List of NRO launches

The National Reconnaissance Office logo

This is a list of NRO Launch (NROL) designations for satellites operated by the United States National Reconnaissance Office. Those missions are generally classified, so that their exact purposes and orbital elements are not published.

However, amateur astronomers have managed to observe most of the satellites, and leaked information has led to the identification of many of the payloads.

Launch statistics

Launch vehicle families

1

2

3

4

5

6

'96

'97

'98

'99

'00

'01

'02

'03

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'05

'06

'07

'08

'09

'10

'11

'12

'13

'14

'15

'16

'17

'18

'19

'20

'21

'22

'23

'24

•   Titan
•   Atlas
•   Taurus/Minotaur
•   Delta
•   Falcon
•   Electron
•   Antares

Launch sites

1

2

3

4

5

6

'96

'97

'98

'99

'00

'01

'02

'03

'04

'05

'06

'07

'08

'09

'10

'11

'12

'13

'14

'15

'16

'17

'18

'19

'20

'21

'22

'23

'24

•   Vandenberg (CA)
•   Cape Canaveral (FL)
•   Kennedy (FL)
•   Wallops Island (VA)
•   Mahia (New Zealand)

Launch history

Launch designation	Payload nickname	Satellite designation	Date/time, UTC	Launch site	Rocket	Orbit	Project	Function	Status	Patch	Remarks
L-1	Nemesis [1]	USA-179	31 August 2004 23:17 [2]	CCAFS, SLC-36A [2]	Atlas IIAS	39,053 × 1,316 km × 63.7° (Molniya) [3]	Quasar 15 [4]	Communications	Entered service, status unknown
L-2		USA-129	20 December 1996 18:04	VAFB, SLC-4E	Titan IV	LEO	KH-11 12 [5]	Optical imaging	Deorbited		Reentered on 1 May 2014. [6] [7]
L-3		USA-133	24 October 1997 02:32	VAFB, SLC-4E	Titan IV	679 × 666 km × 57° (LEO) [8]	Lacrosse 3	Synthetic-aperture radar	Deorbited
L-4	Oscar	USA-136	8 November 1997 02:05	CCAFS, SLC-41	Titan IV/Centaur	36,523 × 3,849 km × 63.6° (Molniya) [9]	Trumpet 3 [10]	ELINT	Entered service, status unknown
L-5	Capricorn [1]	USA-137	29 January 1998 18:37	CCAFS, SLC-36A	Atlas IIA	Molniya	Quasar 12 [4]	Communications	Entered service, status unknown
L-6	Jack	USA-139 [11]	9 May 1998 01:38	CCAFS, SLC-40	Titan IV/Centaur	35,945 × 35,642 km × 8.4° (GSO) [12]	Orion 4 [13]	SIGINT	Entered service, presumed active
L-7	Elwood	N/A	12 August 1998 11:30	CCAFS, SLC-41	Titan IV/Centaur	GSO (planned)	Mercury	ELINT	Destroyed	"Cheers! Saving the Best for Last!!"	Rocket self-destructed 40 seconds into launch due to guidance problem. [14]
L-8		USA-140, USA-141	3 October 1998 10:04	VAFB, LC-576E	Taurus 1110	LEO	STEX	Technology	Entered service, status unknown		ATEX experiment jettisoned on 16 January 1999 and catalogued as USA-141.
L-9		USA-144 [1]	22 May 1999 09:36 [15]	VAFB, SLC-4E [15]	Titan IVB		Misty	Optical imaging	Entered service, status unknown		First Titan IV-B launch from VAFB.
L-10	Ursa Major [1] (Great Bear)	USA-155	6 December 2000 02:47 [2]	CCAFS, SLC-36A	Atlas IIAS	35,854 × 35,732 km × 9.3° (GSO) [16]	Quasar 13 [4]	Communications	Entered service, presumed active
L-11	Onyx / Vega	USA-152	17 August 2000 23:45	VAFB, SLC-4E	Titan IVB	695 × 689 km × 68° (LEO) [8]	Lacrosse 4	SAR	Deorbited
L-12	Aquila [1]	USA-162	11 October 2001 02:32 [2]	CCAFS, SLC-36B	Atlas IIAS	35,803 × 35,785 km × 10.9° (GSO) [17]	Quasar 14 [4]	Communications	Entered service, presumed active
L-13	Gemini [1]	USA-160	8 September 2001 15:25	VAFB, SLC-3E [2]	Atlas IIAS	1,486 × 740 km × 63.4° (LEO) [18]	Intruder 5A & 5B [19]	Naval reconnaissance	Entered service, status unknown		Two satellites.
L-14		USA-161	5 October 2001 21:21	VAFB, SLC-4E	Titan IVB	LEO	KH-11 13 [5]	Optical reconnaissance	Deorbited		Reentered in November 2014. [20] [21]
L-15		USA-237	29 June 2012 13:15 [22]	CCAFS, SLC-37B	Delta IV Heavy (first RS-68A upgrade)	35,960 × 35,628 km × 2.8° (GSO) [23]	Orion 8 [24]	SIGINT	Entered service, presumed active
L-16	Prometheus	USA-182 [11]	30 April 2005 00:50 [25]	CCAFS, SLC-40	Titan IVB	728 × 725 km × 57.0° (LEO) [26]	Lacrosse 5 [8]	SAR	Deorbited
L-17	GeoLITE [1]	USA-158	18 May 2001 17:45 [27]	CCAFS, SLC-17B	Delta II 7925-9.5	GSO	GeoLITE	Technology demonstration	Retired		Boosted to graveyard orbit after end of mission. [28] Testbed for experimental laser and UHF communications payloads. [29]
L-18	Libra [1]	USA-173	2 December 2003 10:04 [2]	VAFB, SLC-3E	Atlas IIAS	1,435 × 786 km × 63.4° (LEO) [30]	Intruder 6A & B [19]	Naval reconnaissance	Entered service, status unknown		Two satellites.
L-19	Homer [31]	USA-171 [11]	9 September 2003 04:29 [32]	CCAFS, SLC-40	Titan IVB-Centaur	35,995 × 35,592 km × 11.4° (GSO) [33]	Orion 5 [24]	SIGINT	Entered service, presumed active
L-20		USA-186 [11]	19 October 2005 18:05 [34]	VAFB, SLC-4E	Titan IVB	473 × 268 km × 96.9° (LEO) [35]	KH-11 14 [5]	Optical imaging	Entered service, presumed active		Last launch of a Titan rocket.
L-21		USA-193 [1]	14 December 2006 21:00 [27]	VAFB, SLC-2W	Delta II 7920-10	LEO	Unknown	Unknown	Destroyed		Failed on orbit immediately after launch. Destroyed by ASAT on 21 February 2008.
L-22		USA-184 [1]	28 June 2006 03:33	VAFB, SLC-6	Delta IV M+(4,2)	38,628 × 1,740 km × 63° (Molniya) [36]	Improved Trumpet 4 [37]	ELINT	Entered service, status unknown
L-23	Canis Minor [1]	USA-181	3 February 2005 07:41	CCAFS, SLC-36B	Atlas IIIB	1,404 × 822 km × 63.4° (LEO) [38]	Intruder 7A & 7B [19]	Naval reconnaissance	Entered service, status unknown		Two satellites.
L-24	Scorpius [1]	USA-198	10 December 2007 22:05	CCAFS, SLC-41	Atlas V 401	39,899 × 461 km × 63.4° (Molniya) [39]	Quasar 16 [4]	Communications	Entered service, presumed active
L-25	Altair	USA-234	3 April 2012 23:12 [40] [41]	VAFB, SLC-6	Delta IV M+ (5,2)	1,112 × 1,109 km × 123° (Retrograde LEO) [42]	Topaz 2 [43]	Radar imaging	Entered service, presumed active
L-26		USA-202	18 January 2009 02:47	CCAFS, SLC-37B	Delta IV Heavy	35,814 × 35,774 km × 6.1° (GSO) [44]	Orion 6 [24]	SIGINT	Entered service, presumed active
L-27	Gryphon [31]	USA-227	11 March 2011 23:38	CCAFS, SLC-37B	Delta IV M+(4,2)	35,810 × 35,778 km × 4.6° (GSO) [45]	Quasar 17 [4]	Communications	Entered service, presumed active
L-28		USA-200	13 March 2008 10:02	VAFB, SLC-3E	Atlas V 411	38,009 × 2,362 km × 63.2° (Molniya) [46]	Improved Trumpet 5 [37]	ELINT	Entered service, status unknown
L-29		N/A		VAFB, SLC-3E	Atlas V 521 [47]				Canceled
L-30	Pyxis [1]	USA-194	15 June 2007 15:12	CCAFS, SLC-41	Atlas V 401	1,347 × 879 km × 63.4° (LEO) [48]	Intruder 8A & 8B [19]	Naval reconnaissance	Entered service, presumed active		Two satellites. Premature 2nd stage cutoff during launch. Lifetime reduced by need to correct orbit.
L-32 [49]		USA-223	21 November 2010 22:58 [50]	CCAFS, SLC-37B	Delta IV Heavy	35,979 × 35,609 km × 4.6° (GSO) [51]	Orion 7 [24]	SIGINT	Entered service, presumed active
L-33 [52]		USA-252	22 May 2014 13:09	CCAFS, SLC-41	Atlas V 401	35,810 × 35,778 km × 2.7° (GSO) [53]	Quasar 19 [4]	Communications	Entered service, presumed active
L-34	Odin [54]	USA-229	15 April 2011 04:24	VAFB, SLC-3E [50]	Atlas V 411	1,261 × 965 km × 63.4° (LEO) [55]	Intruder 9A & 9B [19]	Naval reconnaissance	Entered service, presumed active		Two satellites.
L-35	Jacquelyn	USA-259	13 December 2014 03:19	VAFB, SLC-3E	Atlas V 541	39,083 × 1,286 km × 63.4° (Molniya) [56]	Trumpet 6 (third generation) [57]	ELINT	Entered service, presumed active		First flight of the RL10C-1 rocket engine, used by the Centaur upper stage
L-36 [58]		USA-238 [59]	13 September 2012 21:39 [41]	VAFB, SLC-3E	Atlas V 401	1,225 × 1,001 km × 63.4° (LEO) [60]	Intruder 10A & 10B [19]	Naval reconnaissance	Entered service, presumed active		Two satellites sharing a designation.
L-37 [61]		USA-268	11 June 2016 17:51	CCAFS, SLC-37B	Delta IV Heavy	35,993 × 35,594 km × 6.5° (GSO) [62]	Orion 9 [24]	SIGINT [63]	Entered service, presumed active		Likely the seventh so called Mentor/Orion satellite for the National Security Agency. [64]
L-38 [65]	Drake	USA-236	20 June 2012 12:28 [41]	CCAFS, SLC-41	Atlas V 401	35,815 × 35,773 km × 3.1° (GSO) [66]	Quasar 18 [4]	Communications	Entered service, presumed active
L-39 [67]		USA-247	6 December 2013 07:14 [68]	VAFB, SLC-3E	Atlas V 501	1,113 × 1,109 km × 123° (Retrograde LEO) [69]	Topaz 3 [43]	Radar imaging	Entered service, presumed active
L-41 [49]	Gladys [31]	USA-215 [1]	21 September 2010 04:03 [50]	VAFB, SLC-3E	Atlas V 501	1,112 × 1,109 km × 123° (Retrograde LEO) [70]	Topaz 1 [43]	Radar imaging	Entered service, presumed active
L-42 [71]		USA-278	24 September 2017 05:49:47	VAFB, SLC-3E	Atlas V 541	39,230 × 1,138 km × 63.6° (Molniya) [72]	Trumpet 7 (third generation) [57]	ELINT	Entered service, presumed active
L-44 [71]		USA-311	11 December 2020 01:09	CCSFS, SLC-37B	Delta IV Heavy	35,992 × 35,596 km × 7.6° (GSO) [73]	Orion 10 [64]	SIGINT [63]	Entered service, presumed active [74]
L-45 [67]		USA-267	10 February 2016 11:40	VAFB, SLC-6	Delta IV M+(5,2)	1,115 × 1,106 km × 123° (Retrograde LEO) [75]	Topaz 4 [43]	Radar imaging	Entered service, presumed active
L-47		USA-281	12 January 2018 22:11	VAFB, SLC-6	Delta IV M+(5,2)	1,088 × 1,085 km × 106° (Retrograde LEO) [76]	Topaz 5 [43]	Radar imaging	Entered service, presumed active
L-49 [49]	Betty [31]	USA-224	20 January 2011 21:10 [77]	VAFB, SLC-6	Delta IV Heavy	1,003 × 262 km × 97.9° (LEO) [78]	KH-11 15 [5]	Optical imaging	Entered service, presumed active
L-52 [71]		USA-279	15 October 2017 07:28	CCAFS, SLC-41	Atlas V 421	35,810 × 35,778 km × 3.2° (GSO) [79]	Quasar 21 [80]	Communications	Entered service, presumed active
L-55 [71]		USA-264	8 October 2015 12:49	VAFB, SLC-3E	Atlas V 401	1,150 × 1,076 km × 63.4° (LEO) [81] [82]	Intruder 11A & 11B	Naval reconnisance [64]	Entered service, presumed active		Two classified satellites (NROL-55) and 13 CubeSats.
L-56 [83]		-	NLT 2026	CCAFS, SLC-41	Vulcan Centaur				Awaiting launch
L-61 [71]	Spike [84]	USA-269	28 July 2016 12:37 [85]	CCAFS, SLC-41	Atlas V 421	35,808 × 35,779 km × 2.8° (GSO) [86] [87]	Quasar 20 [80]	Communications	Entered service, presumed active
L-64		-	2025 [88]	CCSFS, SLC-41	Vulcan Centaur				Awaiting launch
L-65 [89]		USA-245	28 August 2013 18:03	VAFB, SLC-6	Delta IV Heavy	991 × 275 km × 97.9° (LEO) [90]	KH-11 16 [5]	Optical imaging	Entered service, presumed active
L-66 [91]		USA-225	6 February 2011 12:26	VAFB, SLC-8	Minotaur I	1,232 × 1,214 km × 90.1° (LEO) [92]	RPP	Technology	Entered service, status unknown
L-67 [93]		USA-250	10 April 2014 17:45	CCAFS, SLC-41	Atlas V 541	35,811 × 35,777 km × 1.4° (GSO) [94]	SIGINT High Altitude Replenishment Program (SHARP-1)	SIGINT	Entered service, presumed active
L-68 [63]		USA-345	22 June 2023 09:18 [95]	CCSFS, SLC-37B	Delta IV Heavy		Orion 11	SIGINT	Entered service, presumed active
L-69 [96]		-	Q1 2024 [97]	KSC, LC-39A or CCSFS, SLC-40 [98]	Falcon 9 Block 5				Awaiting launch
L-70 [63]		-	9 April 2024 [99]	CCSFS, SLC-37B	Delta IV Heavy		Orion 12	SIGINT	Entered service, status unknown		Last launch of Delta family
L-71 [71]		USA-290	19 January 2019 19:05 [41] [100]	VAFB, SLC-6	Delta IV Heavy	423 × 406 km × 73.6° (LEO) [101]	KH-11 17 [5]	Optical imaging	Entered service, presumed active
L-73 [83]		-	NLT 2026	VSFB, SLC-3E	Vulcan Centaur				Awaiting launch
L-76 [102]		USA-276	1 May 2017 11:15 [103]	KSC, LC-39A	Falcon 9 Full Thrust	393 × 393 km × 50.0° (LEO) [104] [105] [106]			Entered service, presumed active
L-77 [83]		-	NLT 2026	CCSFS or KSC	Falcon 9 Block 5				Awaiting launch
L-79 [71] [107]		USA-274	1 March 2017 17:50 [108]	VAFB, SLC-3E	Atlas V 401	1,119 × 1,107 km × 63.4° (LEO) [109]	Intruder 12A & 12B [19]	Naval reconnaissance	Entered service, presumed active		Two classified satellites sharing a designation.
L-82 [63] [110]		USA-314	26 April 2021 20:47 [111]	VAFB, SLC-6	Delta IV Heavy	794 × 535 km × 98.1° (LEO) [112]	KH-11 18 [5]	Electro-optical surveillance	Entered service, presumed active
L-83		-	2025 [113]	VSFB, SLC-3E	Vulcan Centaur				Awaiting launch
L-85 [114]		USA-327	17 April 2022 13:13	VSFB, SLC-4E	Falcon 9 Block 5	LEO 63° [115]	Intruder 13A & 13B	Naval reconnaissance	Entered service, presumed active
L-87 [116]		USA-326	2 February 2022 20:27 [117]	VSFB, SLC-4E	Falcon 9 Block 5	SSO [115]			Entered service, presumed active
L-91 [110]		USA-338	24 September 2022 22:25 [118]	VSFB, SLC-6	Delta IV Heavy	LEO	KH-11 19	Electro-optical surveillance	Entered service, presumed active
L-100 [83]		-	NLT 2026	VSFB, SLC-3E	Vulcan Centaur				Awaiting launch
L-101		USA-310	13 November 2020 22:32 [119]	CCAFS, SLC-41	Atlas V 531	11105 × 11081 km × 58.5° (MEO) [120]			Entered service, presumed active
L-107 [116]		USA-346 USA-347 USA-348	10 September 2023 12:47 [121]	CCSFS, SLC-41	Atlas V 551	GSO 42464 × 41864 km × 0°	Silentbarker	Situational awareness [122]	Entered service, presumed active		Three satellites
L-108 [123]		USA-312 USA-313	19 December 2020 14:00 [124]	KSC, LC-39A	Falcon 9 Block 5	540 × 528 km × 53°(LEO) [125]			Entered service, presumed active		Two satellites, possibly SpaceX Starshield prototypes. [126]
L-109 [83]		-	NLT 2026	CCAFS, SLC-41	Vulcan Centaur				Awaiting launch
L-111 [127]		USA-316 USA-317 USA-318	15 June 2021 13:35 UTC	MARS, LP-0B	Minotaur I			Technology	Entered service, presumed active		Three satellites.
L-113		USA-400	6 September 2024 03:20 [128]	VSFB, SLC-4E	Falcon 9 Block 5	LEO			Entered service, presumed active		NRO's Proliferated Architecture Mission of 21  Starshield satellites. [129]
L-118 [83]		-	NLT 2026	CCAFS, SLC-41	Vulcan Centaur	GSO	Silentbarker	Situational awareness	Awaiting launch
L-123 [130] (RASR-5)		USA-352 MOLA Aerocube 16A Aerocube 16B	21 March 2024 07:25 UTC	MARS, LP-0C	Electron	LEO		Technology	Entered service, presumed active		RASR-5. Four satellites. First NRO launch on an Electron from Wallops, VA.
L-126		USA 438, USA 339	30 November 2024 8:10 [131]	VSFB, SLC-4E	Falcon 9 Block 5	LEO			Entered service, presumed active		NRO's Proliferated Architecture Mission of 2  Starshield satellites with 20 Starlink Group N-01 satellites.. [132]
L-129 [133] [134]		USA-305 USA-306 USA-307 USA-308	15 July 2020 13:46 UTC	MARS, LP-0B	Minotaur IV / Orion 38	580 × 574 km × 54.0° (LEO) [135]			Entered service, presumed active		Four payloads. First NRO launch on a Minotaur IV and first from Virginia's Space Coast. [136]
L-146		USA-354 - USA-374	22 May 2024 08:00 [137]	VSFB, SLC-4E	Falcon 9 Block 5	425 × 310 km × 69.7° LEO			Entered service, presumed active		NRO's Proliferated Architecture Mission of 21  Starshield satellites. [138]
L-151 [139] [140] (RASR-1)	Deep Dive [141]	USA-294 [142]	31 January 2020 02:56 [143]	Mahia, LC-1A	Electron	594 × 586 km × 70.0° (LEO) [144]		Technology	Entered service, presumed active		First Rocket Lab Electron launch, first launch from outside the United States (New Zealand), and first launch procured under NRO's Rapid Acquisition of a Small Rocket (RASR) program. Flew on Rocket Lab's "Birds of a Feather" mission.
L-162 [145] (RASR-3)		USA-334	13 July 2022 06:30	Mahia, LC-1A	Electron				Entered service, presumed active		RASR-3. Back-to-back launch under NRO's Rapid Acquisition of a Small Rocket (RASR) program. [146]
L-167		USA-421	24 October 2024 17:13 [147]	VSFB, SLC-4E	Falcon 9 Block 5	LEO			Entered service, presumed active		NRO's Proliferated Architecture Mission of 17  Starshield satellites. [148]
L-174 [149]		-	was May 2024, [150] now thought to be December 2024 [151]	VSFB, SLC-8	Minotaur IV / Orion 38				Awaiting launch
L-186		USA-375 - USA-395	29 June 2024 03:14 [152]	VSFB, SLC-4E	Falcon 9 Block 5	LEO			Entered service, presumed active		NRO's Proliferated Architecture Mission of 21  Starshield satellites. [153]
L-199 [154] (RASR-4)		USA-335	4 August 2022 05:00	Mahia, LC-1B	Electron				Entered service, presumed active		RASR-4. Back-to-back launch under NRO's Rapid Acquisition of a Small Rocket (RASR) program. [146]
RASR-2 [155] [156]		USA-301 USA-302 USA-303	13 June 2020 05:12	Mahia, LC-1A	Electron				Entered service, presumed active		Three technology demonstration smallsats. Primary customer of the rideshare mission procured under NRO's Rapid Acquisition of a Small Rocket (RASR) program. Flew on Rocket Lab's "Don't Stop Me Now" mission.
Undesignated [157]		IMPACT-2A and IMPACT-2B	2 November 2019 13:59:47	MARS, Pad 0A	Antares			Technology demonstration	Entered service, presumed active		Two technology demonstration CubeSats launched as part of the NRO's IMPACT program. Secondary payloads, launched with Cygnus NG-12.
Launch designation	Launch name	Satellite designation	Launch date/time (UTC)	Launch site	Rocket	Orbit	Project	Function	Status	Patch	Remarks

See also

• Spaceflight portal

• List of USA satellites
• National Security Space Launch#Missions

References

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2. Encyclopedia Astronautica – Atlas IIAS Astronautix.com Retrieved on September 15, 2011.
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External links

• National Security Space Launch Report (pages 112)