USA 582

active

Missile Warning TrackingCOSPAR 2026-029ALaunched 2/12/2026

Admin Edit

Mission & Launch

Launch Mission: USSF-87
Launch Vehicle: Vulcan Centaur VC4S
Launch Date: 2/12/2026

Orbit & Mass

Altitude: 0 km
Inclination: 0 deg
Dry Mass: 500 kg
Total Mass: 500 kg

Payload Classification

Mission Type: Missile Warning Tracking

Payload Category

EW*

Payload Class

D

Organizations

Operator: U.S. Space Force
Manufacturer: Northrop Grumman

Constellation

Name: GSSAP
Active Satellites: 6

Registry

COSPAR ID: 2026-029A

Track

Mentions

7

All verified mentions of this spacecraft in source documents.

The GEM-63XL anomaly surfaced on Feb. 27 during the USSF-87 mission before Vulcan Centaur deployed two Northrop Grumman-built Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program satellites, GSSAP 7 and GSSAP 8.

CapabilityGeneralValue 4.6Feb 26, 2026Latest News

GSSAP 7 and GSSAP 8 are also known as Hornet 7 and Hornet 8.

GeneralValue 2.0Feb 26, 2026Latest News

United Launch Alliance launched the GSSAP 7 and GSSAP 8 satellites for the United States Space Force from SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.

GeneralRelationshipsPlanValue 4.8Feb 12, 2026OH DEAR Not again @northropgrumman! 2 SRB nozzles falling off in 4 launches and 12 flights is uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.... Time to look at combined effects of the rocket on those nozzles I think - Vulcan is supposed to be *the* reliable launcher (cough)...

The USSF-87 mission will deploy the GSSAP 7 and 8 satellites directly into GEO.

PlanCapabilityValue 4.0Jan 7, 2026ULA is continuing preparations for the launch of the USSF-87 mission at a steady pace, with SRB Mate recently having been completed in the last couple of days. A date has not yet been announced, but the mission is expected to launch before the end of the month.

The USSF-87 mission will deploy the GSSAP 7 and 8 satellites directly into geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO).

PlanCapabilityValue 4.0Dec 31, 2025Well that's some great news to end the year on! ULA has started stacking the next Vulcan rocket for their next NSSL mission! This will be USSF-87, which will deploy the GSSAP 7 & 8 satellites (and potentially other payloads as well) directly into GEO.

The USSF-87 mission will deploy the GSSAP 7 and 8 satellites directly into geostationary orbit.

PlanCapabilityValue 4.2Dec 31, 2025Well that's some great news to end the year on! ULA has started stacking the next Vulcan rocket for their next NSSL mission! This will be USSF-87, which will deploy the GSSAP 7 & 8 satellites (and potentially other payloads as well) directly into GEO.

The U.S. Space Force has ordered two additional GSSAP satellites (GSSAP 7 and GSSAP 8) from Northrop Grumman.

RelationshipsValue 4.5Aug 15, 2023U.S. deactivates GSSAP surveillance satellite, two new ones in the works