GPS satellites are divided into blocks. Each block is a list of satellites that usually launched within certain time interval and hence block division. There are 4 different blocks. Below is the detailed information of each block for your reference.
Block I
GPS Satellites were launched from 1978 to 1985 from Californian base Vandenberg AFB. Atlas rocket was used as a delivery vehicle into the orbit. Block I is also referred as the original set up designed and developed by Rockwell. All of the satellites in the Block I were orbiting in a circular 10,9000 nm orbits. There was 12 hours period with the 63 degrees of an inclination angle. Each of the satellites within Block I contained cesium and rubidium atomic clocks. Life expectancy of each GPS satellite within Block I was five years, however each of them performed better and longer time spans.
History of Block I GPS Satellites
| SVN#
|
Launched
|
Usable
|
Status
|
Failure
|
| 1.
|
02/28/1978
|
03/29/1978
|
Not in service
|
Onboard frequency standard failure in 06/17/1985
|
| 2.
|
05/13/1978
|
07/14/1978
|
Not in service
|
Signal (L1) power permanently turned off in 02/12/2988
|
| 3.
|
10/06/1978
|
11/13/1978
|
Not in service
|
Terminated on 05/18/1992
|
| 4.
|
12/10/1978
|
01/08/1979
|
Not in service
|
Disabled on 05/01/1990
|
| 5.
|
02/09/1980
|
02/27/1980
|
Not in service
|
Turned off on 05/11/1984
|
| 6.
|
04/26/1980
|
05/16/1980
|
Not in service
|
Termined on 03/06/1991
|
| 7.
|
06/14/1983
|
06/14/1983
|
Not in service
|
Failed to launch on 06/14/1983
|
| 8.
|
07/14/1983
|
08/10/1983
|
Not in service
|
Set unusable on 05/04/1993
|
| 9.
|
06/13/1984
|
07/19/1984
|
Not in service
|
Unusable due to end of life, was put into higher orbit on 06/20/1994
|
| 10.
|
09/08/1984
|
10/03/1984
|
Not in service
|
Unusable due to end of life, was put into higher orbit on 03/26/1996
|
| 11.
|
10/09/1985
|
10/30/1985
|
Not in service
|
Unusable due to navigation payload shutdown. It was put into higher orbit on 04/14/1994
|