Orbital altitude20.2 million m
11.9 sextillionProton diameters
673 trillionSmoke particles
2,283Mount Everest heights
20,200 km (medium Earth orbit)
Photo from Wikimedia Commons
GPS Satellite (Block III)
The space robot that keeps you from getting lost/Spacecraft
A GPS Block III satellite orbits at 20,200 km altitude and weighs about 2,160 kg. The GPS constellation consists of 31 active satellites, each broadcasting extremely precise atomic clock signals. Your phone calculates its position by measuring the time delay from at least four satellites. The system is accurate to about 30 cm in ideal conditions and is technically operated by the US Space Force.
Measurements
Launch mass2,161 kg
26.4 millionthsWashington Monuments
1,589Costco rotisserie chickens
Orbital period43,080 s
2,872Renditions of Happy Birthday
3.4 thousandthsSemesters
45.5 millionthsGenerations
About 11 hours 58 minutes
Solar panel power4,480 W
8.15Garage door openers
4.5 billionQuartz watches
74.7 millionthsCruise ships
Design life473 million s
80.6 billionthsMesozoic eras
788,333Car washes
473 billionCamera flash durations
15 years
Orbital velocity3,870 m/s
12,900Roombas
2,580River currents
11.3Speeds of sound
About 13,932 km/h