Manifest / 02NROL-9 (Misty 2)
This mission is complete.
Mission Brief
This satellite is suspected to be a stealthy electro-optical reconnaissance satellite. The program name for developing an stealth IMINT capability is reportedly "Misty". Hobbyist satellite observers continue to track an object from that launch in a 2700 km × 3100 km, 63.4° orbit, but detailed orbital analysis reveals significant solar radiation pressure perturbations, from an area to mass ratio of about 0.1 m2/kg, 10 to 20 times that of a payload, and more akin to debris or a decoy, can be deduced. It appears to be no more than 5 to 10 m across, and only a few hundred kilograms in mass. If USA 144 is Misty-2, then it is likely to be in a 700 to 800 km, quasi 65° orbit. These orbits are low-drag, so orbit maintenance manoeuvres are not required.
Mission Timeline
14 / 14100%Ground vector
Launch site
Space Launch Complex 4E
Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
- Latitude
- 34.632°N
- Longitude
- 120.611°W
Range Weather
Launch commit criteria
Tracking no weather issues at this time.
- Primary concern
- No weather issues
- Rule count
- 0
- Temperature
- Not reported
- Surface wind
- Not reported
09:36 AM UTC - 09:36 AM UTC
Schedule History
No delays or schedule changes recorded.



