The satellites are presumably the FIA-Radar (Future Imagery Architecture - Radar) radar component of the FIA system. They are the successors of the Onyx radar satellites. In 2013 information leaked out, which indicates, that the Byman codename is Topaz. No details have been published.
The development contract for the Future Imagery Architecture program, consisting of an optical (FIA-O) and a radar (FIA-R) component, was awarded to Boeing in 1999. After running into massive cost overruns and delays of the delivery date of the FIA-O component, in September 2005 the contract for the electro-optical satellites was cancelled. The FIA-Radar satellite program remained at Boeing.
The first satellite was launched in 2010, at least four years behind the original schedule. The second followed in 2012. According to the leaked 2013 budget, five satellites are planned, before they are succeeded by the Block 2 version.
Note: The NROL designations refer to the launch, not to the payload.
Nation: | USA |
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Type / Application: | Reconnaissance, Radar |
Operator: | NRO |
Contractors: | Boeing |
Equipment: | |
Configuration: | |
Propulsion: | |
Power: | |
Lifetime: | |
Mass: | |
Orbit: | 1102 km × 1105 km, 122.99° (#1); 1080 km × 1094 km, 122.99° (#2); 1070 km × 1088 km, 123.01° (#3); 1077 km × 1084 km, 122.97° (#4); 1052 km × 1057 km, 106° (#5) |
Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
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Topaz 1 (FIA-Radar 1, NROL 41, USA 215) | 2010-046A | 21.09.2010 | Va SLC-3E | Atlas-5(501) | ||
Topaz 2 (FIA-Radar 2, NROL 25, USA 234) | 2012-014A | 03.04.2012 | Va SLC-6 | Delta-4M+(5,2) | ||
Topaz 3 (FIA-Radar 3, NROL 39, USA 247) | 2013-072A | 06.12.2013 | Va SLC-3E | Atlas-5(501) | with ALICE, SMDC-ONE 3.1, SMDC-ONE 3.2, SNaP, TacSat 6, FIREBIRD FU1, FIREBIRD FU2, AeroCube 5A, AeroCube 5B, CUNYSAT 1, IPEX, M-Cubed/COVE 2 | |
Topaz 4 (FIA-Radar 4, NROL 45, USA 267) | 2016-010A | 10.02.2016 | Va SLC-6 | Delta-4M+(5,2) (upg.) | ||
Topaz 5 (FIA-Radar 5, NROL 47, USA 281) | 2018-005A | 12.01.2018 | Va SLC-6 | Delta-4M+(5,2) (upg.) |