{
  "id": "gssap",
  "name": "Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP)",
  "aliases": [],
  "domain": "space",
  "country": "USA",
  "category": "Space surveillance satellites",
  "status": "in-service",
  "fielded": 2015,
  "operators": [
    "USA"
  ],
  "summary": "Near-geosynchronous \"neighborhood watch\" satellites that track and characterize objects in GEO and can perform close approaches.",
  "specs": [
    {
      "k": "orbit_regime",
      "v": "Near-GEO",
      "src": [
        "asf-gssap"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "altitude_km",
      "v": 35888,
      "src": [
        "asf-gssap"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "note": "About 22,300 miles"
    },
    {
      "k": "first_launch",
      "v": 2014,
      "src": [
        "asf-gssap"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "sats_count",
      "v": 7,
      "src": [
        "asf-gssap"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "note": "GSSAP 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 active; 7 and 8 launched 12 February 2026; GSSAP 2 decommissioned 2023"
    },
    {
      "k": "contractor",
      "v": "Northrop Grumman",
      "src": [
        "asf-gssap"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "operator_org",
      "v": "Mission Delta 9, 1st Space Operations Squadron, Schriever SFB",
      "src": [
        "asf-gssap"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "program",
      "v": "Two more in production; commercial follow-on RG-XX",
      "src": [
        "asf-gssap"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "on_orbit",
      "v": 6,
      "src": [
        "celestrak-gp"
      ],
      "conf": "high",
      "note": "Payloads with current element sets in the public catalog, active or not. GSSAP 1-6 matched by international designator (2014-043, 2016-052, 2022-006). Later pairs are not in the public catalog."
    },
    {
      "k": "active_sats",
      "v": 4,
      "src": [
        "celestrak-gp"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "note": "Count in the CelesTrak active satellites list, which estimates operational status."
    },
    {
      "k": "perigee_km",
      "v": [
        35728,
        36481
      ],
      "src": [
        "celestrak-gp"
      ],
      "conf": "high",
      "note": "Active satellites per CelesTrak, element epoch about 2026-11-08."
    },
    {
      "k": "apogee_km",
      "v": [
        35738,
        36500
      ],
      "src": [
        "celestrak-gp"
      ],
      "conf": "high",
      "note": "Active satellites per CelesTrak, element epoch about 2026-11-08."
    },
    {
      "k": "period_min",
      "v": [
        1433.4,
        1472.2
      ],
      "src": [
        "celestrak-gp"
      ],
      "conf": "high",
      "note": "Active satellites per CelesTrak, element epoch about 2026-11-08."
    },
    {
      "k": "inclination_deg",
      "v": [
        1.12,
        4.55
      ],
      "src": [
        "celestrak-gp"
      ],
      "conf": "high",
      "note": "Active satellites per CelesTrak, element epoch about 2026-11-08."
    }
  ],
  "payloads": [],
  "variants": [],
  "art": "satellite",
  "image": {
    "file": "gssap.jpg",
    "thumb": "gssap-thumb.jpg",
    "credit": "Senior Airman Thomas Sjoberg, U.S. Space Force / DVIDS",
    "license": "Public domain",
    "url": "https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7575162",
    "title": "Space Launch Delta 45 Supports Successful USSF-8 Launch",
    "source": "DVIDS",
    "dvids_id": 7575162,
    "unit": "Space Launch Delta 45"
  },
  "verified": null,
  "changelog": [
    {
      "date": "2026-11-08",
      "change": "Entry created from cited open sources"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-11-08",
      "change": "Orbital elements from CelesTrak GP data (epoch about 2026-11-08): 6 catalogued, 4 active."
    }
  ],
  "satellites": [
    {
      "name": "USA 253",
      "norad": 40099,
      "cospar": "2014-043A",
      "perigee_km": 36778,
      "apogee_km": 36815,
      "inclination_deg": 5.88,
      "period_min": 1488,
      "epoch": "2026-11-07",
      "active": false,
      "owner": null,
      "launch": null
    },
    {
      "name": "USA 254",
      "norad": 40100,
      "cospar": "2014-043B",
      "perigee_km": 36096,
      "apogee_km": 36124,
      "inclination_deg": 5.08,
      "period_min": 1452.6,
      "epoch": "2026-11-07",
      "active": false,
      "owner": null,
      "launch": null
    },
    {
      "name": "USA 270",
      "norad": 41744,
      "cospar": "2016-052A",
      "perigee_km": 35745,
      "apogee_km": 35808,
      "inclination_deg": 4.55,
      "period_min": 1435.6,
      "epoch": "2026-11-02",
      "active": true,
      "owner": "US",
      "launch": "2016-08-19"
    },
    {
      "name": "USA 271",
      "norad": 41745,
      "cospar": "2016-052B",
      "perigee_km": 36481,
      "apogee_km": 36500,
      "inclination_deg": 4.53,
      "period_min": 1472.2,
      "epoch": "2026-11-02",
      "active": true,
      "owner": "US",
      "launch": "2016-08-19"
    },
    {
      "name": "USA 324",
      "norad": 51280,
      "cospar": "2022-006A",
      "perigee_km": 35728,
      "apogee_km": 35738,
      "inclination_deg": 1.12,
      "period_min": 1433.4,
      "epoch": "2026-10-22",
      "active": true,
      "owner": "US",
      "launch": "2022-01-21"
    },
    {
      "name": "USA 325",
      "norad": 51281,
      "cospar": "2022-006B",
      "perigee_km": 35834,
      "apogee_km": 35840,
      "inclination_deg": 1.42,
      "period_min": 1438.7,
      "epoch": "2026-10-21",
      "active": true,
      "owner": "US",
      "launch": "2022-01-21"
    }
  ],
  "url": "https://www.defensepedia.com/systems/gssap.html",
  "sources": {
    "asf-gssap": {
      "title": "Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (weapons and platforms entry)",
      "publisher": "Air & Space Forces Magazine",
      "url": "https://www.airandspaceforces.com/weapons/gssap/",
      "published": null,
      "tier": 3,
      "checked": "2026-11-08"
    },
    "celestrak-gp": {
      "title": "NORAD GP element sets (current data)",
      "publisher": "CelesTrak (data from the U.S. Space Force 18th/19th Space Defense Squadron catalog)",
      "url": "https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/",
      "published": "2026-11-08",
      "tier": 1,
      "checked": "2026-11-08"
    }
  }
}