USA-196 explained

USA-196
Mission Type:Navigation
Operator:US Air Force
Cospar Id:2007-047A[1]
Satcat:32260
Mission Duration:10 years (planned)
Spacecraft Type:GPS Block IIRM
Spacecraft Bus:AS-4000
Manufacturer:Lockheed Martin
Launch Date: UTC
Launch Rocket: D328
Launch Site:Cape Canaveral SLC-17A
Orbit Reference:Geocentric
Orbit Regime:Medium Earth
(Semi-synchronous)
Orbit Periapsis:20149km (12,520miles)
Orbit Apoapsis:20214km (12,560miles)
Orbit Inclination:54.8 degrees
Orbit Period:717.94 minutes
Apsis:gee

USA-196, also known as GPS IIR-17(M), GPS IIRM-4 and GPS SVN-55, is an American navigation satellite which forms part of the Global Positioning System. It was the fourth of eight Block IIRM satellites to be launched, and the seventeenth of twenty one Block IIR satellites overall. It was built by Lockheed Martin, using the AS-4000 satellite bus.

USA-196 was launched at 12:23:00 UTC on 17 October 2007, atop a Delta II carrier rocket, flight number D328, flying in the 7925-9.5 configuration.[2] The launch took place from Space Launch Complex 17A at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station,[3] and placed USA-196 into a transfer orbit. The satellite raised itself into medium Earth orbit using a Star-37FM apogee motor.[4]

By 27 October 2007, USA-196 was in an orbit with a perigee of 20149km (12,520miles), an apogee of 20214km (12,560miles), a period of 717.94 minutes, and 54.8 degrees of inclination to the equator.[5] It is used to broadcast the PRN 15 signal, and operates in slot 2 of plane F of the GPS constellation. The satellite has a design life of 10 years and a mass of .[4] As of 2015 it remains in service.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: GPS 2R-17. US National Space Science Data Center. 11 July 2012.
  2. Web site: Launch Log. Jonathan's Space Page. Jonathan. McDowell. Jonathan McDowell. 11 July 2012.
  3. Web site: Launch List. Jonathan's Space Page. Launch Vehicle Database. Jonathan. McDowell. 11 July 2012. 15 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200815040340/http://planet4589.org/space/lvdb/list2.html. dead.
  4. Web site: GPS-2RM (Navstar-2RM). Gunter. Krebs. Gunter's Space Page. 11 July 2012.
  5. Web site: Satellite Catalog. Jonathan's Space Page. Jonathan. McDowell. 11 July 2012.