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A geosynchronous surveillance satellite operated by the U.S. Space Force, as part of the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP), has reached the end of its lifespan and was recently deorbited. The deactivated satellite, GSSAP Space Vehicle 2, had been in orbit since 2014.

GSSAP 2 was one of six satellites produced by Northrop Grumman that were launched by the U.S. Air Force starting in 2014. The remaining five satellites are still operational, and the most recent pair was launched in 2022. These satellites are operated by Space Force units at Schriever Space Force Base in Colorado.

GSSAPs are deployed near geosynchronous orbit, approximately 22,000 miles above Earth. Their purpose is to maneuver and perform rendezvous and proximity operations to gather close-up data on other satellites or objects of interest.

The existence of the GSSAP program was declassified in 2014 by the Pentagon. General John Hyten, the military’s top space commander at the time, stated that this decision was made “to make sure we send a message to the world that says: Anything you do in the geosynchronous orbit we will know about.”

However, the GSSAP program is limited by fuel supply. Lieutenant General John Shaw, Deputy Commander of Space Command, emphasized the importance of surveillance in the GEO belt and the value of GSSAP satellites in monitoring adversarial activities. As more countries deploy assets in this area, the demand for GSSAP has increased. While the satellites have enough fuel to operate for up to seven years, maneuvers must be carefully planned to conserve fuel. GSSAP 2 exceeded its projected lifespan by operating for more than eight years.

To address concerns about fuel limitations, the Space Systems Command is planning experiments and demonstrations of in-orbit satellite refueling. Additionally, the Space Force has ordered two more satellites, GSSAP vehicles 7 and 8, from Northrop Grumman to meet the growing demand for GSSAP assets.

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