Gps block iiia is the first series of third generation gps satellites incorporating new signals and broadcasting at higher power levels.
Gps satellite orbit speed.
It is one of the global navigation satellite systems gnss that provides geolocation and time information to a gps receiver anywhere on or near the earth where there is an unobstructed line of sight to.
View pre launch news release 1.
The transmitted power requirement really isn t an issue.
View pre launch news release 3.
The launch window opens at 9 43 p m.
The gps satellites are at roughly half geo height 20 000km vs 40 000km.
Since a sidereal day is about 4 minutes shorter than a solar day a gps satellite orbits once every 11 hours and 58 minutes.
The space force successfully launched the third gps iii satellite into orbit.
Relative to the earth gps satellites orbit twice in a sidereal day the length of time the stars instead of the sun take to return to the original position in the sky.
This equation holds for any orbiting object where the attraction is the force of gravity whether it s a human made satellite orbiting the earth or the earth orbiting the sun.
The speed can t vary as long as the satellite has a constant orbital radius that is as long as it s going around in circles.
View space force.
The fourth gps iii satellite is scheduled to launch on friday october 2.
View pre launch news release 2.
In september 2016 the air force awarded lockheed martin a contract option for two more block iiia satellites setting the total number of gps iiia satellites to ten.