USA-242

Short description: American navigation satellite used for GPS

USA-242

Artist's impression of a GPS IIF satellite

Mission type| Navigation
Operator| US Air Force
COSPAR ID| 2013-023A
SATCAT no.| 39166
Mission duration| 12 years (planned)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft| GPS SVN-66 (IIF-4)
Spacecraft type| GPS Block IIF
Manufacturer| Boeing
Launch mass| 1,630 kilograms (3,590 lb)[1]
Start of mission
Launch date| 15 May 2013, 21:38 (2013-05-15UTC21:38Z) UTC
Rocket| Atlas V 401, AV-039
Launch site| Cape Canaveral Air Force Station SLC-41
Contractor| ULA
Orbital parameters
Reference system| Geocentric
Regime| Medium Earth
(Semi-synchronous)
Perigee altitude| 20,459 kilometers (12,713 mi)[2]
Apogee altitude| 20,459 kilometers (12,713 mi)[2]
Inclination| 55 degrees[2]
Period| 12 hours
Epoch| Target

USA-242, also known as GPS IIF-4, GPS IIF SV-5, Navstar-68 and Vega,[3] is an American navigation satellite which was launched on 15 May 2013 and became operational on 21 June 2013.[4] The fourth Block IIF GPS satellite, it forms part of the Global Positioning System.

USA-242 is a 1,630-kilogram (3,590 lb) spacecraft, built by Boeing with a design life of 15 years.[1] It operates from a semi-synchronous medium Earth orbit, at an altitude of 20,459 kilometers (12,713 mi) an inclination of 55 degrees,[2] in slot 5 of plane C of the GPS constellation.[5] The new satellite was originally intended to replace the seventeen-year-old USA-117 satellite,[6] but currently both USA-117 (SVN-33) and USA-242 (SVN-66) are in active use.[7] USA-242 broadcasts its navigation signals using the PRN-27 signal modulation.

United Launch Alliance conducted the launch of GPS IIF-4, using an Atlas V 401 carrier rocket. Launch took place from Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station , with liftoff occurring at 21:38 UTC on 15 May 2013, the beginning of an 18-minute launch window. The launch marked the first time since 1985 that a GPS satellite had launched on an Atlas rocket, or indeed any rocket other than a Delta.[6]

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Krebs, Gunter. "GPS-2F (Navstar-2F)". Gunter's Space Page. http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/navstar-2f.htm.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "GPS IIF-4 Atlas V Mission Overview". United Launch Alliance. http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/docs/missionbooklets/AV/av_gpsiif4_mob.pdf.
3. ↑ McDowell, Jonathan. "Issue 679 (draft)". Jonathan's Space Report. http://planet4589.org/space/jsr/latest.html.
4. ↑ "NANU 2013035". United States Coast Guard. http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?Do=gpsShowNanu&num=2013035.
5. ↑ Ray, Justin. "Mission Status Center". Spaceflight Now. http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av039/status.html.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Graham, William (15 May 2013). "ULA Atlas V successfully  [sic] deploys new GPS satellite". NASASpaceflight.com. http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/05/ula-atlas-v-launch-new-gps-satellite/.
7. ↑ "GPS Constellation Status". United States Coast Guard. http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?Do=constellationStatus.

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NAVSTAR Global Positioning System satellites

List of GPS satellites

Block I|

* 1
* 2
* 3
* 4
* 5
* 6
* 7†
* 8
* 9
* 10
* 11

Block II|

* 1
* 2
* 3
* 4
* 5
* 6
* 7
* 8
* 9

Block IIA|

* 1
* 2
* 3
* 4
* 5
* 6
* 7
* 8
* 9
* 10
* 11
* 12
* 13
* 14
* 15
* 16
* 17
* 18
* 19

Block IIR|

* 1†
* 2
* 3
* 4
* 5
* 6
* 7
* 8
* 9
* 10
* 11
* 12
* 13
* 14
* 15
* 16
* 17
* 18
* 19
* 20
* 21

Block IIRM|

* 1
* 2
* 3
* 4
* 5
* 6
* 7
* 8

Block IIF|

* 1
* 2
* 3
* 4
* 5
* 6
* 7
* 8
* 9
* 10
* 11
* 12

Block III|

* 01
* 02
* 03
* 04
* 05
* 06
* 07
* 08
* 09
* 10

Block IIIF|

* 01
* 02
* 03
* 04
* 05
* 06
* 07
* 08
* 09
* 10
* 11
* 12
* 13
* 14
* 15
* 16
* 17
* 18
* 19
* 20
* 21
* 22

Italics indicate future missions. Signs † indicate launch failures.

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