USA-266, also known as GPS IIF-12, GPS SVN-70 and NAVSTAR 76, is an American

navigation satellite A satellite navigation or satnav system is a system that uses satellites to provide autonomous geo-spatial positioning. It allows satellite navigation devices to determine their location (longitude, latitude, and altitude/elevation) to high pre ...

which forms part of the

Global Positioning System The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of the global navigation satellite sy ...

. It was the twelfth of twelve Block IIF satellites to be launched.

Launch

Built by

Boeing The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and p ...

and launched by

United Launch Alliance United Launch Alliance (ULA), legally United Launch Alliance, LLC, is an American spacecraft launch service provider that manufactures and operates a number of rocket vehicles that are capable of launching spacecraft into orbits around Earth, ...

(ULA), USA-266 was launched at 13:38 UTC on 5 February 2016, atop an

Atlas V Atlas V is an expendable launch system and the fifth major version in the Atlas launch vehicle family. It was originally designed by Lockheed Martin, now being operated by United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture between Lockheed Mart ...

401 launch vehicle, vehicle number AV-057. The launch took place from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 41, Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and placed USA-266 directly into semi-synchronous orbit.

Orbit

As of March 2016, USA-266 was in an orbit with a apsis, perigee of , an apsis, apogee of , a orbital period, period of 717.9 minutes, and 55.01° of Orbital inclination, inclination to the equator. It is used to broadcast the PRN 32 signal, and operates in slot 5 of plane F of the GPS constellation. The satellite has a design life of 12 years and a mass of . It is currently in service following commissioning on 9 March 2016.

References

Spacecraft launched in 2016 GPS satellites USA satellites Spacecraft launched by Atlas rockets {{US-spacecraft-stub