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First GPS III satellite now available

January 13, 2020  - By

CGSIC logo

The U.S. Air Force Second Space Operations Squadron (2 SOPS) has issued a statement that the first GPS III satellite is available for backup. While occupying the same plane as SV-68, the new satellite is broadcasting healthy, usable signals and is an active part of the constellation in the vicinity of slot F3 near SV-68.

On. Jan. 13, 2 SOPS issued an Initial Use (USABINIT) NANU for SVN-74, the first of the new generation of GPS-III satellites, according to Rick Hamilton, CGSIC executive secretariat.

SVN-74/PRN-04 was launched on Dec. 23, 2018. Now, having successfully undergone rigorous operational testing on orbit, the satellite has taken its place, backing up SVN-68/PRN-9 at F3 in the active GPS constellation.


NOTICE ADVISORY TO NAVSTAR USERS (NANU) 2020004

SUBJ: SVN74 (PRN04) USABLE JDAY 013/1734

NANU TYPE: USABINIT
NANU NUMBER: 2020004

NANU DTG: 131735Z JAN 2020

REFERENCE NANU: N/A

REF NANU DTG: N/A

SVN: 74

PRN: 04

START JDAY: 013

START TIME ZULU: 1734

START CALENDAR DATE: 13 JAN 2020

STOP JDAY: N/A

STOP TIME ZULU: N/A

STOP CALENDAR DATE: N/A

CONDITION: GPS SATELLITE SVN74 (PRN04) WAS USABLE AS OF JDAY 013
(13 JAN 2020) BEGINNING 1734 ZULU.

POC: CIVILIAN – NAVCEN AT 703-313-5900, HTTPS://WWW.NAVCEN.USCG.GOV
MILITARY – GPS OPERATIONS CENTER at HTTPS://GPS.AFSPC.AF.MIL/GPSOC, DSN 560-2541,

COMM 719-567-2541, gpsoperationscenter@us.af.mil, HTTPS://GPS.AFSPC.AF.MIL

MILITARY ALTERNATE – JOINT SPACE OPERATIONS CENTER, DSN 276-3514,

COMM 805-606-3514, JSPOCCOMBATOPS@VANDENBERG.AF.MIL

About the Author: Tracy Cozzens

Senior Editor Tracy Cozzens joined GPS World magazine in 2006. She also is editor of GPS World’s newsletters and the sister website Geospatial Solutions. She has worked in government, for non-profits, and in corporate communications, editing a variety of publications for audiences ranging from federal government contractors to teachers.

1 Comment on "First GPS III satellite now available"

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  1. Joel Warburg says:

    The GPS constellation was designed for 24 satellites, 6 orbits with 4 satellites in each orbit. Presently 32 satellites are in the constellation with more than 4 satellites in each orbit. Backup indicates that the new satellite SVN 74 is near one of the 24 original 24 slots, but it is fully operational and healthy.