Success

Atlas IIAS | NROL-13

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.

Mission type: Government/Top Secret · Orbit: Low Earth Orbit

Rocket: Atlas IIAS · Provider: Lockheed Martin

Launch pad

Space Launch Complex 3E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA · View on map (opens in new tab)