Lockheed MartinAtlas IIASSpace Launch Complex 3E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
NROL-13
Launched
September 8, 2001
Summary
NROL-13 (Intruder 5A & 5B) launched on a Lockheed Martin Atlas IIAS from Space Launch Complex 3E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on September 8, 2001. It was Lockheed Martin's 57th launch, 3rd this year and humanity's 4,492nd orbital launch attempt. It was the 23rd Atlas IIAS flight and the 2nd this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). 3 objects from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them payloads.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Atlas IIAS · Lockheed Martin
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Government/Top Secret · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 23rd Atlas IIAS flight · 2nd this yearLockheed Martin's 57th launch3rd this yearhumanity's 4,492nd orbital launch attempt40th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Catalogued objects
3 catalogued: 2 payloads, 1 rocket stage; 3 still in orbit
- USA 160 · NORAD 26905 · in orbit
- USA 160 P/L 2 · NORAD 26907 · in orbit
Centaur AC-160 · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
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.
Pad
Space Launch Complex 3E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
30th launch from Space Launch Complex 3E, 1st this year · 605th from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
48 launches from this pad · 919 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
629 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did NROL-13 (Intruder 5A & 5B) launch?
NROL-13 (Intruder 5A & 5B) launched on September 8, 2001. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch NROL-13 (Intruder 5A & 5B)?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched NROL-13 (Intruder 5A & 5B)?
Atlas IIAS, flown by Lockheed Martin. Atlas IIAS spec sheet
Where did NROL-13 (Intruder 5A & 5B) launch from?
Space Launch Complex 3E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA.
What orbit was NROL-13 (Intruder 5A & 5B) going to?
Low Earth Orbit (LEO), a government/top secret mission.
How many satellites did NROL-13 (Intruder 5A & 5B) launch?
2 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).