US Space Force, NRO Launch Mission to Track Adversary Satellites in Geostationary Orbit

The National Reconnaissance Office and the U.S. Space Force’s NROL-107 mission, also called SilentBarker, achieved geostationary Earth orbit Sunday for surveillance of U.S. adversaries in space. The mission was launched from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket. 

According to NRO Director Chris Scolese, SilentBarker will not be focused on the ground but “will be looking at space” to help track threats to Space Force and NRO satellites in geosynchronous orbit, SpaceNews reported.

At more than 22,000 miles above Earth, SilentBarker gives the U.S. the ability to monitor objects in the geosynchronous belt, Scolese said, adding that a planned second mission could be launched by 2026.

Senior Department of Defense officials said in a briefing in late August that when fully operational, Silent Barker will significantly boost U.S. capability to monitor potential threats from Russian and Chinese satellites.

Lt. Gen. Michael Guetlein, commander of the Space Systems Command, noted that Silent Barker provides the capability not only to detect smaller objects in orbit but also to “maintain custody” of those objects.