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Delta IV M+(4,2) | NROL-22

NROL-22 (Trumpet 4)

Launch Successful

Launch Details

Date: 28 June 2006, 03:33 am UTC

Rocket: Delta IV M+(4,2) (Delta)

Provider: United States Air Force

Mission

Type: Government/Top Secret

Orbit: High Earth Orbit

Pad: Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Mission Description

These spacecraft are probably the replacement for the Trumpet SIGINT satellites operating in a Molniya orbit. As no name is known, these are referred here as "Trumpet Follow On". Possibly these satellites might be named Raven. These satellite most likely use a large, unfurlable dish antenna to collect the signals. Advances in both antenna and electronics technologies have allowed for a large reduction in size compared the Trumpet predecessors.