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Cape Canaveral LC37B

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AKA: SLC37. First Launch: 1964-01-29. Last Launch: 2014-07-28. Number: 30 . Longitude: -80.56 deg. Latitude: 28.53 deg.

• Saturn 5 - . Payload: Saturn-SA 5. Mass: 17,100 kg (37,600 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Huntsville. Program: Apollo. Class: Technology. Type: Re-entry test vehicle. Spacecraft: Jupiter nose cone. Decay Date: 1966-04-30 . USAF Sat Cat: 744 . COSPAR: 1964-005A. Apogee: 740 km (450 mi). Perigee: 274 km (170 mi). Inclination: 31.40 deg. Period: 94.80 min.

  First first mission of Block II Saturn with two live stages. SA-5, a vehicle development flight, was launched from Cape Kennedy Complex 37B at 11:25:01.41, e.s.t. This was the first flight of the Saturn I Block II configuration (i.e., lengthened fuel tanks in the S-1 and stabilizing tail fins), as well as the first flight of a live (powered) S-IV upper stage. The S-1, powered by eight H-1 engines, reached a full thrust of over 680,400 kilograms (1.5 million pounds) the first time in flight. The S-IV's 41,000 kilogram (90,000-pound-thrust cluster of six liquid-hydrogen RL-10 engines performed as expected. The Block II SA-5 was also the first flight test of the Saturn I guidance system.

• Saturn 6 - . Payload: Apollo CSM Boilerplate 13. Mass: 16,900 kg (37,200 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Houston. Program: Apollo. Class: Moon. Type: Manned lunar spacecraft. Spacecraft Bus: Apollo. Spacecraft: Apollo CSM, CSM Structural. Decay Date: 1964-06-01 . USAF Sat Cat: 800 . COSPAR: 1964-025A. Apogee: 204 km (126 mi). Perigee: 179 km (111 mi). Inclination: 31.70 deg. Period: 88.20 min. Apollo Saturn Mission A-101, using CM BP-13 atop SA-6 Saturn I launch vehicle, launched at Cape Kennedy, Fla., to prove spacecraft/launch vehicle compatibility. Boilerplate CSM, LM adapter, LES. LES jettison demonstrated..

• Saturn 7 - . Payload: Apollo CSM Boilerplate 15. Mass: 16,700 kg (36,800 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Houston. Program: Apollo. Class: Moon. Type: Manned lunar spacecraft. Spacecraft Bus: Apollo. Spacecraft: Apollo CSM, CSM Structural. Decay Date: 1964-09-22 . USAF Sat Cat: 883 . COSPAR: 1964-057A. Apogee: 215 km (133 mi). Perigee: 181 km (112 mi). Inclination: 31.70 deg. Period: 88.50 min. Apollo systems test. Third orbital test. First closed-loop guidance test..

• Pegasus 1 - . Payload: Pegasus 1. Mass: 10,400 kg (22,900 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Huntsville. Program: Apollo. Class: Earth. Type: Micrometeoroid satellite. Spacecraft: Pegasus satellite. Decay Date: 1978-09-17 . USAF Sat Cat: 1085 . COSPAR: 1965-009A. Apogee: 726 km (451 mi). Perigee: 510 km (310 mi). Inclination: 31.70 deg. Period: 97.00 min.

  A Saturn I vehicle SA-9 launched a multiple payload into a high 744 by 496 km (462 by 308 mi) earth orbit. The rocket carried a boilerplate (BP) CSM (BP-16) and, fitted inside the SM, the Pegasus I meteoroid detection satellite. This was the eighth successful Saturn flight in a row, and the first to carry an active payload. BP-16's launch escape tower was jettisoned following second-stage S-IV ignition. After attaining orbit, the spacecraft were separated from the S-IV. Thereupon the Pegasus I's panels were deployed and were ready to perform their task, i.e., registering meteoroid impact and relaying the information to the ground.

• Apollo-Model 3 - . Payload: Apollo CSM Boilerplate 16. Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Houston. Program: Apollo. Class: Moon. Type: Manned lunar spacecraft. Spacecraft: Apollo CSM, CSM Structural. Decay Date: 1985-07-10 . USAF Sat Cat: 1088 . COSPAR: 1965-009B. Apogee: 736 km (457 mi). Perigee: 500 km (310 mi). Inclination: 31.70 deg. Period: 97.06 min.

• Pegasus 2 - . Payload: Pegasus 2. Mass: 10,464 kg (23,069 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Huntsville. Program: Apollo. Class: Earth. Type: Micrometeoroid satellite. Spacecraft: Pegasus satellite. Decay Date: 1979-11-03 . USAF Sat Cat: 1381 . COSPAR: 1965-039A. Apogee: 740 km (450 mi). Perigee: 502 km (311 mi). Inclination: 31.70 deg. Period: 97.00 min.

  Pegasus 2 was a meteoroid detection satellite. The Saturn I launch vehicle (SA-8) placed the spacecraft, protected by a boilerplate CSM (BP-26), into a 740-by-509-km (460-by-316-mi) orbit. Once in orbit, the dummy CSM was jettisoned. Pegasus 2, still attached to the second stage of the launch vehicle, then deployed its 29-m (96-ft) winglike panels. Within several hours, the device began registering meteoroid hits.

• Apollo-Model 4 - . Payload: Apollo CSM Boilerplate 26. Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Houston. Program: Apollo. Class: Moon. Type: Manned lunar spacecraft. Spacecraft: Apollo CSM, CSM Structural. Decay Date: 1989-07-08 . USAF Sat Cat: 1385 . COSPAR: 1965-039B. Apogee: 739 km (459 mi). Perigee: 511 km (317 mi). Inclination: 31.70 deg. Period: 97.21 min.

• Pegasus 3 - . Payload: Pegasus 3. Mass: 10,500 kg (23,100 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Huntsville. Program: Apollo. Class: Earth. Type: Micrometeoroid satellite. Spacecraft: Pegasus satellite. Decay Date: 1969-08-04 . USAF Sat Cat: 1467 . COSPAR: 1965-060A. Apogee: 449 km (278 mi). Perigee: 441 km (274 mi). Inclination: 28.90 deg. Period: 93.40 min.

  NASA launched Pegasus 3, third of the meteoroid detection satellites, as scheduled at 8:00 a.m. EST, from Cape Kennedy. As earlier, an Apollo spacecraft (boilerplate 9) served as the payload's shroud. This flight (SA-10) marked the end of the Saturn I program, which during its seven-year lifetime had achieved 10 straight successful launches and had contributed immeasurably to American rocket technology.

• Apollo-Model 5 - . Payload: Apollo CSM Boilerplate 9A. Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Houston. Program: Apollo. Class: Moon. Type: Manned lunar spacecraft. Spacecraft: Apollo CSM, CSM Structural. Decay Date: 1975-11-22 . USAF Sat Cat: 1468 . COSPAR: 1965-060B. Apogee: 536 km (333 mi). Perigee: 521 km (323 mi). Inclination: 28.80 deg. Period: 95.21 min.

• Apollo 203 - . Payload: Saturn S-IVB-203. Mass: 26,500 kg (58,400 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Huntsville. Program: Apollo. Decay Date: 1966-07-05 . USAF Sat Cat: 2289 . COSPAR: 1966-059A. Apogee: 212 km (131 mi). Perigee: 183 km (113 mi). Inclination: 31.90 deg. Period: 88.50 min.

  First orbital test Saturn IB; no spacecraft. AS-203 lifted off from Launch Complex 37, Eastern Test Range, at 10:53 a.m. EDT in the second of three Apollo-Saturn missions scheduled before manned flight in the Apollo program. All objectives - to acquire flight data on the S-IVB stage and instrument unit - were achieved.

  The uprated Saturn I - consisting of an S-IB stage, S-IVB stage, and an instrument unit - boosted an unmanned payload into an original orbit of 185 by 189 kilometers. The inboard engine cutoff of the first stage occurred after 2 minutes 18 seconds of flight and the outboard engine cutoff was 4 seconds later. The S-IVB engine burned 4 minutes 50 seconds. No recovery was planned and the payload was expected to enter the earth's atmosphere after about four days.

• Apollo 5 - . Payload: Apollo LM-1. Mass: 14,360 kg (31,650 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Houston. Program: Apollo. Class: Moon. Type: Manned lunar lander. Spacecraft: Apollo LM. Decay Date: 1968-02-12 . USAF Sat Cat: 3107 . COSPAR: 1968-007B. Apogee: 374 km (232 mi). Perigee: 169 km (105 mi). Inclination: 31.60 deg. Period: 89.90 min.

  NASA launched Apollo 5 - the first, unmanned LM flight - on a Saturn IB from KSC Launch Complex 37B at 5:48:08 p.m. EST. Mission objectives included verifying operation of the LM structure itself and its two primary propulsion systems, to evaluate LM staging, and to evaluate orbital performances of the S-IVB stage and instrument unit. Flight of the AS-204 launch vehicle went as planned, with nosecone (replacing the CSM) jettisoned and LM separating. Flight of LM-1 also went as planned up to the first descent propulsion engine firing. Because velocity increase did not build up as quickly as predicted, the LM guidance system shut the engine down after only four seconds of operation, boosting the LM only to a 171 x 222 km orbit. Mission control personnel in Houston and supporting groups quickly analyzed the problem. They determined that the difficulty was one of guidance software only (and not a fault in hardware design) and pursued an alternate mission plan that ensured meeting the minimum requirements necessary to achieve the primary objectives of the mission. The ascent stage separated and boosted itself into a 172 x 961 km orbit. After mission completion at 2:45 a.m. EST January 23, LM stages were left in orbit to reenter the atmosphere later and disintegrate. Apollo program directors attributed success of the mission to careful preplanning of alternate ways to accomplish flight objectives in the face of unforeseen events.

• Eutelsat W5 - . Payload: Spacebus 3000B2. Mass: 3,170 kg (6,980 lb). Nation: Europe. Agency: Eutelsat. Manufacturer: Cannes. Program: Eutelsat. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft: Spacebus 3000. USAF Sat Cat: 27554 . COSPAR: 2002-051A. Apogee: 35,801 km (22,245 mi). Perigee: 35,788 km (22,237 mi). Inclination: 0.10 deg. Period: 1,436.50 min.

  Maiden flight of the Delta 4 EELV booster, delayed due to development problems from January and November 2001, April 30, July 15, August 31, October 9, November 3, 16 and 19. EUTELSAT W5 was a European (EUTELSAT Consortium) geostationary communication spacecraft. EUTELSAT W5 was to provide voice, video, and Internet services to all countries in western Europe, central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent through its 24 Ku-band transponders after being parked over 70.5° E longitude. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 70.55E drifting at 0.004W degrees per day.

• USA 167 - . Payload: DSCS III A-3. Mass: 1,235 kg (2,722 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Program: DSCS. Class: Communications. Type: Military communications satellite. Spacecraft: DSCS III. USAF Sat Cat: 27691 . COSPAR: 2003-008A. Apogee: 35,801 km (22,245 mi). Perigee: 35,773 km (22,228 mi). Inclination: 5.73 deg. Period: 1,436.12 min. First flight of a fully cryogenic orbital launch vehicle. Delayed from December 2001, February 2, 6, 8, 11, 12 and March 8 2003. Satellite mas 2,733 kg with kick stage..

• USA 170 - . Payload: DSCS-3-B6. Mass: 1,235 kg (2,722 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Class: Communications. Type: Military communications satellite. Spacecraft: DSCS III. USAF Sat Cat: 27875 . COSPAR: 2003-040A. Apogee: 35,791 km (22,239 mi). Perigee: 35,781 km (22,233 mi). Inclination: 4.91 deg. Period: 1,436.07 min. Delayed from July 1, 11 and 23, then August 3 and 28..

• USA 181 - . Payload: Demosat / HLVOLSDP. Mass: 5,993 kg (13,212 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. USAF Sat Cat: 28500 . COSPAR: 2004-050A. Apogee: 36,413 km (22,625 mi). Perigee: 19,035 km (11,827 mi). Inclination: 13.48 deg. Period: 1,044.23 min.

  Mass model payload. First launch of a heavy EELV. The demonstration satellite was supposed to have been inserted into a sub-geosynchronous 36,350 km circular orbit but was instead deployed in a 19,035 km x 36,413 km orbit following a 5-hour and 50-minute flight. A shorter than expected first burn of the Centaur upper stage led to an orbit well below that planned. The Air Force EELV program office claimed that the primary flight objectives were accomplished. These included the heavy boost phase, flight of the new five-meter diameter Centaur upper stage and five-meter payload fairing, extended coast, upper stage third burn and payload separation, and activation and usage of Space Launch Complex 37B. Delayed from September 2003, July 3, September 10, November 18, December 10, 11 and 12.

• 3CSat 1 Sparkie - . Payload: Nanosat 2. Mass: 15 kg (33 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Manufacturer: New Mexico. Class: Technology. Type: Navigation technology satellite. Spacecraft: 3CSat. COSPAR: 2004-050x.

  One of a pair of student-built nanosats for stero cloud imagery. The satellites did not contact the ground after separation from the booster in a lower-than-planned orbit and their fate was unclear. It was believed that they separated but re-entered rapidly from the 105 km perigee orbit.

• 3CSat 2 Ralphie - . Payload: Nanosat 2. Mass: 15 kg (33 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Manufacturer: Colorado. Class: Technology. Type: Navigation technology satellite. Spacecraft: 3CSat. COSPAR: 2004-050x.

• GOES 13 - . Mass: 3,199 kg (7,052 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NOAA. Manufacturer: Boeing. Program: GOES. Class: Earth. Type: Weather satellite. Spacecraft: HS 601. USAF Sat Cat: 29155 . COSPAR: 2006-018A. Apogee: 35,791 km (22,239 mi). Perigee: 35,779 km (22,231 mi). Inclination: 0.50 deg. Period: 1,436.00 min.

  GOES-13 carried weather imager and sounder instruments, a space environment monitor, and a soft X-ray solar imaging telescope. Mass was 1543 kg empty. It joined GOES 10 (operating as GOES-WEST), GOES 12 (operating as GOES-EAST) and GOES 11 (on standby, set to replace GOES-10 on June 27). As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 105.26W drifting at 0.008W degrees per day.

• USA 197 - . Payload: DSP-1 Block 18 F23. Mass: 2,270 kg (5,000 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NSA. Manufacturer: TRW. Class: Surveillance. Type: Early warning satellite. Spacecraft: DSP. USAF Sat Cat: 32287 . COSPAR: 2007-054A. Apogee: 36,325 km (22,571 mi). Perigee: 35,800 km (22,200 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Period: 1,436.00 min.

  Final DSP launch. The series was to be replaced by SBIRS, which was in the middle of a troubled development program. The Delta 4H performed well after problems on its first launch. The RL10-powered upper stage made three burns before releasing the early-warning satellite in its final geosynchronous orbit. Total cost of the flight was $700 million, with the DSP worth $400 million. The DSP carried a special 25 kg supplementary payload designed to detect extremely small nuclear tests in space. The payload was required by a secret White House/National Security Council directive to detect any attempted covert nuclear tests by Iran or North Korea.

• USA 202 - . Payload: Orion 6 / NROL-26. Mass: 5,400 kg (11,900 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NRO. Class: Surveillance. Type: SIGINT. Spacecraft: Advanced Orion. USAF Sat Cat: 33490 . COSPAR: 2009-001A. Apogee: 38,077 km (23,659 mi). Perigee: 35,943 km (22,333 mi). Inclination: 3.00 deg. Period: 1,440.00 min. Classified signals intelligence satellite. It was speculated that it was a large-antenna spacecraft with the same mission as earlier Rhyolite, Aquacade, Magnum, and Orion missions..

• GOES 14 - . Payload: HS 601HP. Mass: 3,210 kg (7,070 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: Martin. Program: GOES. Class: Earth. Type: Weather satellite. Spacecraft: HS 601. USAF Sat Cat: 35491 . COSPAR: 2009-033A. Apogee: 35,788 km (22,237 mi). Perigee: 35,786 km (22,236 mi). Inclination: 0.50 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min. Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite..

• USA 211 - . Payload: WGS 3. Mass: 5,990 kg (13,200 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: Martin. Class: Communications. Type: Military communications satellite. Spacecraft: HS 702. USAF Sat Cat: 36108 . COSPAR: 2009-068A. Apogee: 64,827 km (40,281 mi). Perigee: 31,268 km (19,428 mi). Inclination: 0.60 deg. Period: 2,106.00 min. US Army Wideband Global Satcom, carried X-band and Ka-band communications payloads..

• GOES 15 - . Mass: 3,240 kg (7,140 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: Martin. Program: GOES. Class: Earth. Type: Weather satellite. Spacecraft: HS 601. USAF Sat Cat: 36411 . COSPAR: 2010-008A. Apogee: 35,803 km (22,246 mi). Perigee: 35,770 km (22,220 mi). Inclination: 0.30 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min.

• USA 213 - . Payload: Navstar 65 / GPS SVN 62 / IIF-1 / Polaris. Mass: 1,630 kg (3,590 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: Boeing. Class: Navigation. Type: Navigation satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Navstar. Spacecraft: GPS Block 2F. USAF Sat Cat: 36585 . COSPAR: 2010-022A. Apogee: 20,225 km (12,567 mi). Perigee: 20,188 km (12,544 mi). Inclination: 55.00 deg. Period: 719.00 min.

  First Block IIF Global Positioning System satellite. Supported the L1M and L2M military GPS channels, the L2C civilian channel and a new L5 civilian channel. Also included a nuclear explosion detection system. The IIF system replaces earlier Block I, Block II, and IIA series built by Rockwell/Seal Beach (now part of Boeing) and Block IIR satellites built by Lockheed Martin/Valley Forge.

• USA 223 - . Payload: Orion 7 / NROL-32. Mass: 5,400 kg (11,900 lb). Nation: USA. Class: Surveillance. Type: SIGINT. Spacecraft: Advanced Orion. USAF Sat Cat: 37232 . COSPAR: 2010-063A. Apogee: 35,800 km (22,200 mi). Perigee: 35,800 km (22,200 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Period: 1,436.00 min. Probable geosynchronous signals intelligence satellite..

• USA 227 - . Payload: NROL-27. Nation: USA. Class: Communications. Type: Military communications satellite. Spacecraft: Quasar. USAF Sat Cat: 37377 . COSPAR: 2011-011A. Apogee: 35,800 km (22,200 mi). Perigee: 35,800 km (22,200 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Period: 1,440.00 min. Probable classified Satellite Data System communications satellite inserted into geostationary orbit..

• USA 232 - . Payload: Navstar 66 / GPS SVN 63 / IIF-2 / Sirius. Mass: 1,630 kg (3,590 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: Boeing. Class: Navigation. Type: Navigation satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Navstar. Spacecraft: GPS Block 2F. USAF Sat Cat: 37753 . COSPAR: 2011-036A. Apogee: 20,188 km (12,544 mi). Perigee: 20,177 km (12,537 mi). Inclination: 55.00 deg. Period: 718.00 min. Second Block IIF Global Positioning System satellite..

• USA 233 - . Payload: WGS 4. Mass: 6,000 kg (13,200 lb). Nation: USA. Class: Communications. Type: Military communications satellite. Spacecraft: HS 702. USAF Sat Cat: 38070 . COSPAR: 2012-003A. Apogee: 66,872 km (41,552 mi). Perigee: 27,959 km (17,372 mi). Inclination: 1.10 deg. Period: 2,069.50 min. Fourth Wideband Global Satcom satellite, providing high bandwidth communications for the US military. Operated by US Army Space Command, placed in an initial supersynchronous geostationary transfer orbit..

• USA 237 - . Payload: Orion 8 / NROL-15. Mass: 5,400 kg (11,900 lb). Nation: USA. Class: Surveillance. Type: SIGINT. Spacecraft: Advanced Orion. USAF Sat Cat: 38528 . COSPAR: 2012-034A. Apogee: 35,800 km (22,200 mi). Perigee: 35,800 km (22,200 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Period: 1,440.00 min. Probable geosynchronous signals intelligence satellite..

• USA 239 - . Payload: Navstar 67 / GPS SVN 65 /IIF-3 / SV-1 Arcturus. Mass: 1,630 kg (3,590 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: Boeing. Class: Navigation. Type: Navigation satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Navstar. Spacecraft: GPS Block 2F. USAF Sat Cat: 38833 . COSPAR: 2012-053A. Apogee: 20,192 km (12,546 mi). Perigee: 20,174 km (12,535 mi). Inclination: 55.00 deg. Period: 718.00 min.

  Third GPS Block IIF satellite, spacecraft 65; replaced SVN 39 in the Navstar constellation. The upper stage and payload first entered a 163 km x 394 km x 41.6 deg parking orbit, followed by a 254 km x 20448 km x 43.3 deg transfer orbit and then a third burn into the final 20426 km x 20481 km x 55.0 deg circular orbit where the satellite was deployed. The RL-10 second stage engine operated at lower than planned thrust during the first two burns, but onboard software compensated by increasing the duration of the engine firings.

• USA 243 - . Payload: WGS 5. Mass: 5,987 kg (13,199 lb). Nation: USA. Class: Communications. Type: Communications satellite. Spacecraft: HS 702. USAF Sat Cat: 39168 . COSPAR: 2013-024A. Apogee: 40,362 km (25,079 mi). Perigee: 31,171 km (19,368 mi). Inclination: 0.23 deg. Period: 1,435.07 min. Wideband Gapfiller Satellite; provided communications for the US military from geosynchronous orbit..

• USA 253 - . Payload: GSSAP-1. Mass: 2,500 kg (5,500 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: ULAB. Spacecraft Bus: GeoStar-1. Spacecraft: GSSAP. USAF Sat Cat: 40099 . COSPAR: 2014-043A. Apogee: 35,500 km (22,000 mi). Perigee: 35,500 km (22,000 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Designed to catalog satellites and space debris in geostationary orbit. Built by Orbital for US Air Force Space Command. Orbit and mass classified; figures shown are speculative..

• USA 254 - . Payload: GSSAP-2. Mass: 2,500 kg (5,500 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: ULAB. Spacecraft Bus: GeoStar-1. Spacecraft: GSSAP. USAF Sat Cat: 40100 . COSPAR: 2014-043B. Apogee: 35,500 km (22,000 mi). Perigee: 35,500 km (22,000 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Designed to catalog satellites and space debris in geostationary orbit. Built by Orbital for US Air Force Space Command. Orbit and mass classified; figures shown are speculative..

• USA 255 - . Payload: ANGELS. Mass: 70 kg (154 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: ULAB. Spacecraft: ANGELS. USAF Sat Cat: 40101 . COSPAR: 2014-043C. Apogee: 35,500 km (22,000 mi). Perigee: 15,000 km (9,000 mi). Inclination: 25.00 deg.

  Small satellite for the Air Force Research Lab which made observations of the Delta rocket's second stage at ranges from 50 kilometers down to a few kilometers, for further development of satellite inspection technology. Orbit and mass classified; figures shown are speculative.

• Orion EFT-1 - . Mass: 9,400 kg (20,700 lb). Nation: USA. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spacecraft. Spacecraft Bus: Orion CEV. Spacecraft: Orion. Decay Date: 2014-12-05 . USAF Sat Cat: 40329 . COSPAR: 2014-077A. Apogee: 5,809 km (3,609 mi). Perigee: -37 km (-37 mi). Inclination: 28.80 deg.

  Exploration Flight Test 1 used an Orion Crew Module (probably around 9400 kg) with an LAS launch escape tower, atop a dummy Service Module with jettisonable side panels, which in turn was fixed to the OSA (Orion-to-Stage-Adapter). This vehicle was mounted on the second stage of a Delta IV Heavy vehicle 369. Delta 369's second stage was inserted into a 185 km x 888 km x 28.8 deg orbit at 12:22 GMT, 17 minutes after launch. The stage made a second burn at 14:00, entering a -37 km x 5.807 km orbit; apogee was at 1510. At 15:28 the Orion CM separated from the stage. The Orion CM made a small RCS adjust burn at 16:02 and entered the atmosphere at 8.9 km/s at 16:18, landing at 16:29 off Baja California at 23.60 deg N x 116.46 deg W. It was recovered by the USS Anchorage.

• USA 260 - . Payload: Navstar 73 / GPS SVN 71 / IIF-9 / Deneb. Mass: 1,630 kg (3,590 lb). Nation: USA. Class: Navigation. Type: Navigation satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Navstar. Spacecraft: GPS Block 2F. USAF Sat Cat: 40534 . COSPAR: 2015-013A. Apogee: 20,195 km (12,548 mi). Perigee: 20,169 km (12,532 mi). Inclination: 55.04 deg. Period: 717.97 min. Nicknamed Deneb; launched into a 12-hour-period orbit to join the navigation constellation..

• USA 263 - . Payload: WGS 7. Mass: 6,200 kg (13,600 lb). Nation: USA. Class: Communications. Type: Communications satellite. Spacecraft: HS 702. USAF Sat Cat: 40746 . COSPAR: 2015-036A. Apogee: 66,798 km (41,506 mi). Perigee: 494 km (306 mi). Inclination: 24.10 deg.

  Wideband Global Satcom military communications satellite launched initially into a supersynchronous geotransfer orbit. WGS satellites were managed by the USAF Space and Missile Center and replaced the older DSCS system with X-band and Ka-band communications systems. Second Delta 4 launch to use the uprated RS-68A main engine.

• USA 268 - . Payload: SIGINT. Nation: USA. Class: Surveillance. Type: SIGINT. Spacecraft: Advanced Orion. USAF Sat Cat: 41584 . COSPAR: 2016-036A. Apogee: 36,000 km (22,000 mi). Perigee: 35,612 km (22,128 mi). Inclination: 7.50 deg.

  The NROL-37 mission was a large signals intelligence (SIGINT) satellite, placed in geosynchronous orbit at 103 deg E over the Indian Ocean. Possibly the second Orion/Sharp model. There were two main lineages of GEO SIGINT satellites operated by the US National Reconnaissance Office: MERCURY (originally CANYON); and RHYOLITE (later AQUACADE), which was replaced in the 1980s by ORION (whose other rumoured codenames include MAGNUM and MENTOR). Launches of the MERCURY series ended in 1998, at which time it was rumoured that its capabilites would be merged into the ORION series. A number of observers suggested that the 2014 GEO SIGINT launch of USA 250 on an Atlas V was a one-off mission not part of the ORION series, and that with an increase in mass ORION had moved to using the RS-68A-powered Delta 4 Heavy rockets. It was further been suggested that the 2014 launch might be the NEMESIS 2 satellite mentioned in leaked FY2013 budget documents; however a close reading of those documents showed that funding for the latter project was cut off after FY2011, which implies that it was either launched by then or cancelled (more likely given the sudden drop from half-billion-dollar-level funding to zero). The documents also mention SHARP, the SIGINT High Altitude Replenishment Program, funded at a high level in FY2011-2013 and reportedly also since. It's possible the 2012 and 2016 launches may represent a new ORION/SHARP series, or that they are beefed up ORION and the 2014 launch was a SHARP prototype. The shorter fairing used for the 2014 launch suggests that it was not in fact an ORION.

• USA 270 - . Payload: GSSAP 3. Nation: USA. Class: Surveillance. Type: Orbital object tracking satellite. Spacecraft Bus: GeoStar-1. Spacecraft: GSSAP. USAF Sat Cat: 41744 . COSPAR: 2016-052A. Apogee: 35,819 km (22,256 mi). Perigee: 35,749 km (22,213 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Placed in geosynchronous orbit at 111 deg W. The satellites will drift in the geostationary ring making observations of the orbits of other satellites..

• USA 271 - . Payload: GSSAP 4. Nation: USA. Class: Surveillance. Type: Orbital object tracking satellite. Spacecraft Bus: GeoStar-1. Spacecraft: GSSAP. USAF Sat Cat: 41745 . COSPAR: 2016-052B. Apogee: 35,856 km (22,279 mi). Perigee: 35,814 km (22,253 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Placed in geosynchronous orbit at 118 deg W..

• USA 272 - . Payload: WGS 8 / WGS SV-8. Mass: 6,200 kg (13,600 lb). Nation: USA. Class: Communications. Type: Communications satellite. Spacecraft: HS 702. USAF Sat Cat: 41879 . COSPAR: 2016-075A. Apogee: 44,207 km (27,468 mi). Perigee: 430 km (260 mi). Inclination: 27.00 deg.

  8th Boeing 702-class Wideband Global Satcom payload for the US Dept. of Defense carried an improved 'channelizer' that increases the capacity of the satellite. The second stage was reportedly deorbited, and the extra propellant required to do this necessitated a lower apogee transfer orbit than for previous WGS missions. By Dec 25 WGS-8 had reached a 26728 x 44588 km x 0.2 deg orbit.

• USA 275 - . Payload: WGS 9. Mass: 6,200 kg (13,600 lb). Nation: USA. Class: Communications. Type: Communications satellite. Spacecraft: HS 702. USAF Sat Cat: 42075 . COSPAR: 2017-016A. Apogee: 44,262 km (27,503 mi). Perigee: 430 km (260 mi). Inclination: 27.00 deg.

  See WGS 9 (USA 275). Wideband Global Satcom 9 was to be added to the US DoD communications satellite constellation. This WGS was partly funded by allied countries, although it was still owned and operated by USAF. A United Launch Alliance Delta 4 sent the satellite aloft on Mar 19, first into a 185 x 6097 km x 27.6 deg parking orbit and then to a 430 x 44262 km x 27.0 deg supersynchronous transfer orbit. The Delta 377 second stage was deorbited over the Pacific near the Phillipines with reentry around 1230 UTC.