USA-96

Last updated

USA-96
NamesNavstar 2A-14
GPS IIA-14
GPS II-23
GPS SVN-34
Mission type Navigation
Operator U.S. Air Force
COSPAR ID 1993-068A [1]
SATCAT no. 22877
Mission duration7.5 years (planned)
26 years (achieved)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft GPS IIA
Spacecraft type GPS Block IIA [2]
Manufacturer Rockwell International
Launch mass840 kg (1,850 lb)
Dimensions5.3 m (17 ft) of long
Power710 watts
Start of mission
Launch date26 October 1993, 17:04:00 UTC
Rocket Delta II 7925-9.5
(Delta D223)
Launch site Cape Canaveral, LC-17B
Contractor McDonnell Douglas
Entered service25 November 1993
End of mission
Disposal Graveyard orbit
Deactivated9 October 2019
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric orbit [3]
Regime Medium Earth orbit
(Semi-synchronous)
SlotD4 (slot 4 plane D)
Perigee altitude 20,107 km (12,494 mi)
Apogee altitude 20,264 km (12,591 mi)
Inclination 55.08°
Period 718.00 minutes
←  USA-94 (GPS IIA-13)
USA-100 (GPS IIA-15) →

USA-96, also known as GPS IIA-14, GPS II-23 and GPS SVN-34, is an American navigation satellite which is part of the Global Positioning System. It was 14 of 19 Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched, and the last one to be retired.

Contents

Background

Global Positioning System (GPS) was developed by the U.S. Department of Defense to provide all-weather round-the-clock navigation capabilities for military ground, sea, and air forces. Since its implementation, GPS has also become an integral asset in numerous civilian applications and industries around the globe, including recreational used (e.g., boating, aircraft, hiking), corporate vehicle fleet tracking, and surveying. GPS employs 24 spacecraft in 20,200 km circular orbits inclined at 55.0°. These vehicles are placed in 6 orbit planes with four operational satellites in each plane. [1]

GPS Block 2 was the operational system, following the demonstration system composed of Block 1 (Navstar 1 - 11) spacecraft. These spacecraft were 3-axis stabilized, nadir pointing using reaction wheels. Dual solar arrays supplied 710 watts of power. They used S-band (SGLS) communications for control and telemetry and Ultra high frequency (UHF) cross-link between spacecraft. The payload consisted of two L-band navigation signals at 1575.42 MHz (L1) and 1227.60 MHz (L2). Each spacecraft carried 2 rubidium and 2 Cesium clocks and nuclear detonation detection sensors. Built by Rockwell Space Systems for the U.S. Air force, the spacecraft measured 5.3 m across with solar panels deployed and had a design life of 7.5 years. [1]

Launch

USA-96 was launched at 17:04:00 UTC on 26 October 1993, atop a Delta II launch vehicle, flight number D223, flying in the 7925-9.5 configuration. [4] The launch took place from Launch Complex 17B (LC-17B) at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), [5] and placed USA-96 into a transfer orbit. The satellite raised itself into medium Earth orbit using a Star-37XFP apogee motor. [2]

Mission

On 25 November 1993, USA-96 was in an orbit with a perigee of 20,104 km (12,492 mi), an apogee of 20,260 km (12,590 mi), a period of 718.00 minutes, and 55.08° of inclination to the equator. [3] It broadcast the PRN 04 signal, and operated in slot 4 of plane D of the GPS constellation. [6] The satellite has a mass of 840 kg (1,850 lb). It had a design life of 7.5 years. [2] It was temporarily removed from the GPS constellation on 2 November 2015. [7] From 20 March 2018 the satellite was operational again, broadcasting the PRN 18 signal, from slot 6 of Plane D, [8] until 9 October 2019, when it was placed in reserve as an on-orbit spare. [9] It was the final Block IIA satellite to be retired on 13 April 2020. [10]

Related Research Articles

USA-87, also known as GPS IIA-8, GPS II-17 and GPS SVN-29, was an American navigation satellite which formed part of the Global Positioning System. It was the eighth of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GPS satellite blocks</span> Generations of US navigation satellites

GPS satellite blocks are the various production generations of the Global Positioning System (GPS) used for satellite navigation. The first satellite in the system, Navstar 1, was launched on 22 February 1978. The GPS satellite constellation is operated by the 2nd Space Operations Squadron (2SOPS) of Space Delta 8, United States Space Force.

USA-66, also known as GPS IIA-1, GPS II-10 and GPS SVN-23, was an American navigation satellite which formed part of the Global Positioning System. It was the first of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched, and was the oldest GPS satellite still in operation until its decommissioning on 25 January 2016.

USA-71, also known as GPS IIA-2, GPS II-11 and GPS SVN-24, is an American navigation satellite which forms part of the Global Positioning System. It was the second of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched.

USA-79, also known as GPS IIA-3, GPS II-12 and GPS SVN-25, was an American navigation satellite which formed part of the Global Positioning System. It was the third of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched.

USA-80, also known as GPS IIA-4, GPS II-13 and GPS SVN-28, was an American navigation satellite which formed part of the Global Positioning System. It was the fourth of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched.

USA-83, also known as GPS IIA-5, GPS II-14 and GPS SVN-26, is an American navigation satellite which forms part of the Global Positioning System. It was the fifth of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched.

USA-84, also known as GPS IIA-6, GPS II-15 and GPS SVN-27, is an American navigation satellite which forms part of the Global Positioning System. It was the sixth of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched.

USA-85, also known as GPS IIA-7, GPS II-16 and GPS SVN-32, was an American navigation satellite which formed part of the Global Positioning System. It was the seventh of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched.

USA-88, also known as GPS IIA-9, GPS II-18 and GPS SVN-22, was an American navigation satellite which formed part of the Global Positioning System. It was the ninth of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched.

USA-90, also known as GPS IIA-10, GPS II-19 and GPS SVN-31, was an American navigation satellite which formed part of the Global Positioning System. It was the tenth of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched.

USA-91, also known as GPS IIA-11, GPS II-20 and GPS SVN-37, was an American navigation satellite which formed part of the Global Positioning System. It was the eleventh of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched.

USA-92, also known as GPS IIA-12, GPS II-21, GPS SVN-39, and NAVSTAR 39, is an American navigation satellite which forms part of the Global Positioning System. It was the twelfth of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched.

USA-94, also known as GPS IIA-13, GPS II-22 and GPS SVN-35, was an American navigation satellite which formed part of the Global Positioning System. It was the thirteenth of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched.

USA-100, also known as GPS IIA-15, GPS II-24 and GPS SVN-36, is an American navigation satellite which forms part of the Global Positioning System. It was the fifteenth of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched.

USA-117, also known as GPS IIA-16, GPS II-25 and GPS SVN-33, is an American navigation satellite which forms part of the Global Positioning System. It was the sixteenth of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched.

USA-126, also known as GPS IIA-17, GPS II-26 and GPS SVN-40, is an American navigation satellite which forms part of the Global Positioning System. It was the seventeenth of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched.

USA-128, also known as GPS IIA-18, GPS II-27 and GPS SVN-30, is an American navigation satellite which forms part of the Global Positioning System. It was the eighteenth of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched.

USA-135, also known as GPS IIA-19, GPS II-28 and GPS SVN-38, is an American navigation satellite which forms part of the Global Positioning System. It was the last of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Display: Navstar 2A-14 1993-068A". NASA. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2020.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  2. 1 2 3 Krebs, Gunter. "GPS-2A (Navstar-2A)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
  3. 1 2 "Trajectory: Navstar 2A-14 1993-068A". NASA. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2020.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  4. ↑ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Report. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
  5. ↑ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch List". Launch Vehicle Database. Jonathan's Space Report. Archived from the original on 15 August 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
  6. ↑ Wade, Mark. "Navstar". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 11 November 2002. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
  7. ↑ "Notice Advisory to GPS Users". NAVCEN. Retrieved 7 November 2015.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  8. ↑ "Notice Advisory to GPS Users". navcen.uscg.gov. Retrieved 31 March 2018.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  9. ↑ "Notice Advisory to GPS Users". navcen.uscg.gov. Retrieved 28 October 2019.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  10. ↑ "Farewell to a Great Generation: GPS IIA". Inside GNSS - Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design. 15 April 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.