Atlas IIAS (AC-164) launched the classified NROL-18 payload (USA-173) for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office from Vandenberg AFB, the second of the paired 'Intruder' naval-intelligence satellites; it was the final West Coast Atlas II launch and the Atlas program's 67th consecutive success.
- Outcome
- Success
- Orbit
- LEO
- Low Earth orbit
- Payload to orbit
- 2 T (est.)
- Flight
- 26th
- of 30 Atlas IIAS flights
- Date and time
- 2 December 2003, 10:04 UTC
- Rocket
- Atlas IIAS
- Builder
- LM
- Launch site
- Space Launch Complex 3E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
- Payload
- Government/Top Secret
- International designator
- 2003-054
- Launches in 2003
- 56th of 63
See it in orbit
Space Atlas shows the satellites and rocket stages from this launch in 3D.
View satellites in Space Atlas