Jumpseat (satellite)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
JUMPSEAT, also known as AFP-711[1] is a code name for a class of highly elliptical orbit SIGINT reconnaissance satellites operated by the National Reconnaissance Office for the United States Air Force in the 1970s and 1980s, and retired from use in 2006.[2] These satellites were developed under Project EARPOP during the 1960s and early 1970s[3] Some program details were declassified in December 2025.[3]
The JUMPSEAT satellites had the purpose of collecting electronic signals to provide information about adversarial countries weapon systems capabilities.[2][3] This was a continuation of preexisting satellite constellations such as Grab or Poppy.[4] Gathered data was downlinked to ground stations within the United States.[3]
The 700 kilograms (1,500 lb) Jumpseat satellites were manufactured by Hughes Aircraft and were inserted into highly elliptical Molniya orbits with an inclination of 63 degrees and orbital periods of close to 12 hours.[5] These were in similar orbits to the Satellite Data System relay satellites.
The successors to the Jumpseat series are the Trumpet satellites.
List of satellite launches
Eight JUMPSEAT satellites with mission numbers 7701 to 7708 were launched between March 21, 1971, and February 12, 1987,[3] from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4 West (SLC-4W)[2] on Titan IIIB launch vehicles with Agena D boosters.
There was one failure (OPS 1844, on February 16, 1972), when the second satellite's Agena malfunctioned and left the satellite in a useless orbit.[1]
| Name | COSPAR ID SATCAT No. |
Launch date (UTC) |
Launch vehicle | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OPS 4788 | 1971-021A 05053 | March 21, 1971 03:45 | Titan III(33)B | Success |
| OPS 1844 | N/A | February 16, 1972 09:59 | Titan III(33)B | Failure |
| OPS 7724 | 1973-056A 06791 | August 21, 1973 16:07 | Titan III(33)B | Success |
| OPS 2439 | 1975-017A 07687 | March 10, 1975 04:41 | Titan III(34)B | Success |
| OPS 6031 | 1978-021A 10688 | February 25, 1978 05:00 | Titan III(34)B | Success |
| OPS 7225 | 1981-038A 12418 | April 24, 1981 21:32 | Titan III(34)B | Success |
| OPS 7304 | 1983-078A 14237 | July 31, 1983 15:41 | Titan III(34)B | Success |
| USA-21 | 1987-015A 17506 | February 12, 1987 06:40 | Titan III(34)B | Success |
