USA-276

USA-276, also known as NROL-76, is a classified spacecraft operated by the National Reconnaissance Office.^[3] Due to being classified, very little information is known about the satellite.^[4]

USA-276

Names	USA-276 NROL-76
Mission type	Radar imaging / Technology demonstration
Operator	National Reconnaissance Office
COSPAR ID	2017-022A
SATCAT no.	42689
Spacecraft properties
Manufacturer	Bell Aerospace
Start of mission
Launch date	May 1, 2017, 7:15 am EST[1]
Rocket	Falcon 9 Full Thrust
Launch site	Launch Pad 39A, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, United States
Contractor	SpaceX
Orbital parameters
Regime	Low Earth Orbit[2]
Inclination	~50°[2]

NROL-76 (USA-276) Mission Patch

Background

USA-276 was launched onboard Falcon 9 NROL-76.^[1] The Falcon 9 upper stage that carried USA-276 to its orbit made several close flybys of the ISS.^[4]

See also

• List of NRO launches
• Sentient (intelligence analysis system)