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Orion, also known asMentor orAdvanced Orion,[1] is a class of United Statesspy satellites that collectsignals intelligence (SIGINT) from space. Operated by theNational Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and developed with input from theCentral Intelligence Agency (CIA), eight have been launched fromCape Canaveral onTitan IV andDelta IVlaunch vehicles since 1995.
These satellites atgeostationary orbits collect radio emissions (SIGINT) and act as replacements for the older constellation ofMagnum satellites. The satellites have estimated mass close to 5,200 kg and very large (estimated 100 m diameter)[2] radio reflecting dishes.USA-223 (NROL-32), which is seen as the fifth satellite in the series, is according to NRO directorBruce Carlson "the largest satellite in the world."[3] It is believed that this refers to the diameter of the main antenna, which might be well in excess of 100 m (330 ft).[4] The mission and capabilities of these satellites are highlyclassified, though targets may include telemetry,VHF radio, cellular mobile phones, paging signals, and mobile data links.[5] Earlier satellites with similar missions, theRhyolite/Aquacade series, were built byTRW; it is not known who made the Orion satellites.[6]
Mentor-4 (USA-202) deployment and initial westward drift after launch in January 2009 was controlled by thePine Gap base. About 60 days after launchMenwith Hill Ground Station was to take over control and initiate the collection mission. Mentor-4's initial mission was to survey line-of-sight microwave towers and emitters in thePeople's Republic of China for 30 to 45 days as it was drifting from east to west. Moving further west, it was to collect data from theThuraya network and monitorPakistan andAfghanistan, followed by another 200 days of monitoring of China. This was to be followed by data collection covering theMiddle East,Northern Africa, andLatin America.[7][8]
| Name | COSPAR ID | Launch date (UTC) | Launch vehicle | Launch site | Launch designation | Longitude | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA-110 | 1995-022A | 14 May 1995 13:45:01[1] | Titan IV(401)A | CCSFS,SLC-40 | N/A | 127° E[4] | MENTOR 1 |
| USA-139 | 1998-029A | 9 May 1998 01:38:01[1] | Titan IV(401)B | CCSFS,SLC-40 | NROL-6 | 44° E (1998–2009) 14.5°W (2009–)[4] | MENTOR 2 |
| USA-171 | 2003-041A | 9 September 2003 04:29:00[1] | Titan IV(401)B | CCSFS,SLC-40 | NROL-19 | 95.5° E[4] | MENTOR 3 |
| USA-202 | 2009-001A | 18 January 2009 02:47:00[1] | Delta IV Heavy | CCSFS,SLC-37B | NROL-26 | 44° E[4] | MENTOR 4 |
| USA-223 | 2010-063A | 21 November 2010 22:58:00[1] | Delta IV Heavy | CCSFS,SLC-37B | NROL-32 | 100.9° E[9] | MENTOR 5 |
| USA-237 | 2012-034A | 29 June 2012 13:15:00[1] | Delta IV Heavy | CCSFS,SLC-37B | NROL-15 | 89.21° E[10] | MENTOR 6 |
| USA-268 | 2016-036A | 11 June 2016 17:51:00[1] | Delta IV Heavy | CCSFS,SLC-37B | NROL-37 | 104.18° E[10] | MENTOR 7 |
| USA-311 | 2020-095A | 11 December 2020 01:09[11] | Delta IV Heavy | CCSFS,SLC-37B | NROL-44 | 51° E[12] | MENTOR 8 |
| USA-345 | 2023-089A | 22 June 2023 09:18[13] | Delta IV Heavy | CCSFS,SLC-37B | NROL-68 | MENTOR 9 | |
| USA-353 | 2024-067A | 9 April 2024 16:53[14] | Delta IV Heavy | CCSFS,SLC-37B | NROL-70 |
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