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Delta Launches USAF GPS
2R-7 Satellite
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More
Information: |
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(source: USAF) |
A Boeing Delta 2 7925-9.5 rocket
successfully launched NAVSTAR GPS 2R-7 from Cape Canaveral Air
Station, pad 17A, at 07:55 UTC (11:55 p.m. PDT January 29) January
30.
The mission orbit of the US$44 million 2032 kg (4479 lbm) satellite
will be a
12-hour, 20,200 km (10,900 nmi) altitude orbit, inclined at 55°. This is the seventh Block 2R satellite, of a block order of 21, to be supplied
by Lockheed Martin. The satellite design is 
based on Lockheed
Martin’s AS-4000 series satellite bus, with a design life of 10
years. This 283rd Delta launch cost US$50 million.
Boeing has an additional 14 launches
for the satellite-based navigation system manifested aboard the Delta 2.
The GPS
system is separated into six orbital planes, requiring a minimum
of four satellites in each, to operate. Four of the planes
currently have an additional satellite, giving the network a total
of 28 spacecraft. This launch will insert the new satellite into
the E-4 slot of the constellation. The GPS 2R-7 satellite is replacing
the spacecraft currently in the E-4 position, GPS 2A-10, which will be
shifted to slot E-5 for the remainder of its operational life. E-5
is an extra slot being established to ensure the constellation
remains healthy while not retiring a satellite that still has some
of its life left. Although GPS 2A-10 has exceeds its design life
span, the satellite continues to function. GPS 2R-7
should enter service in 30 to 45 days.
Table
1: GPS Satellite Planes/Slots
Click
on individual cells for more information on the satellite.
Note:
Nomenclature used in this table: Block number (2, 2A or
2R), satellite within block. In parentheses, USAF space vehicle
number of GPS satellite. Satellites GPS 2-1
(14),
2-3
(16), 2-6
(18), 2-7 (20)
and
2A-13 (28) have been retired. GPS 2R-1 (42) was destroyed in a
Delta launch failure on January 17, 1997.
 The Global
Positioning System (GPS) network is operated by the U.S. Air Force
to provide highly accurate position, speed and timing information
to military forces around the world, and is used by a growing
number of commercial products. The NAVSTAR Global Positioning
System is managed by the NAVSTAR GPS Joint Program Office at the
Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base,
California. The USAF
50th Space Wing located at Falcon Air Force Base, Colorado,
operates and controls the system.
NAVSTAR
GPS stands for Navigation Signal Timing and Ranging Global
Positioning System.
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