TRUMPET

The TRUMPET series of SIGINT (Signal Intelligence) satellites was the direct successor of the JUMPSEAT series. They used the same highly elliptic Molniya orbits at an inclination of 64°, and had presumably the same basic mission (monitoring Russian missile radars). Three TRUMPET satellites were launched between May 1994 and November 1997.

In June 2006 and March 2008, two NRO satellites were launched, which had the same orbital characteristics as the earlier TRUMPET missions. No name has been revealed, and therefore these satellites are generally referred to as "TRUMPET Follow-On" or "TRUMPET, 2nd generation". They are reported to carry at least two secondary payloads - the SBIRS-HEO (Space-Based Infrared System - Highly Elliptical Orbit) early-warning package for the Air Force, and the TWINS (Two Wide-angle Imaging Neutral-atom Spectrometers) scientific package for NASA.

Two NRO launches in December 2014 and September 2017 are assumed to belong to a 3rd generation of TRUMPET satellites. At least the first one, and probably both, also carry an SBIRS-HEO payload and possibly an EPS (Enhanced Polar System) communication package.

TRUMPET Launch List

• No.: Sequential flight number for the TRUMPET and follow-up programs
• Name: Unclassified name of the satellite. Since June 1984, U.S. military satellites get a sequential "USA" number. "NROL" stands for National Reconnaissance Office Launch, a number assigned by the NRO to its satellite launches since 1996.
• Gen.: TRUMPET "generation" of the satellite. Generations 2 and 3 probably use a different name.
• COSPAR ID: International designation of the satellite

TRUMPET launches

Main Sources

[1] Gunter Krebs: Gunter's Space Page

Back to Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles, Appendix 3

---

Last Updated: 29 July 2025