 | |
| Mission type | Radar imaging |
|---|---|
| Operator | USNRO |
| COSPAR ID | 2013-072A |
| SATCATno. | 39462 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | Topaz |
| Manufacturer | Boeing |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 6 December 2013, 07:14:30 (2013-12-06UTC07:14:30Z) UTC |
| Rocket | Atlas V 501 AV-042 |
| Launch site | VandenbergSLC-3E |
| Contractor | ULA |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth (retrograde) |
| Perigee altitude | 1,108 kilometers (688 mi)[1] |
| Apogee altitude | 1,113 kilometers (692 mi)[1] |
| Inclination | 123.01 degrees[1] |
| Period | 107.35 minutes[1] |
| Epoch | 22 January 2015, 18:27:48 UTC[1] |
 | |
USA-247, also known asNRO Launch 39 orNROL-39, is an Americanreconnaissance satellite, operated by theNational Reconnaissance Office and launched in December 2013. The USA-247 launch received a relatively high level of press coverage due to the mission's choice of logo, which depicts anoctopus sitting astride the globe with the motto "Nothing Is Beyond Our Reach".[2] The logo was extensively criticized in light of thesurveillance disclosures in July 2013.[3]
The satellite has been identified as aradar imaging satellite, developed as part of theFuture Imagery Architecture program,[4] to replace the earlierOnyx spacecraft.[2][5]
USA-247 was launched byUnited Launch Alliance using anAtlas V carrier rocket flying in the501 configuration, along with twelveCubeSats being carried as secondary payloads. Five of the CubeSats were a part ofNASA ELaNa II manifest.Space Launch Complex 3E at theVandenberg Air Force Base was used to conduct the launch, which took place at 07:14:30 UTC on 6 December 2013 (23:14local time on 5 December).[6] Identified as NRO Launch 39, it marked the forty-third flight of an Atlas V. The rocket used had been namedBelle, and had tail number AV-042.[7]
The mission's official logo was a gigantic octopus with its massive arms wrapped around the world, accompanied by the motto "Nothing Is Beyond Our Reach".[2] This image was widely deemed controversial in light of the2013 Global surveillance disclosures.
A spokesperson for the NRO explained:[8][9][3]
NROL-39 is represented by the octopus, a versatile, adaptable, and highly intelligent creature. Emblematically, enemies of the United States can be reached no matter where they choose to hide. 'Nothing is beyond our reach' defines this mission and the value it brings to our nation and the warfighters it supports, who serve valiantly all over the globe, protecting our nation.
After theDirector of National Intelligence announced the launch on Twitter,[10] the image was criticized as "tone-deaf" to the political climate caused by the 2013surveillance disclosures.[3]
In a segment discussingmass surveillance entitled"That Thing They Said They're Not Doing? They're Totally Doing", American political commentatorJon Stewart commented on the logo:[11]
I feel like, at this point, our intelligence community is pretty much even owning the fact that they are getting nefarious.
Last week, the National Reconnaissance Office launched this spy satellite into orbit;
And the logo they chose for their spy rocket—this is real—a giant octopus sucking the face off North America.
TheODNI gave a more mundane explanation for the patch design in an internal magazine, stating that it originated from an engineering in-joke regarding a piece of cabling called an "octopus harness" that caused problems during testing for the satellite, leading the engineering team to joke that "the octopus harness had taken over the world."[12]
'Nothing is beyond our reach' defines this mission and the value it brings to our nation and the warfighters it supports...
Ready for launch? An Atlas 5 will blast off at just past 11PM, PST carrying an classified NRO payload (also cubesats)
