USA-289, also known as GPS-III SV01 or Vespucci, is a United States navigation satellite which forms part of the Global Positioning System. It was the first GPS Block III satellite to be launched.[2]

USA-289

Artist's rendering of GPS-III SV01 in Space.
Names	Navstar 77 GPS-III SV01 Vespucci
Mission type	Navigation
Operator	USAF
COSPAR ID	2018-109A [1][1] COSPAR ID does not match expected format
SATCAT no.	43873
Mission duration	15 years (planned)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	GPS-III SV01
Spacecraft type	GPS Block III
Manufacturer	Lockheed Martin
Launch mass	4400 kg
Start of mission
Launch date	23 December 2018, 13:51 UTC
Rocket	Falcon 9 Block 5
Launch site	Cape Canaveral, SLC-40
Contractor	SpaceX
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit
Regime	Medium Earth orbit (Semi-synchronous orbit)
Perigee altitude	20,118 km (12,501 mi)
Apogee altitude	20,196 km (12,549 mi)
Inclination	55.00°
Period	716.7 minutes

Satellite

SV01 is the first GPS Block III satellite to be launched. Ordered in 2008 and originally intended to be launched in 2014, numerous technical delays pushed launch back to 2018.[3]

The spacecraft is built on the Lockheed Martin A2100 satellite bus, and weighs in at 4,400kg (9,700lbs), making SV01 the heaviest GPS satellite ever launched.[4]

Launch

USA-289 was launched by SpaceX on 23 December 2018 at 13:51 UTC atop expendable Falcon 9 booster B1054. The launch took place from SLC-40 of the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and placed USA-289 directly into semi-synchronous orbit.

Orbit

As of 2021, USA-289 was in a 55-degree inclination orbit with a perigee of 20,158 kilometers (12,525 miles) and an apogee of 20,222 kilometers (12,565 miles).[5] The satellite is the first GPS satellite to be able to broadcast the civilian L1C signal.[6]

References