USA-202

USA-202 is a United States military satellite. It is a classified payload believed to be part of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) electro-optical imaging reconnaissance satellite program. It was launched on January 20, 2009, from Vandenberg Air Force Base aboard a Delta IV Heavy rocket. Its mission and operational parameters remain largely undisclosed, consistent with the typical secrecy surrounding NRO satellite deployments. It is understood to be in a Molniya orbit, a highly elliptical orbit that allows for prolonged observation of high-latitude regions. Its purpose is generally assumed to be intelligence gathering and surveillance. The "USA" designation signifies that it is a United States asset, and the numerical designation is part of a sequential naming convention used by the U.S. military and intelligence community for their satellites.