ArticleslgStudy

science

USA-180

USA-180 is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand USA-180 rather than just read about it. In short: USA-180, also known as GPS IIR-13 and GPS SVN-61, is an American navigation satellite which forms part of the Global Positioning System. It was the thirteenth of twenty one Block IIR GPS satellites to be launched, and the last in the original configuration.

USA-180 — main illustration
USA-180 — illustration

Key takeaways

  • USA-180 belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect USA-180 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of USA-180 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

USA-180, also known as GPS IIR-13 and GPS SVN-61, is an American navigation satellite which forms part of the Global Positioning System. It was the thirteenth of twenty one Block IIR GPS satellites to be launched, and the last in the original configuration. It was built by Lockheed Martin, using the AS-4000 satellite bus. USA-180 was launched at 05:39:00 UTC on 6 November 2004, atop a Delta II carrier rocket, flight number D308, flying in the 7925–9.5 configuration. The launch took place from Space Launch Complex 17B at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and placed USA-180 into a transfer orbit. The satellite raised itself into medium Earth orbit using a Star-37FM apogee motor. By 5 January 2005, USA-180 was in an orbit with a perigee of 19,936 kilometres (12,388 mi), an apogee of 20,426 kilometres (12,692 mi), a period of 717.94 minutes, and 54.8 degrees of inclination to the equator. It is used to broadcast the PRN 02 signal, and operates in slot 1 of plane D of the GPS constellation. The satellite has a mass of 2,032 kilograms (4,480 lb), and a design life of 10 years. As of 2019 it remains in service.

References

Illustrations

USA-180 illustration

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with USA-180

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what USA-180 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to USA-180 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about USA-180 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of USA-180

In research
USA-180 appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses USA-180 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
USA-180 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics American spacecraft stubs, GPS satellites, Spacecraft launched in 2004, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for USA-180 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.
Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “USA-180” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study USA-180 in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what USA-180 means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain USA-180 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is USA-180 in simple terms?

USA-180, also known as GPS IIR-13 and GPS SVN-61, is an American navigation satellite which forms part of the Global Positioning System. It was the thirteenth of twenty one Block IIR GPS satellites to be launched, and the last in the original configuration.

Why does USA-180 matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study USA-180?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on USA-180.

Tags

  • American spacecraft stubs
  • GPS satellites
  • Spacecraft launched in 2004
  • USA satellites

Keep exploring