GPS-2F 7 (Navstar 71, USA 256)

Spacecraft nº:

US spacecraft nº:

Launch data: Designation  40105 / 14045A Launch date  02 Aug 2014 - 03:23 UT Launch site  CC, SLC-41 Launch vehicle  Atlas-5/401 (AV-048) Mission  Navigation Earth orbit: Perigee / Apogee  20173 x 20192 km Eccentricity   Inclination  54.94 ° Period  717.99 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. For Atlas launches, the Atlas-5(401) version is used.

Mission details:

• Global Positioning System space vehicle 68 was launched from Cape Canaveral on Aug 2, 2014 aboard an Atlas V 401 (serial AV-048). The mission, flight GPS IIF-7 'Capella', reached a 167 x 20260 km x 55 deg transfer orbit at 0340 UTC. A second Centaur burn at 0640 UTC circularized the orbit, which on Aug 12 was 20450 x 20478 km x 55.0 deg.

External links:

• Satellite tracking:
  Real time satellite tracking