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National Reconnaissance Office

National Reconnaissance Office owned 1,222 payloads in the GCAT catalog.

United StatesWashington, D.C.GCAT code NRO

Payloads owned, by decade

49625196422336278
1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s

Payloads by mission type

Optical imaging472
Signals intelligence210
Communications29
Technology13
Radar imaging12
Meteorology8
Space science5
Missile early warning3

Main programs

NRO Star A226AFP-20636CORONA J36EHH B26CORONA M24POPPY24SSU24KH8A21NOSS319CORONA CR16NRO TS16CORONA J-214

Best-known spacecraft

60 shown
SpacecraftLaunchedOwnerCountryMission typeStatus
USA-1932006-057ADec 14, 2006NROUnited StatesTechnologyCollided
KH 11-152011-002AJan 20, 2011NROUnited StatesOptical imagingIn orbit
Zuma2018-001AJan 8, 2018NROUnited StatesRadar imagingReentered attached to another object
Orion 62009-001AJan 18, 2009NROUnited StatesSignals intelligenceIn orbit
Orion 72010-063ANov 21, 2010NROUnited StatesSignals intelligenceIn orbit
Rapid Pathfinder Prototype2011-006AFeb 6, 2011NROUnited StatesTechnologyIn orbit
USA-2342012-014AApr 3, 2012NROUnited StatesRadar imagingIn orbit
USA-2472013-072ADec 6, 2013NROUnited StatesRadar imagingIn orbit
USA-2152010-046ASep 21, 2010NROUnited StatesRadar imagingIn orbit
KH 11-162013-043AAug 28, 2013NROUnited StatesOptical imagingIn orbit
RADOSE1963-021DJun 15, 1963NROUnited StatesSignals intelligenceReentered (orbital decay)
Hitchhiker 11963-025BJun 27, 1963NROUnited StatesSpace scienceReentered (orbital decay)
USA-1842006-027AJun 28, 2006NROUnited StatesSignals intelligenceIn orbit
USA-2072009-047ASep 8, 2009NROUnited StatesSignals intelligenceIn orbit
USA-2762017-022AMay 1, 2017NROUnited StatesTechnologyIn orbit
Discoverer 321961 A GAM 1Oct 13, 1961NROUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
Discoverer 361961 A KAP 1Dec 12, 1961NROUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
FTV-11261962 SIG 1May 15, 1962NROUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
TRS 11962 A CHISep 17, 1962NROUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
STARAD1962 B KAPOct 26, 1962NROUnited StatesSpace scienceReentered attached to another object
SOLRAD 7B1965-016DMar 9, 1965NROUnited StatesSignals intelligenceIn orbit
STEX1998-055AOct 3, 1998NROUnited StatesTechnologyIn orbit
USA-1582001-020AMay 18, 2001NROUnited StatesTechnologyIn orbit
USA-2002008-010AMar 13, 2008NROUnited StatesSignals intelligenceIn orbit
USA-2272011-011AMar 11, 2011NROUnited StatesCommunicationsIn orbit
USA-2292011-014AApr 15, 2011NROUnited StatesSignals intelligenceIn orbit
USA-2362012-033AJun 20, 2012NROUnited StatesCommunicationsIn orbit
USA-2502014-020AApr 10, 2014NROUnited StatesSignals intelligenceIn orbit
Orion 92016-036AJun 11, 2016NROUnited StatesSignals intelligenceIn orbit
Discoverer 301961 OME 1Sep 12, 1961NROUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
Discoverer 311961 A BETSep 17, 1961NROUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
Discoverer 341961 A EPS 1Nov 5, 1961NROUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
Discoverer 351961 A ZET 1Nov 15, 1961NROUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
FTV-11321962 A UPSSep 1, 1962NROUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
Solrad 61963-021CJun 15, 1963NROUnited StatesSignals intelligenceReentered (orbital decay)
Pundit 11963-042BOct 29, 1963NROUnited StatesSpace scienceReentered (orbital decay)
GGSE-11964-001BJan 11, 1964NROUnited StatesSignals intelligenceIn orbit
Solrad 7A1964-001DJan 11, 1964NROUnited StatesSignals intelligenceIn orbit
OPS 37621964-087ADec 21, 1964NROUnited StatesRadar imagingReentered (orbital decay)
USA-1982007-060ADec 10, 2007NROUnited StatesCommunicationsIn orbit
USA-2372012-034AJun 29, 2012NROUnited StatesSignals intelligenceIn orbit
USA 2572014-055ASep 17, 2014NROUnited StatesSignals intelligenceIn orbit
USA-2672016-010AFeb 10, 2016NROUnited StatesRadar imagingIn orbit
USA-2692016-047AJul 28, 2016NROUnited StatesCommunicationsIn orbit
USA-3102020-083ANov 13, 2020NROUnited StatesSignals intelligenceIn orbit
KH 11-192022-117ASep 24, 2022NROUnited StatesOptical imagingIn orbit
Ferret 11962 DELFeb 21, 1962NROUnited StatesSignals intelligenceReentered attached to another object
Discoverer 381962 EPS 1Feb 27, 1962NROUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
Corona 391962 LAM 1Apr 18, 1962NROUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
Corona 401962 RHO 1Apr 29, 1962NROUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
Corona 421962 PHI 1May 30, 1962NROUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
Corona 431962 CHI 1Jun 2, 1962NROUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
Ferret 21962 OME 1Jun 18, 1962NROUnited StatesSignals intelligenceReentered attached to another object
Corona 441962 A BETJun 23, 1962NROUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
KH-4 90381962 A GAMJun 28, 1962NROUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
KH-4 90391962 A ETAJul 21, 1962NROUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
Corona 471962 A THEJul 28, 1962NROUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
Corona 481962 A KAP 1Aug 2, 1962NROUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
KH-4 90441962 A SIGAug 29, 1962NROUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
KH-4 90451962 B BETSep 29, 1962NROUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object

The 60 best documented of 233 spacecraft with a page on this site.

Source: GCAT organizations database, launch list and payload catalog, Jonathan C. McDowell (CC BY 4.0).