Mission type Navigation COSPAR ID 1993-007A Mission duration 7.5 years (planned) Inclination 54.8° Period 12 hours Launch mass 1,816 kg | Operator US Air Force SATCAT no. 22446 Inclination 54.8° Launch mass 1,816 kg Launch date 3 February 1993 | |
USA-88, also known as GPS IIA-9, GPS II-18 and GPS SVN-22, was an American navigation satellite which formed part of the Global Positioning System. It was the ninth of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched.
USA-88 was launched at 02:55:00 UTC on 3 February 1993, atop a Delta II carrier rocket, flight number D218, flying in the 7925-9.5 configuration. The launch took place from Launch Complex 17A at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and placed USA-88 into a transfer orbit. The satellite raised itself into medium Earth orbit using a Star-37XFP apogee motor.
On 5 March 1993, USA-88 was in an orbit with a perigee of 20,007 kilometres (12,432 mi), an apogee of 20,354 kilometres (12,647 mi), a period of 717.9 minutes, and 54.8 degrees of inclination to the equator. It broadcast PRN 22, and operated in slot 1 of plane B of the GPS constellation. The satellite had a mass of 1,816 kilograms (4,004 lb). It had a design life of 7.5 years, and ceased operations on 6 August 2003.