{
  "id": "gps",
  "name": "Global Positioning System (GPS)",
  "aliases": [
    "GPS III",
    "NAVSTAR"
  ],
  "domain": "space",
  "country": "USA",
  "category": "Navigation satellite constellation",
  "status": "in-service",
  "fielded": 1995,
  "operators": [
    "USA"
  ],
  "summary": "U.S. Space Force navigation constellation in medium Earth orbit; GPS III is the current production block.",
  "specs": [
    {
      "k": "orbit_regime",
      "v": "MEO",
      "src": [
        "ussf-gps"
      ],
      "conf": "high"
    },
    {
      "k": "altitude_km",
      "v": 17700,
      "src": [
        "ussf-gps"
      ],
      "conf": "high",
      "note": "Nearly circular orbits at about 11,000 miles"
    },
    {
      "k": "orbit_planes",
      "v": 6,
      "src": [
        "ussf-gps"
      ],
      "conf": "high",
      "note": "Minimum of four satellites per plane"
    },
    {
      "k": "design_life_yr",
      "v": [
        7.5,
        15
      ],
      "src": [
        "ussf-gps"
      ],
      "conf": "high"
    },
    {
      "k": "mass_kg",
      "v": 2269,
      "src": [
        "ussf-gps"
      ],
      "conf": "high",
      "note": "GPS III vehicles 1–10"
    }
  ],
  "verified": null,
  "changelog": [
    {
      "date": "2026-10-03",
      "change": "Initial draft entry from cited open sources"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-10-03",
      "change": "Added identification art"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-10-04",
      "change": "Added photo (Public domain)"
    }
  ],
  "art": "satellite",
  "image": {
    "file": "gps.jpg",
    "thumb": "gps-thumb.jpg",
    "credit": "U.S. Space Force photo by Staff Sgt. Amanda Flower",
    "license": "Public domain",
    "url": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GPS_III_at_Buckley_Space_Force_Base_(9470837).jpg",
    "title": "File:GPS III at Buckley Space Force Base (9470837).jpg"
  },
  "payloads": [],
  "url": "https://www.defensepedia.com/systems/gps.html",
  "sources": {
    "ussf-gps": {
      "title": "Global Positioning System fact sheet",
      "publisher": "U.S. Space Force",
      "url": "https://www.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Article/2197765/global-positioning-system/",
      "published": "2020-10-01",
      "tier": 1,
      "checked": "2026-10-03"
    }
  }
}