Official name OPS 8781
Alternative name NOSS 2 MSD (OPS 8781) + Star-20
Cospar ID 1977-112A
Norad ID 10502
Launch date 1977-12-08
Launch site AFWTR
Launch vehicle Atlas-F MSD
Country/Organization USA
Type application Ocean Surveillance Launch Dispenser
Operator ?
RCS size UNKNOWN
Decay date ON ORBIT
Period (min) 102.71
Inclination (deg) 63.32
Perigee (km) 468
Apogee (km) 1306
Eccentricity 0.472378804960541
Mean motion (revs. per day) 14.0200564696719
Semi-Major axis (km) 7265.135
Raan (deg) 142.639
Arg of perigee (deg) 150.0869
Shape Cyl
Mass (kg) 63.43
Diameter (m) 1.5
Height (m) 1.6
Span (m^2) 1.6
Contractors Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) (#1, 2); ? (#3 - 9)
Equipment ?
Propulsion FW-4D ?
Configuration ?

MSD (Multiple Satellite Dispenser) were dispensers for the Parcae (NOSS) satellite triplets.

These satellites were developed by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). Each launch on top of an modified Atlas-E/F rocket consisted of the MSD mother satellite, which also acted as an upper stage for the stack using an integrated FW-4D solid rocket motor. In orbit, three NOSS satellites were separated and flew together in a triangle formation.

Around the base of the cylindrical MSD was a jettisonable plume shield to protect the NOSS subsatellites. In three launches these plume shields were modified to function as low-cost experimental satellites under the designation LIPS.

Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
OPS 6431 1976-038A 1976-04-30 AFWTR Atlas-F MSD with Parcae 1A, Parcae 1B, Parcae 1C
OPS 8781 1977-112A 1977-12-08 AFWTR Atlas-F MSD with Parcae 2A, Parcae 2B, Parcae 2C
OPS 7245 1980-019A 1980-03-03 AFWTR Atlas-F MSD with Parcae 3A, Parcae 3B, Parcae 3C
OPS 0252 1983-008A 1983-02-09 AFWTR Atlas-H MSD with Parcae 5A, Parcae 5B, Parcae 5C, LIPS 2
OPS 6432 1983-056A 1983-06-09 AFWTR Atlas-H MSD with Parcae 6A, Parcae 6B, Parcae 6C
OPS 8737 1984-012A 1984-02-05 AFWTR Atlas-H MSD with Parcae 7A, Parcae 7B, Parcae 7C
USA 15 1986-014A 1986-02-09 AFWTR Atlas-H MSD with Parcae 8A, Parcae 8B, Parcae 8C
USA 22 1987-043A 1987-05-15 AFWTR Atlas-H MSD with Parcae 9A, Parcae 9B, Parcae 9C, LIPS 3