USA-96
(Instrumentality)
Tech
What is USA-96?
USA-96, also known as GPS IIA-14, GPS II-23 and GPS SVN-34, is an American navigation satellite which is part of the Global Positioning System. It was the fourteenth of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched. USA-96 was launched at 17:04:00 UTC on 26 October 1993, atop a Delta II carrier rocket, flight number D223, flying in the 7925-9.5 configuration. The launch took place from Launch Complex 17B at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and placed USA-96 into a transfer orbit. The satellite raised itself into medium Earth orbit using a apogee motor. On 25 November 1993, USA-96 was in an orbit with a perigee of 20,104 kilometres (12,492 mi), an apogee of 20,260 kilometres (12,590 mi), a period of 717.96 minutes, and 55 degrees of inclination to the equator. It broadcast the PRN 04 signal, and operated in slot 4 of plane D of the GPS constellation. The satellite has a mass of 1,816 kilograms (4,004 lb). It had a design life of 7.5 years. It was temporarily removed from the GPS constellation on 2 November 2015. From 20 March 2018 the satellite was operational again, broadcasting the PRN 18 signal, from slot 6 of Plane D, until 9 October 2019, when it was permanently retired.