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United Launch AllianceAtlas V 401Space Launch Complex 3E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
NROL-36 (Multipayload mission)
Launched
September 13, 2012
Summary
NROL-36 (NOSS-3 6) launched on an United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 from Space Launch Complex 3E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on September 13, 2012. It was United Launch Alliance's 65th launch, 8th this year and humanity's 5,240th orbital launch attempt. It was the 14th Atlas V 401 flight and the 3rd this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). 14 objects from this launch are catalogued, all of them payloads.
- Watch
- Atlas V NROL-36 Launch HighlightsUnited Launch Alliance
- Vehicle
- Atlas V 401 · United Launch Alliance
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Government/Top Secret · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 14th Atlas V 401 flight · 3rd this yearUnited Launch Alliance's 65th launch8th this yearhumanity's 5,240th orbital launch attempt50th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Catalogued objects
14 catalogued: 14 payloads; 10 still in orbit
- USA 238 · NORAD 38758 · in orbit
- SMDC-ONE 2.2 (Baker) · NORAD 38759 · in orbit
- Aeneas · NORAD 38760 · in orbit
- CSSWE · NORAD 38761 · in orbit
- CXBN · NORAD 38762 · in orbit
- CP5 · NORAD 38763 · in orbit
- CINEMA 1 · NORAD 38764 · in orbit
- Re · NORAD 38765 · in orbit
- SMDC-ONE 2.1 (Able) · NORAD 38766 · re-entered August 16, 2025
- Aerocube 4.5A · NORAD 38767 · re-entered July 2, 2026
- Aerocube 4.5B · NORAD 38768 · re-entered March 13, 2025
- Aerocube 4 · NORAD 38769 · in orbit
Show 2 more payloads
- OUTSat · NORAD 38770 · re-entered March 28, 2026
- USA 238 P/L 2 · NORAD 38773 · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
NROL-36 launched a classified payload for the US National Reconnaissance Office, widely identified as a pair of NOSS-3 ocean-surveillance satellites (USA-238 and USA-239), along with eleven CubeSats released from the Centaur under the OUTSat program.
Pad
Space Launch Complex 3E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
36th launch from Space Launch Complex 3E, 1st this year · 652nd from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
48 launches from this pad · 919 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
517 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did NROL-36 (NOSS-3 6) launch?
NROL-36 (NOSS-3 6) launched on September 13, 2012. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch NROL-36 (NOSS-3 6)?
Coverage: Atlas V NROL-36 Launch Highlights. Watch the replay
What rocket launched NROL-36 (NOSS-3 6)?
Atlas V 401, flown by United Launch Alliance. Atlas V 401 spec sheet
Where did NROL-36 (NOSS-3 6) launch from?
Space Launch Complex 3E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA.
What orbit was NROL-36 (NOSS-3 6) going to?
Low Earth Orbit (LEO), a government/top secret mission.
How many satellites did NROL-36 (NOSS-3 6) launch?
14 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 10 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).