SatCom Array NW-05a

SatCom NW-05a is a satellite array, part of the SatCom Array in the northwest of the Capital Wasteland. It is located further west of NN-03d, between Fort Constantine and the MDPL-05 Power Station.

NN-05a is populated by members of the Talon Company and a Ghoul scientist. On the scientist's body you will find three notes. Two, when used with the computer at the top of the tower, will mark the other two Satcom arrays on your map. The third will activate "Highwater Trousers", a micro-nuclear weapons platform (basically a satellite armed with missiles to shoot down to earth) that will drop several armed Mini Nukes around the tower. The scientist's notes indicate that while the missile payload is still intact, the rotors which change the targeting position of the array need to be replaced. There does not seem to be a replacement component at any other array.

Highwater Trousers missile launch
For your amusement, upload the Highwater Trousers activation code taken from the dead scientist into the nearby terminal, and at your own pace move up the ladder to the top of the dish (note that nothing will happen until you move from your spawn point). To get the best view, run East up to the top of the dish and look for eight red laser targeting strikes which are shortly followed by eight missiles.

The explosions are ten times bigger than a mini-nuke,and leave no craters or radiation but cause extremely powerful (above 30 rads a second, near the center, the levels decrease fairly quickly though) radiation (360 confirmed, others untested). They can kill your followers if you station them near a location where a missile falls.

Notable loot
Chinese Army: Special Ops Training Manual found near a terminal towards the left upon entering at the ground level. Five frag mines are planted around the entrance to the array. The Talon Company mercenaries have some heavy weapons (missile launchers and a flamer).

Nearby Points of interest
To the west and slightly south of SatCom Array NW-05a, there is a wharf populated with Raiders and Mirelurks. Nikola Tesla and You can be found on top of a blue boat to the west of the camp. Inside of the boat (beneath the water) is a Stealth Boy. A Mini Nuke may be found on a shelf on the wharf.

Just Southwest of the tower is an Enclave camp consisting of a sentry bot, a couple regular enclave, and a tesla enclave soldier, which can be easily located when heading toward the wharf. Nearby there are a few ghoul corpses and some minor loot.

Also to the Southwest there is a bathtub with a skeleton and a Mini Nuke in it.