (NOSS-3 2A, USA 173, NROL 18) | 2003-054A | 02.12.2003 | Va SLC-3E | Atlas-2AS | with Intruder 6B | |
Intruder 6B (NOSS-3 2B, USA 173-2, NROL 18) | 2003-054C | 02.12.2003 | Va SLC-3E | Atlas-2AS | with Intruder 6A | |
Intruder 7A (NOSS-3 3A, USA 181, NROL 23) | 2005-004A | 03.02.2005 | CC SLC-36B | Atlas-3B-SEC | with Intruder 7B | |
Intruder 7B (NOSS-3 3B, USA 181-2, NROL 23) | 2005-004C | 03.02.2005 | CC SLC-36B | Atlas-3B-SEC | with Intruder 7A | |
Intruder 8A (NOSS-3 4A, USA 194, NROL 30) | 2007-027A | 15.06.2007 | CC SLC-41 | p | Atlas-5(401) | with Intruder 8B |
Intruder 8B (NOSS-3 4B, USA 194-2, NROL 30) | 2007-027C | 15.06.2007 | CC SLC-41 | p | Atlas-5(401) | with Intruder 8A |
Intruder 9A (NOSS-3 5A, USA 229, NROL 34) | 2011-014A | 15.04.2011 | Va SLC-3E | Atlas-5(411)¹ | with Intruder 9B | |
Intruder 9B (NOSS-3 5B, USA 229-2, NROL 34) | 2011-014B | 15.04.2011 | Va SLC-3E | Atlas-5(411)¹ | with Intruder 9A | |
Intruder 10A (NOSS-3 6A, USA 238, NROL 36) | 2012-048A | 13.09.2012 | Va SLC-3E | Atlas-5(401) | with Intruder 10B, CINEMA 1, Aeneas, SMDC-ONE 2.1, SMDC-ONE 2.2, STARE A, CSSWE, CXBN, AeroCube 4A, AeroCube 4B, AeroCube 4C, CP 5, OUTSat | |
Intruder 10B (NOSS-3 6B, USA 238-2, NROL 36) | 2012-048P | 13.09.2012 | Va SLC-3E | Atlas-5(401) | with Intruder 10A, CINEMA 1, Aeneas, SMDC-ONE 2.1, SMDC-ONE 2.2, STARE A, CSSWE, CXBN, AeroCube 4A, AeroCube 4B, AeroCube 4C, CP 5, OUTSat | |
Intruder 11A (NOSS-3 7A, USA 264, NROL 55) | 2015-058A | 08.10.2015 | Va SLC-3E | Atlas-5(401) | with Intruder 11B, SNaP-3 ALICE, SNaP-3 EDDIE, SNaP-3 JIMI, LMRSTSat, SINOD-D 1, SINOD-D 3, AeroCube 5C, OCSD A, ARC 1, BisonSat, Fox 1A, PropCube 1, PropCube 3 | |
Intruder 11B (NOSS-3 7B, USA 264-2, NROL 55) | 2015-058R | 08.10.2015 | Va SLC-3E | Atlas-5(401) | with Intruder 11A, SNaP-3 ALICE, SNaP-3 EDDIE, SNaP-3 JIMI, LMRSTSat, SINOD-D 1, SINOD-D 3, AeroCube 5C, OCSD A, ARC 1, BisonSat, Fox 1A, PropCube 1, PropCube 3 | |
Intruder 12A (NOSS-3 8A, USA 274, NROL 79) | 2017-011A | 01.03.2017 | Va SLC-3E | Atlas-5(401) | with Intruder 12B | |
Intruder 12B (NOSS-3 8B, USA 274-2, NROL 79) | 2017-011B | 01.03.2017 | Va SLC-3E | Atlas-5(401) | with Intruder 12A | |
Intruder 13A (NOSS-3 9A, USA 327, NROL 85) ? | 2022-040A | 17.04.2022 | Va SLC-4E | Falcon-9 v1.2 (Block 5) | with Intruder 13B | |
Intruder 13B (NOSS-3 9B, USA 327-2, NROL 85) ? | 2022-040 | 17.04.2022 | Va SLC-4E | p | Falcon-9 v1.2 (Block 5) | with Intruder 13A / failed to seperate ? |