The only unclassified source of official US government orbital information on US military satellites are the US submissions to the United Nations under the provisions of UN Resolution 1721B (XVI) and article IV of the 1976 Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space. These submissions form part of two series of United Nations documents (UNO 1962, UNO 1977), which are not widely available and in which the information is scattered and hard to find. Furthermore, the US submissions of data on military satellites often contain egregious errors, such as failure to convert from nautical miles to kilometers, or failure to subtract the Earth radius when calculating apogee and perigee heights. Some of the orbits are entirely spurious, and some satellites are not registered at all in violation of the Convention to which the US is a signatory. I have recently (McDowell 1994) compiled an edited version of the information in the Registration documents which corrects the above mentioned errors and arranges the information in a systematic way. In this note, I present the orbital data for US classified satellites.
The early CANYON satellites had inclined elliptical synchronous orbits (Table 1) while the RHYOLITE ones had circular geostationary ones. The orbit of 1977-38A then implies that it is a Rhyolite, despite evidence to the contrary from D. Day (personal communication). The orbit of 1975-55A confirms that that satellite is in the CANYON series. The first two VORTEX satellites have CANYON-like orbits, but for subsequent satellites only the transfer orbits have been registered. The kindest that can be said about the registrations for the Shuttle-launched payloads is that the orbits registered for 1989-90B and 1990-97B appear to be the work of someone's vivid imagination.
There is no obvious difference between the orbits of SDS and Jumpseat satellites (Table 2), except that the first two SDS, 1976-50A and 1978-75A, have orbit inclinations one degree lower than the earlier Jumpseat satellites, as does 1981-38A. However the pattern does not seem to continue.
The remaining classified satellites are given in Table 3. Notable are the new generation ocean surveillance satellites, USA-59 and USA-72. These appear to be placed in a low 61 degree orbit before releasing their subsatellite payloads in the usual 1100 km, 63 degree orbit. The orbits given for USA-32 class satellites seem to be inital parking orbits; the inclination is consistent with the higher operational orbits found by amateur optical observers.
References: McDowell 1994, 2003: The United Nations Registry of Space Objects, published electronically as http://planet4589.org/space/un/un.html. UNO 1962: Document series A/AC/105.INF, first issued 7 Mar 1962. UNO 1977: Document series ST/SG/SER.E, first issued 14 Apr 1977.
Extracted orbital data, in the form
orbital period (min), perigee x apogee (km) x inclination (deg).
Where multiple orbits are
given, some may be from other objects ("parts") associated with the launch.
In these cases the part number of the international designation
of the relevant object is given in parentheses following the
inclination, e.g. (B) in the line for 1973-13A indicates the
orbit is that registed from 1973-13B. Note, however, that it may be
inferred from the data that these orbits do not always apply to the
part in question.
(1) NRO Geostationary satellites:
Transfer orbit Final orbit
1968-63A 1436.0 31680 x 39862 x 9.9
1969-36A 1436.0 32672 x 39251 x 10.2
1970-69A 1441.9 31947 x 39855 x 10.3
1972-101A 1440.4 31012 x 40728 x 9.7
1975-55A 1416.0 29700 x 40400 x 8.0 (B) 1422.0 30200 x 40800 x 9.0
1970-46A 574.3 174 x 32841 x 27.9 (B) 1426.5 35804 x 35863 x 0.1
1973-13A 589.0 208 x 33602 x 28.2 (B) 1435.0 35855 x 36679 x 0.2
1977-38A 739.0 191 x 40980 x 27.1 1440.0 34325 x 34500 x 0.3 (C)
1977-114A 591.8 182 x 33759 x 27.8
1978-38A 615.5 150 x 35033 x 28.4
1978-58A 1446.3 29929 x 42039 x 12.0
1979-86A 1445.5 30443 x 41497 x 7.5
Parking orbit Transfer orbit
1981-107A 90.4 134 x 382 x 29.3
1984-09A 96.4 146 x 1023 x 29.4
1988-77A USA-31 99.8 151 x 1410?x 29.3 (ABC) 708.9 465 x 39449 x 26.7 (D)
707.7 461 x 39396 x 26.7 (E)
669.6 385 x 37564 x 27.3 (F)
718.8 830 x 39573 x 26.9 (G-L)
1989-35A USA-37 103.0 208 x 1570 x 29.1 (B) 720.0 455 x 40073 x 27.5 (A,C)
1985-10B USA-8 91.3 332 x 341 x 28.4 (A)
284.3 335 x 15554 x 28.4 (C) 612.3 341 x 34670 x 28.4 (A)
612.2 337 x 34675 x 28.4 (D)
1989-90B USA-48 92.3 237 x 561 x 28.4 (A)
88.9 216 x 224 x 28.5 (BCD)
1990-97B USA-67 87.5 78 x 226 x 28.5 (BCD)
1994-54A USA-105 91.0 188 x 460 x 28.7 (AB)
1996-26A USA-118 684.0 225 x 38455 x 28.6 (A)
1998-29A USA-139 91.8 171 x 551 x 28.6 (AB)
(2) Presumed Molniya type orbit satellites
1971-21A 701.8 328 x 39264 x 63.2
1973-56A 701.0 392 x 39132 x 63.3
1975-17A 708.0 305 x 39518 x 63.5 (B) 702.0 295 x 39338 x 63.5
1976-50A 704.6 373 x 39600 x 62.5 (B) 700.0 311 x 39192 x 62.5
1978-21A 702.8 311 x 39377 x 63.2
1978-75A 697.1 315 x 39053 x 62.5
1980-100A 89.7 180 x 354 x 63.8 (B)
89.8 183 x 356 x 63.8 (A)
1981-38A 93.0 188 x 708 x 62.7
1983-78A 717.1 1028 x 39321 x 63.4
711.5 831 x 39210 x 63.5 (E)
1984-91A USA-4 702.6 342 x 38347 x 63.6 (B) 702.8 287 x 38156 x 63.6
1985-14A USA-9 710.0 356 x 39617 x 63.0 (B) 712.6 400 x 39700 x 63.0
1987-15A USA-21 702.6 290 x 39250 x 63.4 (B) 718.1 610 x 39750 x 63.4
1989-61B USA-40 90.5 296 x 307 x 57.0 (B,E,F,G,H,J)
90.7 311 x 316 x 57.0 (A)
183.5 540 x 8095 x 57.1 (K)
183.5 532 x 8135 x 57.0 (L-BT)
1992-86B USA-89 92.0 366 x 377 x 56.9 (B,C)
90.7 301 x 322 x 56.9 (A)
102.8 890 x 891 x 57.0 (F)
1994-26A USA-103 95.2 518 x 537 x 55.1 (A,B)
1996-38A USA-125 90.4 292 x 300 x 54.9 (ABC)
(3) Other classified satellites launched since 1984
HEXAGON and CRYSTAL class satellites
1984-65A USA-2 88.9 170 x 230 x 96.1
1984-122A USA-6 93.5 300 x 650 x 97.1
1987-90A USA-27 96.5 153 x 1029 x 97.8 96.3 143 x 1018 x 97.8 (B)
1988-99A USA-33 96.4 156 x 1012 x 97.9 96.3 154 x 1008 x 97.9 (B)
1990-19B USA-53 88.6 198 x 207 x 62.0 89.3 236 x 240 x 62.0 (A)
1992-83A USA-86 96.4 256 x 911 x 97.7 (AB)
1995-66A USA 97.3 265 x 1006 x 97.8
1996-72A USA 96.6 145 x 1048 x 97.9 (AB)
1999-28A USA 144 89.6 205 x 306 x 63.4
NSA subsatellites
1984-65C USA-3 98.9 690 x 710 x 96.1
DSP satellites
1984-129A USA-7 1445.8 35619 x 35915 x 3.4 93.8 169 x 745 x 28.9 (C)
1443.2 35918 x 35922 x 3.4 (B)
1987-97A USA-28 1423.3 35514 x 35558 x 2.9
1422.4 35506 x 35531 x 2.9 (B)
1989-46A USA-39 1421.8 35699 x 35614 x 3.1 87.4 134 x 146 x 28.6 (B)
1421.1 35116 x 35867 x 2.8 (E) 622.1? 171 x 35352 x 27.4 (C)
1422.0? 35311 x 35702 x 3.1 (D)
1990-95A USA-65 1421.8 35614 x 35699 x 3.1 622.1? 171 x 35352 x 27.4 (C)
1422.0? 35311 x 35702 x 3.1 (D)
1991-80B USA-75 1421.9 35795 x 35787 x 2.5 636.0 380 x 35899 x 26.9 (C)
1421.9 35795 x 35787 x 2.5 (D)
1994-84A USA 107 88.1 156 x 159 x 28.6 (ACD)
1997-08A 94.0 185 x 759 x 28.6
1999-17A 92.7 193 x 630 x 28.6 (B)
94.1 200 x 763 x 28.6 (A)
DSCS satellites
1985-92B USA-11 1436.0 35434 x 35963 x 0.3 94.6 478 x 515 x 28.5 (A)
1985-92C USA-12 1436.0 35633 x 35963 x 0.3 625.7 509 x 35200 x 28.0 (D)
1425.0 35185 x 35953 x 2.1 (E)
1989-69A USA-43 1436.1 35777 x 35799 x 6.1
1989-69B USA-44 1436.3 35771 x 35808 x 5.0 1422.4 35258 x 35778 x 4.4 (D)
1992-06A USA-78 1300.5 30675 x 35503 x 0.9 608.8 265 x 35669 x 26.4 (B)
1298.0 27397 x 38679 x 0.3 (C)
1992-37A USA-82 1436.2 35775 x 35800 x 0.2 617.3 223 x 35053 x 26.5 (B)
1416.6 35289 x 35520 x 0.3 (C)
1993-46A USA-94 625.8 183 x 35764 x 26.1 (A,C)
625.8 183 x 35764 x 29.3 (B)
1993-74A USA-97 625.4 195 x 35501 x 26.4 (A,C)
621.5 323 x 35168 x 24.5 (B)
1997-65A USA-134 619.1 316 x 35771 x 25.3 (A)
1424.9 35533 x 35602 x 0.0 (C)
PARCAE class satellites
1986-14A USA-15 107.4 1049 x 1166 x 63.0 107.5 1054 x 1164 x 63.0 (B)
1986-14E USA-16 107.4 1055 x 1161 x 63.0 107.3 1050 x 1155 x 63.0 (C)
1986-14F USA-17 107.4 1055 x 1165 x 63.0 107.4 1052 x 1157 x 63.0 (D)
1986-14H USA-18 NOT REGISTERED (G not registered also)
1987-43A USA-22 107.8 1045 x 1179 x 62.9 106.9 1039 x 1172 x 62.5 (B)
1987-43E USA-23 107.3 1039 x 1170 x 63.4 107.9 1049 x 1185 x 63.1 (C)
1987-43F USA-24 107.9 1046 x 1184 x 63.2 107.0 1050 x 1176 x 62.7 (D)
1987-43H USA-25 107.6 1035 x 1178 x 62.6 107.6 1041 x 1181 x 62.5 (G)
1990-50A USA-59 90.0 268 x 264 x 61.0 129.2 1228 x 2960 x 63.5 (F)
125.4 1224 x 2601 x 63.4 (G)
90.0 268 x 284 x 61.0 (H)
1990-50C USA-60 NO ORBIT GIVEN
1990-50D USA-61 NO ORBIT GIVEN
1990-50E USA-62 NOT REGISTERED
1991-76A USA-72 NO ORBIT GIVEN 93.3 275 x 614 x 61.0 (F)
107.4 1084 x 1182 x 63.4 (G)
107.4 1090 x 1123 x 63.4 (H)
1991-76C USA-74 NO ORBIT GIVEN
1991-76D USA-76 NOT REGISTERED
1991-76E USA-77 NOT REGISTERED
1991-76L 105.5 1015 x 1016 x 63.4
1996-29A/J USA 93.7 284 x 635 x 63.4 (A)
1996-29K USA 107.4 1053 x 1161 x 63.4
Titan II class
1988-78A USA-32 89.3 185 x 292 x 85.0 (A,B)
1989-72A USA-45 NOT REGISTERED
1992-23A USA-81 89.3 145 x 175 x 84.9 89.1 145 x 175 x 85.0 (B)
LACROSSE
1988-106B USA-34 93.4 437 x 447 x 57.0 (B) 93.6 443 x 453 x 57.0 (A)
1991-17A USA-69 95.5 420 x 662 x 68.0 (A,B)
380 x 485 x 68.0 (D)
1997-64A USA-133 95.6 422 x 679 x 57.0 (A)
Milstar
1994-09A USA-99 1434.0 35733 x 35790 x 12.0 (A) 1434.8 35733 x 35790 x 12.0 (B)
Small satellites
1989-61C USA-41 90.5 296 x 307 x 57.0
1990-28B USA-55 96.2 489 x 668 x 94.1
1990-31A USA-56 NOT REGISTERED
1990-31B USA-57 NOT REGISTERED
1990-31C USA-58 NOT REGISTERED
1991-31C USA-70 NO ORBIT GIVEN
1994-17A USA-101 95.8 555 x 561 x 105.0 95.5 532 x 554 x 105.0 (C)
1994-17B USA-102 95.5 532 x 556 x 105.0 95.8 555 x 561 x 105.0 (D)
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US compliance with and violations of the UN Convention on Registration
in 1999-2000. The bulk of the information provided to the UN on
classified satellites is deliberately wrong or misleading. In addition,
many commercial US satellites launched on non-US launch vehicles were
not registered, presumably due to sloppy record-keeping.
1999-017A (DSP) Orbit given is wrong.
1999-023A (Milstar) Orbit given is wrong.
2000-001A (DSCS) Orbit given is not the final orbit.
2000-001C (IABS) Orbit given is wrong.
2000-024A (DSP) Data is correct.
2000-024D (IUS) Inclination given is wrong (probably accidental typo).
2000-047A (NRO) Data is correct.
2000-065A (DSCS) Orbit given is not the final orbit.
2000-065C (IABS) Orbit given is wrong.
2000-080A (NRO) Orbit given is not the final orbit.
Errors associated with non-military satellites
1999-014: Demosat satellite not registered (Boeing Sea Launch).
1999-012, 1999-019, 1999-031, 1999-049, 1999-058, 1999-062:
24 Globalstar satellites not registered.
1999-053A: LMI 1 satellite not registered.
2000-035A: Correctly registered, but incorrectly stated that launch was made from US territory.
2000-067A: QuickBird satellite not registered.
2000-075C: Incorrectly registered (ST/SG/SER.E/385); actually a Swedish satellite already
registered in ST/SG/SER.E/380 by Sweden.
Update:
USA 202