Navstar 57

Description

Navstar 57, also known as USA 183 and as GPS 2R-M1 (and as GPS 2R-14), was launched by a Delta 2 rocket from Cape Canaveral AFS at 03:37 UT on 26 September 2005. It has three more frequency channels (with two more military and one more civilian), and is more secure against jamming and radiation than the older models. It will be positioned in Slot 4 of Plane C, taking over the duties of the aging GPS 2A-20 (that was launched in May 1993). It is planned to replace all the older members of the 28-satellite fleet with the updated 2R-M versions in a few years. (The perigee will be raised from 266 km to about 20,000 km soon.)