Encyclopedia entry

Lacrosse satellite

Spacecraft · USA

Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.

American military side-looking radar all-weather surveillance radar satellite. Operational, first launch 1988.12.02.

Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver (formerly Martin Marietta)

Family: Military radarsat, Medium earth orbit, Surveillance
Country: USA
Launch Vehicles: Titan, Space Shuttle, Titan 4, Titan 4B, Titan 403A, Titan 403B
Launch Sites: Cape Canaveral, Vandenberg, Vandenberg SLC4E, Cape Canaveral LC40, Cape Canaveral LC39B
Agency: NRO, Martin
Bibliography: 2, 4, 552, 554, 6, 69, 6645

Chronology

5 events

14:30 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC39B. Launch Platform: MLP1. LV Family: Shuttle. Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle.

USA 34 - . Payload: Lacrosse 1. Nation: USA. Agency: CIA, NRO. Manufacturer: Martin. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military Radarsat. Spacecraft: Lacrosse satellite. Decay Date: 1997-03-25 . USAF Sat Cat: 19671 . COSPAR: 1988-106B. Apogee: 447 km (277 mi). Perigee: 437 km (271 mi). Inclination: 57.00 deg. Period: 93.40 min. Deployed from STS-27. Operations completed March 1997..

12:03 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC4E. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 403A.

USA 69 - . Payload: Lacrosse 2. Nation: USA. Agency: CIA, NRO. Manufacturer: Martin. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military Radarsat. Spacecraft: Lacrosse satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 21147 . COSPAR: 1991-017A. Apogee: 662 km (411 mi). Perigee: 420 km (260 mi). Inclination: 68.00 deg. Period: 95.50 min. Still operating December 1997. First West Coast launch of a Titan 4..

02:32 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC4E. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 403A.

USA 133 - . Payload: Lacrosse 3. Nation: USA. Agency: CIA, NRO. Manufacturer: Martin. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military Radarsat. Spacecraft: Lacrosse satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 25017 . COSPAR: 1997-064A. Apogee: 679 km (421 mi). Perigee: 666 km (413 mi). Inclination: 57.00 deg. Still operating December 1997..

23:45 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC4E. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 403B.

USA 152 - . Payload: Onyx F1. Mass: 14,500 kg (31,900 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NRO. Manufacturer: Martin. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military Radarsat. Spacecraft: Lacrosse satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 26473 . COSPAR: 2000-047A. Apogee: 695 km (432 mi). Perigee: 689 km (428 mi). Inclination: 68.00 deg. Period: 98.53 min.
The National Reconnaissance Office satellite was reported to be an Onyx (formerly Lacrosse) radar imaging spacecraft built by Lockheed Martin. The Titan second stage reached a 572 x 675 km x 68.0 deg orbit and separated from the payload. Amateur observers reported the payload has made two small maneuvers and by Aug 23 was in a 681 x 695 km x 68.1 deg orbit.

00:50 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC40. Launch Pad: SLC40. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 405B.

USA 182 - . Mass: 14,500 kg (31,900 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NRO. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military Radarsat. Spacecraft: Lacrosse satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 28646 . COSPAR: 2005-016A. Apogee: 705 km (438 mi). Perigee: 481 km (298 mi). Inclination: 57.00 deg. Last East Coast Titan launch. Delayed from December 18, 2001; July 3, 2002; October 2004; February 20, April 6, 10 and 11, 2005. Amateur observors believed this to be the fifth in the Lacrosse/Onyx radar spy satellite series built by Lockheed Martin..