GPS-2F 6

Spacecraft nº:

US spacecraft nº:

Launch data: Designation  39741 / 14026A Launch date  17 May 2014 - 00:03 UT Launch site  CC, SLC-37B Launch vehicle  Delta-4M+(4,2) Mission  Navigation Earth orbit: Perigee / Apogee  20178 x 20200 km Eccentricity   Inclination   55.1° Period  718.0 min

Spacecraft data:

Description:

• GPS-2F (Global Positioning System) or Navstar-2F (Navigation System using Timing And Ranging) satellites are the fourth evolution stage of the second generation of the GPS satellites. Improvements included an extended design life of 12 years, faster processors with more memory, and a new civil signal on a third frequency.
• The GPS-2F satellites do not need to carry an apogee kick motor, in contrast to the earlier generations, as the launch vehicles provide direct insertion into the GPS orbit. Originally the Delta-4M version was to be used for the Delta launches, but a mass growth of the satellites required a switch to the more powerful Delta-4M+(4,2) version.
• NAVSTAR 70 (USA 251, GPS 2F-6) will replace the aging spacecraft known as GPS 2A-23 in Plane D, Slot 4 of the constellation. The GPS 2A-23 satellite was launched aboard Delta 223 in October 1993. It will go into a reserve role in the network for the remainder of its useful life. GPS 2F-6 will replace its target within a month of launch. (Ref.228)

Mission details:

• The sixth GPS Block IIF satellite, space vehicle number (SVN) 67, nicknamed Rigel, was launched from Cape Canaveral on May 17, 2014. For the first time on a GPS/Delta 4 flight, the profile had only two instead of three upper stage burns: the Delta 4 second stage skipped the low circular parking orbit phase and directly entered a 198 x 20387 km x 52.7 deg transfer orbit at 0018 UTC.
  The second stage 2 burn at 0306 UTC led to the deployment of GPS SVN 67 in a 20460 x 20476 km x 55.0 deg orbit.

External links:

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