Approximate orbit · United States

USA 522

APPROX

USA 522 (NORAD 63597) is a satellite whose full orbit is not public. What is published: its height and tilt, drawn to scale, and who operates it.

Orbit

Approximate orbit, direction and position not public

1,087 to 1,137 km up · tilted 63.4° · 107.5 min a lap · as listed on 14 Oct 2026

Its height and tilt are public. Which way its orbit faces, and where it is, are not, so azmth shows no position or pass times.

Why some orbits are not public →

Diagram by azmth: size, shape and tilt to scale, from the catalogue's figures. It shows no place on Earth.

Height and tilt: CelesTrak and Space-Track.org, as listed on 14 Oct 2026

Catalogue

Country: United States; From GCAT (14 Oct 2026)
Launched: 16 Apr 2025
COSPAR ID: 2025-077B
NORAD ID: 63597

The United States' UN registration gives its orbit as about 1,107 to 1,121 km up, tilted 63.4°, 107.6 min a lap (ST/SG/SER.E/1290, 14 Aug 2025). The United States gives its function as “Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communications”.

Who operates it

MilitaryUnited StatesActive

Signals intelligence (unconfirmed)

Official description

“Now modified for space launch, it completed its final mission of placing a national security payload on orbit, a credit to the decades-long dedication of those who were part of the missile’s early development, maintenance and operations, and innovative conversion into the Minotaur IV rocket.”

National Reconnaissance Office, 16 Apr 2025

It names no purpose.

Independent assessment

GCAT classes it as a military satellite for signals intelligence (unconfirmed), lists its owner as National Reconnaissance Office and records it as active (14 Oct 2026).

Data: GCAT · CC BY 4.0 Class, mission and status adapted from GCAT by Jonathan McDowell, CC BY 4.0, data update 14 Oct 2026.

Military satellites, counted and explained →

CelesTrak record