Lacrosse (satellite)

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Lacrosse 4, under construction

Lacrosse and Onyx are the rumored code names for the United States' National Reconnaissance Office terrestrial radar imaging reconnaissance satellite. While not officially confirmed by the NRO or anybody in the U.S. government, there is widespread evidence to confirm its existence. One example would be the non-classified acknowledgement of NASA's Magellan Venus probe, which has similar capabilities, and was built by the same contractor (Martin Marietta, though currently Lockheed Martin) using what is probably very similar hardware. Lacrosse uses synthetic aperture radar to perform mapping. It also has some ability to penetrate soil, though there have been more powerful instruments deployed in space for this specific purpose. Early versions are believed to have used the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) to relay imagery to a ground station at White Sands, New Mexico. There are some indications that other relay satellites may now be available for use with Lacrosse. The name "Lacrosse" is used to refer to all variants, while "Onyx" is sometimes used to refer to the three newer units.

It has been reported[citation needed] that the B-2 bomber was originally intended to use directly downlinked targeting data from Lacrosse satellites in order to aid it in its role of hunting down and destroying Soviet mobile ICBM launchers. It had been anticipated that the Lacrosse satellites would be replaced by the radar component of the Future Imagery Architecture (FIA). The severe program problems encountered by FIA in the early 2000s appear to have led to off-loading of radar reconnaissance to the Space Based Radar, later simplified to Space Radar, with initial launch anticipated around 2015.

[edit] Launches

Five Lacrosse spacecraft have been launched, with four currently in orbit.

  • Lacrosse 1:
  • Lacrosse 2:
    • Launch: March 8, 1991
    • Platform: Titan IV-A
    • Pad: Vandenberg AFB, Space Launch Complex 4
    • Orbital apogee/perigee/inclination: 662 × 420 km @ 68.0°
    • Status: In active service, mission extended
    • NORAD Number: 21147 (USA 69)
    • Notes: The first West Coast launch of a Titan IV.
  • Lacrosse 3:
    • Launch: October 24, 1997
    • Platform: Titan IV-A
    • Pad: Vandenberg AFB, Space Launch Complex 4
    • Orbital apogee/perigee/inclination: 679 × 666 km @ 57.0°
    • Status: In active service
    • NORAD Number: 25017 (USA 133)
    • Notes: Replacement for Lacrosse 1.
Lacrosse 4 mission patch
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Lacrosse 4 mission patch
  • Lacrosse 4:
    • Launch: August 17, 2000
    • Platform: Titan IV-B
    • Pad: Vandenberg AFB, Space Launch Complex 4
    • Orbital apogee/perigee/inclination: 695 × 689 km @ 68.0°
    • Mass: 14,500 kg
    • Status: In active service
    • NORAD Number: 26473 (USA 152)
    • Notes: After initial orbit, minor adjustments were made, sending it to 675 × 572 @ 68.1°. An Onyx variant.
  • Lacrosse 5:
    • Launch: April 30, 2005
    • Platform: Titan IV-B
    • Pad: Cape Canaveral
    • Orbital apogee/perigee/inclination: 718 × 712 km @ 57.0°
    • Mass: 16,000 kg
    • Status: In active service
    • NORAD Number: 28646 (USA 182)
    • Notes: Lacrosse 5 appears to differ somewhat from the previous four satellites. As determined by amateur observers, there are subtle differences in its orbit and its color is somewhat whiter than the distinct red-orange tint of the earlier ones. Most strikingly, it sometimes fades from brightness to invisibility within the space of a few seconds while still in full sunlight. (The amateurs call this rapid fade its "disappearing trick".)

The orbital inclination of 68°, combined with their altitude gives the satellites a complete view of the earth's surface, including the poles.

[edit] External links

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