Naval Ocean Surveillance System
Encyclopedia
The Naval Ocean Surveillance System (NOSS), reportedly also called White Cloud and PARCAE, refers to one or several systems of SIGINT
satellites which conducted ELINT for the U.S. Navy beginning in the early 1970s.
The system is operated by the United States Navy
and its main purpose was tactical
geolocation
of Soviet fleet assets during the Cold War
. The NOSS satellites operate in clusters in low Earth orbit
to detect radio transmissions from ships at sea and locate them using the "Time Difference Of Arrival" technique.
SIGINT
Signals intelligence is intelligence-gathering by interception of signals, whether between people , whether involving electronic signals not directly used in communication , or combinations of the two...
satellites which conducted ELINT for the U.S. Navy beginning in the early 1970s.
The system is operated by the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and its main purpose was tactical
Military tactics
Military tactics, the science and art of organizing an army or an air force, are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. Changes in philosophy and technology over time have been reflected in changes to military tactics. In...
geolocation
Geolocation
Geolocation is the identification of the real-world geographic location of an object, such as a radar, mobile phone or an Internet-connected computer terminal...
of Soviet fleet assets during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. The NOSS satellites operate in clusters in low Earth orbit
Low Earth orbit
A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km...
to detect radio transmissions from ships at sea and locate them using the "Time Difference Of Arrival" technique.
Satellites
| Name | ID International Designator The International Designator, also known as COSPAR designation, and in the United States as NSSDC ID, is an international naming convention for satellites... |
Launch date | Launch vehicle | Launch site | NROL designation | Perigee Perigee Perigee is the point at which an object makes its closest approach to the Earth.. Often the term is used in a broader sense to define the point in an orbit where the orbiting body is closest to the body it orbits. The opposite is the apogee, the farthest or highest point.The Greek prefix "peri"... |
Apogee | Inclination | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First generation |
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| 1976-038C | 1976-04-30 | Atlas E/F Atlas E/F The Atlas E/F, also designated SB-1A was an American expendable launch system and sounding rocket built using parts of decommissioned SM-65 Atlas missiles... -MSD |
VAFB Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command .... SLC-3W Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 3 Space Launch Complex 3 is a launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base that has been used by Atlas and Thor rockets. It was built in the early 1960s and consists of two pads, SLC-3E and SLC-3W . The East-West coastline at Vandenberg allows SLC-3 to launch over-ocean polar trajectories that avoid... |
N/A | 1,092 km | 1,128 km | 63.5° | Dispenser designated OPS 6431 and catalogued as 1976-038A | |
| OPS 6431 SSU-2 | 1976-038D | ||||||||
| OPS 6431 SSU-3 | 1976-038J | ||||||||
| OPS 8781 SSU-1 | 1977-112D | 1977-12-08 | Atlas E/F Atlas E/F The Atlas E/F, also designated SB-1A was an American expendable launch system and sounding rocket built using parts of decommissioned SM-65 Atlas missiles... -MSD |
VAFB Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command .... SLC-3W Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 3 Space Launch Complex 3 is a launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base that has been used by Atlas and Thor rockets. It was built in the early 1960s and consists of two pads, SLC-3E and SLC-3W . The East-West coastline at Vandenberg allows SLC-3 to launch over-ocean polar trajectories that avoid... |
1,054 km | 1,169 km | 63.4° | Dispenser designated OPS 8781 and catalogued as 1977-112A | |
| OPS 8781 SSU-2 | 1977-112E | ||||||||
| OPS 8781 SSU-3 | 1977-112F | ||||||||
| OPS 7245 SSU-1 | 1980-019C | 1980-03-03 | Atlas E/F Atlas E/F The Atlas E/F, also designated SB-1A was an American expendable launch system and sounding rocket built using parts of decommissioned SM-65 Atlas missiles... -MSD |
VAFB Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command .... SLC-3W Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 3 Space Launch Complex 3 is a launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base that has been used by Atlas and Thor rockets. It was built in the early 1960s and consists of two pads, SLC-3E and SLC-3W . The East-West coastline at Vandenberg allows SLC-3 to launch over-ocean polar trajectories that avoid... |
1,035 km | 1,150 km | 63.0° | Dispenser designated OPS 8781 and catalogued as 1980-019A | |
| OPS 8781 SSU-2 | 1980-019D | ||||||||
| OPS 8781 SSU-3 | 1980-019G | ||||||||
| OPS 3255 SSU-1 | N/A | 1980-12-09 | Atlas E/F Atlas E/F The Atlas E/F, also designated SB-1A was an American expendable launch system and sounding rocket built using parts of decommissioned SM-65 Atlas missiles... -MSD |
VAFB Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command .... SLC-3W Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 3 Space Launch Complex 3 is a launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base that has been used by Atlas and Thor rockets. It was built in the early 1960s and consists of two pads, SLC-3E and SLC-3W . The East-West coastline at Vandenberg allows SLC-3 to launch over-ocean polar trajectories that avoid... |
Failed to orbit | Dispenser designated OPS 3255, loss of control after engine failure, followed by explosion | |||
| OPS 3255 SSU-2 | N/A | ||||||||
| OPS 3255 SSU-3 | N/A | ||||||||
| OPS 0252 SSU-1 | 1983-008E | 1983-02-09 | Atlas H Atlas H The Atlas H was an American expendable launch system derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used to launch five clusters of NOSS satellites for the US National Reconnaissance Office... -MSD |
VAFB Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command .... SLC-3E Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 3 Space Launch Complex 3 is a launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base that has been used by Atlas and Thor rockets. It was built in the early 1960s and consists of two pads, SLC-3E and SLC-3W . The East-West coastline at Vandenberg allows SLC-3 to launch over-ocean polar trajectories that avoid... |
1,063 km | 1,186 km | 63.40° | Dispenser designated OPS 0252 and catalogued as 1983-008A | |
| OPS 0252 SSU-2 | 1983-008F | ||||||||
| OPS 0252 SSU-3 | 1983-008H | ||||||||
| OPS 6432 SSU-1 | 1983-056C | 1983-06-09 | Atlas H Atlas H The Atlas H was an American expendable launch system derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used to launch five clusters of NOSS satellites for the US National Reconnaissance Office... -MSD |
VAFB Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command .... SLC-3E Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 3 Space Launch Complex 3 is a launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base that has been used by Atlas and Thor rockets. It was built in the early 1960s and consists of two pads, SLC-3E and SLC-3W . The East-West coastline at Vandenberg allows SLC-3 to launch over-ocean polar trajectories that avoid... |
851 km | 1,363 km | 63.4° | Dispenser designated OPS 6432 and catalogued as 1983-056A | |
| OPS 6432 SSU-2 | 1983-056D | ||||||||
| OPS 6432 SSU-3 | 1983-056G | ||||||||
| OPS 8737 SSU-1 | 1984-012C | 1984-02-05 | Atlas H Atlas H The Atlas H was an American expendable launch system derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used to launch five clusters of NOSS satellites for the US National Reconnaissance Office... -MSD |
VAFB Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command .... SLC-3E Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 3 Space Launch Complex 3 is a launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base that has been used by Atlas and Thor rockets. It was built in the early 1960s and consists of two pads, SLC-3E and SLC-3W . The East-West coastline at Vandenberg allows SLC-3 to launch over-ocean polar trajectories that avoid... |
1,052 km | 1,172 km | 63.4° | Dispenser designated OPS 8737 and catalogued as 1984-012A | |
| OPS 8737 SSU-2 | 1984-012D | ||||||||
| OPS 8737 SSU-3 | 1984-012F | ||||||||
| USA-16 | 1986-014C | 1984-02-05 | Atlas H Atlas H The Atlas H was an American expendable launch system derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used to launch five clusters of NOSS satellites for the US National Reconnaissance Office... -MSD |
VAFB Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command .... SLC-3E Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 3 Space Launch Complex 3 is a launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base that has been used by Atlas and Thor rockets. It was built in the early 1960s and consists of two pads, SLC-3E and SLC-3W . The East-West coastline at Vandenberg allows SLC-3 to launch over-ocean polar trajectories that avoid... |
1,049 km | 1,166 km | 63.0° | Dispenser designated USA-15 and catalogued as 1986-014A | |
| USA-17 | 1986-014F | ||||||||
| USA-18 | 1986-014H | ||||||||
| USA-23 | 1987-043E | 1987-05-15 | Atlas H Atlas H The Atlas H was an American expendable launch system derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used to launch five clusters of NOSS satellites for the US National Reconnaissance Office... -MSD |
VAFB Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command .... SLC-3E Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 3 Space Launch Complex 3 is a launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base that has been used by Atlas and Thor rockets. It was built in the early 1960s and consists of two pads, SLC-3E and SLC-3W . The East-West coastline at Vandenberg allows SLC-3 to launch over-ocean polar trajectories that avoid... |
1,045 km | 1,179 km | 62.9° | Dispenser designated USA-22 and catalogued as 1987-043A | |
| USA-24 | 1987-043F | ||||||||
| USA-26 | 1987-043H | ||||||||
Second generation |
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| USA-60 | 1990-050E | 1990-06-08 | CCAFS Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Cape Canaveral Air Force Station is an installation of the United States Air Force Space Command's 45th Space Wing, headquartered at nearby Patrick Air Force Base. Located on Cape Canaveral in the state of Florida, CCAFS is the primary launch head of America's Eastern Range with four launch pads... LC-41 |
N/A | 1,071 km | 1,146 km | 63.4° | Dispenser designated USA-59 and catalogued as 1990-050A | |
| USA-61 | 1990-050F | ||||||||
| USA-62 | 1990-050H | ||||||||
| USA-74 | 1991-076C | 1991-11-08 | Titan IV(403)A Titan IV The Titan IV family of space boosters were used by the U.S. Air Force. They were launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, and Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. At the time of its introduction, the Titan IV was the "largest unmanned space booster used by the Air Force."The... |
VAFB Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command .... SLC-4E Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 4 Space Launch Complex 4 , was a launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base, used by Atlas and Titan rockets between 1963 and 2005. It consisted of two separate launch pads, SLC-4W and SLC-4E, which were formerly designated PALC2-3 and PALC2-4 respectively. Both pads were originally built for use by... |
1,052 km | 1,164 km | 63.4° | Dispenser designated USA-72 and catalogued as 1991-076A | |
| USA-76 | 1991-076D | ||||||||
| USA-77 | 1991-076E | ||||||||
| Unnamed | N/A | 1993-08-02 | Titan IV(403)A Titan IV The Titan IV family of space boosters were used by the U.S. Air Force. They were launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, and Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. At the time of its introduction, the Titan IV was the "largest unmanned space booster used by the Air Force."The... |
VAFB Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command .... SLC-4E Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 4 Space Launch Complex 4 , was a launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base, used by Atlas and Titan rockets between 1963 and 2005. It consisted of two separate launch pads, SLC-4W and SLC-4E, which were formerly designated PALC2-3 and PALC2-4 respectively. Both pads were originally built for use by... |
Failed to orbit | Exploded due to crack in solid rocket motor caused by poor repair | |||
| Unnamed | N/A | ||||||||
| Unnamed | N/A | ||||||||
| USA-119 | 1996-029A | 1996-05-12 | Titan IV(403)A Titan IV The Titan IV family of space boosters were used by the U.S. Air Force. They were launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, and Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. At the time of its introduction, the Titan IV was the "largest unmanned space booster used by the Air Force."The... |
VAFB Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command .... SLC-4E Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 4 Space Launch Complex 4 , was a launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base, used by Atlas and Titan rockets between 1963 and 2005. It consisted of two separate launch pads, SLC-4W and SLC-4E, which were formerly designated PALC2-3 and PALC2-4 respectively. Both pads were originally built for use by... |
1,050 km | 1,166 km | 63.4° | Dispenser designated USA-122 and catalogued as 1996-029D | |
| USA-120 | 1996-029B | ||||||||
| USA-121 | 1996-029C | ||||||||
Third generation |
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| USA-160 | 2001-040A | 2001-09-08 | Atlas IIAS Atlas II Atlas II was a member of the Atlas family of launch vehicles, which evolved from the successful Atlas missile program of the 1950s. Atlas II was the last Atlas to use a three engine, "stage-and-a-half" design: two of its three engines were jettisoned during ascent, but its fuel tanks and other... |
VAFB Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command .... SLC-3E Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 3 Space Launch Complex 3 is a launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base that has been used by Atlas and Thor rockets. It was built in the early 1960s and consists of two pads, SLC-3E and SLC-3W . The East-West coastline at Vandenberg allows SLC-3 to launch over-ocean polar trajectories that avoid... |
NROL-13 | 1,100 km | 1,100 km | 63° | |
| Unnamed* | 2001-040C | ||||||||
| USA-173 | 2003-054A | 2003-12-02 | Atlas IIAS Atlas II Atlas II was a member of the Atlas family of launch vehicles, which evolved from the successful Atlas missile program of the 1950s. Atlas II was the last Atlas to use a three engine, "stage-and-a-half" design: two of its three engines were jettisoned during ascent, but its fuel tanks and other... |
VAFB Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command .... SLC-3E Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 3 Space Launch Complex 3 is a launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base that has been used by Atlas and Thor rockets. It was built in the early 1960s and consists of two pads, SLC-3E and SLC-3W . The East-West coastline at Vandenberg allows SLC-3 to launch over-ocean polar trajectories that avoid... |
NROL-18 | 1,013 km | 1,200 km | 63.4° | |
| Unnamed* | 2003-054C | ||||||||
| USA-181 | 2005-004A | 2005-02-03 | Atlas IIIB Atlas III The Lockheed Martin Atlas III was an American orbital launch vehicle, used between 2000 and 2005. It was the first member of the Atlas family since the Atlas A to feature a "normal" staging method, compared to the previous Atlas family members, which were equipped with jettisonable engines on the... |
NROL-23 | 1,011 km | 1,209 km | 63.4° | ||
| Unnamed* | 2005-004C | ||||||||
| USA-194 | 2007-027A | 2007-06-15 | Atlas V Atlas V Atlas V is an active expendable launch system in the Atlas rocket family. Atlas V was formerly operated by Lockheed Martin, and is now operated by the Lockheed Martin-Boeing joint venture United Launch Alliance... 401 |
CCAFS Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Cape Canaveral Air Force Station is an installation of the United States Air Force Space Command's 45th Space Wing, headquartered at nearby Patrick Air Force Base. Located on Cape Canaveral in the state of Florida, CCAFS is the primary launch head of America's Eastern Range with four launch pads... SLC-41 |
NROL-30 | 1,053 km | 1,163 km | 63.4° | Launched into lower orbit than planned, spacecraft corrected under own power, at expense of operational life |
| Unnamed* | 2007-027C | ||||||||
| USA-229 USA-229 USA-229, known before launch as NRO Launch 34 , is a pair of American signals intelligence satellites which were launched in 2011. They are operated by the United States National Reconnaissance Office.... |
2011-014A | 2011-04-15 | Atlas V Atlas V Atlas V is an active expendable launch system in the Atlas rocket family. Atlas V was formerly operated by Lockheed Martin, and is now operated by the Lockheed Martin-Boeing joint venture United Launch Alliance... 411 |
VAFB Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command .... SLC-3E Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 3 Space Launch Complex 3 is a launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base that has been used by Atlas and Thor rockets. It was built in the early 1960s and consists of two pads, SLC-3E and SLC-3W . The East-West coastline at Vandenberg allows SLC-3 to launch over-ocean polar trajectories that avoid... |
NROL-34 | 1,014 km | 1,207 km | 63.4° | Possibly fourth generation satellite |
| Unnamed USA-229 USA-229, known before launch as NRO Launch 34 , is a pair of American signals intelligence satellites which were launched in 2011. They are operated by the United States National Reconnaissance Office.... * |
2011-014B | ||||||||
- * - One satellite from each third generation pair is officially catalogued as debris
- data from http://www.astronautix.com/craft/noss.htm, http://www.planet4589.org/space/jsr/back/news.163