On the NROL-27 mission patch, and the satellites' geographic position at 30.4 West

Yesterday, I posted my first image of NROL-27 / USA 227, the SDS satellite launched March 11th. It is located at 30.4 W, over the Atlantic.

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.

USA 227/NROL-27 at 30.4 W: a Gryphon in Hydra

NROL-27, a secret NRO payload that is probably an SDS communication satellite (see also here) was launched on 2011 March 11th.

On April 6th, Peter Wakelin made the first observations of the new object. The orbit (by Ted) places it at 30.4 W, over the mid-Atlantic in front of the Brasil coast, in a 5 degree inclined orbit, placing it low in the southwest for me, at an altitude of about 20 to 25 degrees.

click map to enlarge

Yesterday evening was a very clear evening, and based on Ted's preliminary orbit I photographed it, using the Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar MC 2.8/180 mm.

Below is (a part of) the image. The object, at that time a few degrees northwest of alpha Hydra, is bright and shows up well:

click image to enlarge

Launch patches for NROL-27 can be seen in an older post here.

Note added 12/04/2011: a follow-up discussing a possible relation between the NROL-27 mission patch symbology and the satellite's geographic location can be found here.

NROL-27 patches

NROL-27 is slated to be launched on March 11 on a Delta IV rocket. Two patches have appeared for this classified launch so far, both featuring a Gryphon:

(click images to enlarge)

Some independant analysts believe NROL-27 will be a geostationary SDS satellite. The patches, especially the second one, tend to support that suspicion.

The Latin "Nos Suo Caelum" in the second patch means "We Connect the Heavens". This is exactly what SDS satellites do: they provide an uplink and downlink platform between other (reconnaissance) satellites and their operating centers. The red Dragon in the second patch, might indicate this new SDS will notably serve a role for SIGINT satellites (as historically, dragons in patches signify SIGINT satellites).

The Gryphon, part lion, part eagle, features in both patches. Gryphons guard treasure and possessions, and are symbols of the divine and divine power; strength, military courage and leadership. The "Custos Divini" in the first patch means "Guardian of the Divine".