USA-96

USA-96
Mission type Navigation
Operator US Air Force
COSPAR ID 1993-068A[1]
SATCAT № 22877[1]
Mission duration 22 years[2]
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type GPS Block IIA[3]
Manufacturer Rockwell[3]
Launch mass 1,816 kilograms (4,004 lb)[3]
Start of mission
Launch date 26 October 1993, 17:04:00 (1993-10-26UTC17:04Z) UTC
Rocket Delta II 7925-9.5, D223[4]
Launch site Cape Canaveral LC-17B[4]
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Medium Earth
(Semi-synchronous)
Perigee 20,104 kilometres (12,492 mi)[5]
Apogee 20,260 kilometres (12,590 mi)[5]
Inclination 55 degrees[5]
Period 717.96 minutes[5]

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

USA-96 was launched at 17:04:00 UTC on 26 October 1993, atop a Delta II carrier rocket, flight number D223, flying in the 7925-9.5 configuration.[4] The launch took place from Launch Complex 17B at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station,[6] and placed USA-96 into a transfer orbit. The satellite raised itself into medium Earth orbit using a Star-37XFP apogee motor.[3]

On 25 November 1993, USA-96 was in an orbit with a perigee of 20,104 kilometres (12,492 mi), an apogee of 20,260 kilometres (12,590 mi), a period of 717.96 minutes, and 55 degrees of inclination to the equator.[5] It broadcast the PRN 04 signal, and operated in slot 4 of plane D of the GPS constellation.[7] The satellite has a mass of 1,816 kilograms (4,004 lb). It had a design life of 7.5 years,[3] and lasted until 2 November 2015, being removed from the GPS constellation the next day,[2] almost 22 years later.

References

  1. 1 2 "Navstar 2A-14". US National Space Science Data Center. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
  2. 1 2 "Notice Advisory to GPS Users". NAVCEN. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Krebs, Gunter. "GPS-2A (Navstar-2A)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
  6. McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch List". Launch Vehicle Database. Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
  7. Wade, Mark. "Navstar". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
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