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USA-260

USA-260 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-260 rather than just read about it. In short: USA-260, also known as GPS IIF-9, GPS SVN-71 and NAVSTAR 73, is an American Satellite navigation which forms part of the Global Positioning System. It was the ninth of twelve Block IIF satellites to be launched.

USA-260 — main illustration
USA-260 — illustration

Key takeaways

  • USA-260 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-260 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of USA-260 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

USA-260, also known as GPS IIF-9, GPS SVN-71 and NAVSTAR 73, is an American Satellite navigation which forms part of the Global Positioning System. It was the ninth of twelve Block IIF satellites to be launched.

Launch Built by Boeing and launched by United Launch Alliance, USA-260 was launched at 18:36 UTC on 25 March 2015, atop a Delta IV carrier rocket, flight number D370, flying in the Medium+(4,2) configuration. The launch took place from Space Launch Complex 37B at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and placed USA-260 directly into medium Earth orbit.

Orbit On 25 March 2015, USA-260 was in an orbit with a perigee of 20,445 kilometers (12,704 mi), an apogee of 20,468 kilometers (12,718 mi), a period of 729.14 minutes, and 55.00 degrees of inclination to the equator. It is used to broadcast the PRN 26 signal, and operates in slot 5 of plane B of the GPS constellation. The satellite has a design life of 15 years and a mass of 1,630 kilograms (3,590 lb). It is currently in service following commissioning on April 20, 2015.

References

Illustrations

USA-260 illustration

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with USA-260

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what USA-260 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-260 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-260 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-260

In research
USA-260 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-260 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-260 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics American spacecraft stubs, GPS satellites, Spacecraft launched by Delta IV rockets, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for USA-260 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.
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How to study USA-260 in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what USA-260 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-260 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is USA-260 in simple terms?

USA-260, also known as GPS IIF-9, GPS SVN-71 and NAVSTAR 73, is an American Satellite navigation which forms part of the Global Positioning System. It was the ninth of twelve Block IIF satellites to be launched.

Why does USA-260 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-260?

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-260.

Tags

  • American spacecraft stubs
  • GPS satellites
  • Spacecraft launched by Delta IV rockets
  • Spacecraft launched in 2015
  • USA satellites

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