With that knowledge on the geographic position of this geostationary satellite, and hindsight, I have started to wonder whether there is a connection to the design of the mission patch:
As discussed before, the patch features a Gryphon (mythical creature, half lion, half eagle): with a lion (and the constellation Leo, the lion) between its legs, and reaching for an eagle (with the constellation Aquila, the eagle).
Realizing the eagle could be a metaphor for the USA, I suddenly realized the lion could be a metaphor for Africa.
This is interesting given the position and role of USA 227 / NROL-27 over 30.4 W, the Atlantic. In this position it connects Africa, to it's east, with the US, to its Northwest.
Is this what is depicted in the patch: the Gryphon (NROL-27) reaching from Africa to the US?
This would be the role of an SDS satellite: relaying data from reconaissance sats over Africa towards the USA (see also here).
If not intentional, than this is a very cool coincidence.
1 comment:
Actually the wing is Florida and the head of the Lion is south America. Te stars represent radio transmission hotspots of activity. The Griffin is a multi adaptive predatory animal with the qualities and strengths of many types of predators.
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