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USA 54

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Mission type
  
Navigation

COSPAR ID
  
1990-025A

Mission duration
  
7.5 years (planned)

Launch date
  
26 March 1990

Reference system
  
Geocentric orbit

Operator
  
US Air Force

SATCAT no.
  
20533

Spacecraft type
  
GPS Block II

Manufacturer
  
Rockwell International

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USA-54, also known as GPS II-7 and GPS SVN-20, was an American navigation satellite which formed part of the Global Positioning System. It was the seventh of nine Block II GPS satellites to be launched, which were the first operational GPS satellites to fly.

USA-54 was launched at 02:45:01 UTC on 26 March 1990, atop a Delta II carrier rocket, flight number D193, flying in the 6925 configuration. The launch took place from Launch Complex 17A at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and placed USA-54 into a transfer orbit. The satellite raised itself into medium Earth orbit using a Star-37XFP apogee motor.

On 30 April 1990, USA-54 was in an orbit with a perigee of 20,089 kilometres (12,483 mi), an apogee of 20,268 kilometres (12,594 mi), a period of 717.84 minutes, and 55 degrees of inclination to the equator. The satellite had a mass of 840 kilograms (1,850 lb), and generated 710 watts of power. It had a design life of 7.5 years, however following problems with the satellite switching between timing standards, the satellite was declared unusable on 21 May 1996, and was decommissioned on 13 December.

References

USA-54 Wikipedia