SSC Space Systems Command, in collaboration with the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and United Launch Alliance (ULA), successfully launched the “Silent Barker”/NROL-107 mission. The launch took place on September 10, 2023, at 8:47 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex (SLC)-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.

The mission involved deploying a spacecraft as part of the Space Force’s Silent Barker satellite constellation network. This network aims to provide space situational awareness, orbital surveillance, and tracking. Silent Barker, specifically, has been designed to detect and maintain custody of space objects. Its capabilities enable early warnings of threats against high-value assets in geosynchronous orbit.

The primary objective of the mission is to meet the requirements of the U.S. Department of Defense and intelligence community. Silent Barker will offer the capability to search, detect, and track objects using space-based sensors, ensuring timely custody and event detection.

By leveraging space surveillance, the government can overcome limitations faced by ground sensors. This initiative will enable the collection of timely satellite metric data round the clock, bolstering the nation’s ability to monitor and analyze objects in space.

It is worth noting that another Atlas V 551 remains in the NSSL (National Security Space Launch) inventory, as the Space Force nears the conclusion of its utilization of the Atlas rockets.