USA-88

USA-88, also known as GPS IIA-9, GPS II-18 and GPS SVN-22, was an American navigation satellite which formed part of the Global Positioning System. It was the ninth of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched.

USA-88 was launched at 02:55:00 UTC on 3 February 1993, atop a Delta II carrier rocket, flight number D218, flying in the 7925-9.5 configuration. The launch took place from Launch Complex 17A at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and placed USA-88 into a transfer orbit. The satellite raised itself into medium Earth orbit using a Star-37XFP apogee motor.

On 5 March 1993, USA-88 was in an orbit with a perigee of 20007 km, an apogee of 20354 km, a period of 717.9 minutes, and 54.8 degrees of inclination to the equator. It broadcast PRN 22, and operated in slot 1 of plane B of the GPS constellation. The satellite had a mass of 1816 kg. It had a design life of 7.5 years, and ceased operations on 6 August 2003.