Subject: [IGSMAIL-4246]: launch of GPS Block IIR-8 tomorrow
From: Jim Ray "(NGS" 301-713-2850 "x112)" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 08:15:03 -0500 (EST)

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IGS Electronic Mail      28 Jan 05:27:26 PST 2003      Message Number 4246
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Author: Jim Ray

----- Forwarded message from Richard Langley -----

Liftoff of GPS IIR-8 is scheduled during a 14-minute window that opens at
18:06 UTC.

<http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2003/q1/nr_030127s.html>

<http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/launches/next_launch.html>

<http://www.spaceflightnow.com/delta/d295/status.html>

----- End of forwarded message from Richard Langley -----

This launch has been long delayed.  It was previously announced that this
new satellite will be positioned to replace PRN22 (in slot B1).

Note that PRN21 (launched on 2 Aug 1990) was set UNUSABLE on 25 Sep 2002 at
18:30 UTC and was DECOMMISSIONED from active service yesterday, 27 Jan 2003
at 22:00 UTC.

Also, PRN22 (launched on 3 Feb 1993) was set UNUSABLE on 3 Dec 2002 at
14:02 UTC and will remain unusable until further notice.  The IGS continues
to track PRN22 as the signals have not been turned off.

Most users have also noticed that PRN17 (launched on 11 Dec 1989) has been
performing very poorly.  It was set UNUSABLE from 25 Jan 00:16 UTC till
27 Jan 19:22 UTC.

--Jim