science

USA-293

USA-293 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-293 rather than just read about it. In short: USA-293, also known as GPS-III SV02 or Magellan, is a United States navigation satellite which forms part of the Global Positioning System. It was the second GPS Block III satellite to be launched.

Key takeaways

USA-293 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-293 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of USA-293 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

USA-293, also known as GPS-III SV02 or Magellan, is a United States navigation satellite which forms part of the Global Positioning System. It was the second GPS Block III satellite to be launched.

Satellite

SV02 is the second GPS Block III satellite to be launched. Ordered in 2008, technical delays to the first satellite in the program, SV01, pushed launch back to 2019. The spacecraft is built on the Lockheed Martin A2100 satellite bus, and weighs 3,680 kg (8,110 lb). USA-293 was given the nickname Magellan, after explorer Ferdinand Magellan.

Launch USA-293 was launched by United Launch Alliance on 22 August 2019 at 13:06 UTC atop a Delta IV Medium. The launch was the final flight of the single-core Delta IV. The launch took place from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 37, and deployed USA-293 directly into a semi-synchronous orbit.

Orbit As of 2021, USA-293 was in a 55.4 degree inclination orbit with a perigee of 20,157 kilometres (12,525 mi) and an apogee of 20,221 kilometres (12,565 mi).

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with USA-293

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what USA-293 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-293 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-293 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-293

In research: USA-293 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-293 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-293 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics GPS satellites, Spacecraft launched by Delta rockets, Spacecraft launched in 2019, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for USA-293 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-293 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what USA-293 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain USA-293 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is USA-293 in simple terms?

USA-293, also known as GPS-III SV02 or Magellan, is a United States navigation satellite which forms part of the Global Positioning System. It was the second GPS Block III satellite to be launched.

Why does USA-293 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-293?

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-293.