USA-247

USA-247, also known as NRO Launch 39 or NROL-39, is an American reconnaissance satellite, operated by the National Reconnaissance Office. Launched in 2013, it has been identified as a Topaz radar imaging satellite, developed as part of the Future Imagery Architecture program, to replace the earlier Onyx spacecraft.

USA-247 was launched by United Launch Alliance using an Atlas V carrier rocket flying in the 501 configuration, along with twelve CubeSats being carried as secondary payloads. Five of the CubeSats were a part of NASA ELaNa II manifest. Space Launch Complex 3E at the Vandenberg Air Force Base was used to conduct the launch, which took place at 07:14:30 UTC on 6 December 2013 (23:14 local time on 5 December). Identified as NRO Launch 39, it marked the forty-third flight of an Atlas V. The rocket used had been named Belle, and had tail number AV-042.

Logo controversy
The satellite's logo, a monstrous octopus with its massive arms wrapped around the world and the motto "nothing is beyond our reach", was seen as being blind to the political climate caused by recent surveillance disclosures.

An agency spokesperson responded by saying that their mission is for nothing to be able to escape their surveillance.