A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V 551 rocket launched the SILENTBARKER/NROL-107 mission, a joint National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and U.S. Space Force (USSF) capability to improve space domain awareness. Liftoff occurred from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 8:47 a.m. on 10 September 2023.

The SILENTBARKER payload is designed, built and operated by the NRO in partnership with the U.S. Space Force to support national security and provide intelligence data to U.S. senior policy makers, the Intelligence Community and Department of Defense (DoD).

A joint NRO and Space Force Space Domain Awareness (SDA) mission, SILENTBARKER/NROL107 meets the Department of Defense (DoD) and Intelligence Community (IC) space protection needs by providing the capability to search, detect and track objects from a space-based sensor for timely custody and event detection. Surveillance from space augments and overcomes existing ground sensor limitations with timely 24-hour above-the-weather collection of satellite metric data only possible with a space-based sensor and then communicates its findings to satellite operators, analysts, and other mission users.

The NRO and the USSF have a shared interest to strengthen the nation's SDA and Indication & Warning (I&W) capabilities to enable timely decision making and unity of effort to defend the DoD and IC critical capabilities against current and projected threats. SILENTBARKER/NROL107 will strengthen the NRO's ability to provide a wide range of timely intelligence information to national decision makers, warfighters and intelligence analysts to protect the nation's vital interests and support humanitarian efforts worldwide.

IMAGE CREDIT: ULA

EXCERPT FROM A NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE MEDIA RELEASE

United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rockets have delivered vital national security missions across the globe since 2002. The Atlas V configuration is comprised of a booster, a Centaur upper stage, and a 5.4 meter diameter short payload fairing (PLF). This Atlas employs five additional solid rocket boosters to augment the first-stage booster.