Track the GPS satellite constellation

azmth currently tracks 40 GPS satellites in CelesTrak's active catalogue, as of 20 October 2026. Data from CelesTrak, refreshed every 2 hours.

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See the GPS satellite constellation live in 3D. GPS satellites orbit in medium Earth orbit at about 20,200 km, far higher than the ISS or Starlink, each completing an orbit roughly every 12 hours. Explore the full constellation and click any satellite for its orbital details.

Also called Global Positioning System, NAVSTAR GPS, NAVSTAR

As of 14 September 2026, GPS is the United States' global satellite navigation system, operated by the US Space Force, with 32 satellites in the operational constellation table of the US Coast Guard Navigation Center (NAVCEN).

TL;DR· 6 min read

GPS (Global Positioning System) is the US satellite navigation system, operated by the US Space Force, with satellites in medium Earth orbit about 20,200 km up. As of 14 September 2026 the US Coast Guard Navigation Center lists 32 operational satellites, including all ten GPS III satellites, the last of which launched on 21 April 2026. Lockheed Martin said in April 2026 that it was under contract for 12 satellites of the next block, GPS IIIF, whose first launch is a target: May 2027 according to Defense One, the third quarter of 2028 according to Wikipedia. According to gps.gov, GPS-enabled smartphones are typically accurate to within 4.9 m under open sky.

40
in CelesTrak's active catalogue now
as of 20 October 2026
32
operational satellites in NAVCEN's constellation table
as of 14 September 2026 · source
4.9 m
typical smartphone accuracy under open sky, per gps.gov
as of 14 September 2026 (date checked; the gps.gov archive page is undated) · source

What GPS is

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a US constellation of navigation satellites that provides positioning, navigation and timing to civil and military users worldwide. It is operated and maintained by the US Space Force, and the US Coast Guard Navigation Center (NAVCEN) publishes its constellation status and its notices for civil users. The satellites fly in medium Earth orbit about 20,200 km above Earth, in six equally spaced orbital planes, and each one circles Earth twice a day.

As of 14 September 2026, NAVCEN's constellation table lists 32 operational satellites from four blocks: 4 Block IIR, 7 Block IIR-M, 11 Block IIF and 10 GPS III. The oldest of them is SVN44, a Block IIR satellite launched on 16 July 2000. The United States commits to keeping at least 24 satellites operational 95 per cent of the time, according to gps.gov. CelesTrak's gps-ops element group held the same 32 satellites, with the same PRN numbers, on 14 September 2026.

Two GPS III satellites launched in 2026, both on SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets after the Space Force moved the missions off the Vulcan rocket. GPS III SV09, named for Ellison Onizuka, launched on 28 January 2026 (UTC) and was set usable on 6 March 2026, taking PRN 20, which SVN51 had used until it was decommissioned on 8 January 2026. GPS III SV10, named for Hedy Lamarr, launched from Cape Canaveral on 21 April 2026 as the last of the ten GPS III satellites, carrying an optical crosslink demonstration payload. It took PRN 13 from SVN43, a satellite launched in 1997 and decommissioned on 24 April 2026, and NAVCEN declared it usable on 2 September 2026.

The next block is GPS IIIF. Lockheed Martin said on 21 April 2026 that it was under contract to build 12 GPS IIIF satellites. The first IIIF launch is a target without a settled date: Defense One reported on 1 May 2026 that Space Force leaders had told Congress it was scheduled for May 2027, while Wikipedia's GPS Block IIIF article, citing Space Systems Command and the Defense Department's fiscal year 2027 budget estimates, lists the third quarter of 2028. On the ground, the Space Force cancelled the next-generation OCX control system in April 2026 after about 15 years and $6.3 billion, according to Defense One, and is continuing to upgrade the older AEP ground system.

Counts of GPS satellites differ because sources count different things. NAVCEN's table lists the satellites in the operational constellation, and retired satellites that remain in orbit drop out of it. CelesTrak's satellite catalogue lists 80 NAVSTAR payloads in orbit as of 14 September 2026, flagging 33 as operational, 7 as backup and 40 as non-operational. The live figure on this page, 40, counts NAVSTAR objects in CelesTrak's active catalogue, so it can include backups and satellites whose catalogue status lags behind NAVCEN.

How to find them on the globe

In CelesTrak's satellite catalogue (SATCAT) and in the active catalogue the globe draws on, GPS satellites are named NAVSTAR with a number and a USA designation, for example NAVSTAR 86 (USA 585) for GPS III SV10, so none of these names contains 'GPS'. Seven of the 80 NAVSTAR records in orbit in SATCAT on 14 September 2026 carry an OPS number in place of the USA one. CelesTrak's gps-ops element group labels the same satellites by block and PRN instead, so NAVSTAR 86 appears there as GPS BIII-10 (PRN 13).

Signals and accuracy

gps.gov's archived accuracy page, checked on 14 September 2026, says GPS-enabled smartphones are typically accurate to within 4.9 m (16 ft) under open sky. Each satellite keeps its own SVN number but transmits under a PRN number, and PRN numbers are reassigned as satellites are replaced: in 2026 PRN 20 passed from SVN51 to GPS III SV09, and PRN 13 from SVN43 to GPS III SV10. NAVCEN announces when a satellite becomes usable or is removed from the constellation in notices to users called NANUs. Some PRNs carry tests: the experimental NTS-3 satellite transmits on PRN 34 for testing planned through June 2027, and NAVCEN tells users not to track it, while residual satellites broadcast unhealthy messages on PRNs 35 and 36 through 2026.

What we know

Operator
US Space Force, which operates and maintains GPS as of 14 September 2026 · gps.gov
Operational satellites (NAVCEN table)
32: Block IIR 4, Block IIR-M 7, Block IIF 11, GPS III 10 as of 14 September 2026 · navcen.uscg.gov
Orbit
Medium Earth orbit about 20,200 km up, in six equally spaced planes; each satellite circles Earth twice a day as of 14 September 2026 · gps.gov
Inclination
About 53 to 57 degrees across CelesTrak's gps-ops element sets as of 14 September 2026 · celestrak.org
US service commitment
At least 24 operational satellites 95 per cent of the time as of 14 September 2026 · gps.gov
NAVSTAR records in orbit (CelesTrak catalogue)
80 payloads: 33 flagged operational, 7 backup, 40 non-operational as of 14 September 2026 · celestrak.org
Latest launch
GPS III SV10 (SVN83, PRN 13), on a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral, 21 April 2026 as of 14 September 2026 · spaceflightnow.com
GPS IIIF on contract
12, according to Lockheed Martin as of 21 April 2026 · news.lockheedmartin.com
First GPS IIIF launch (target)
May 2027, as Space Force leaders told Congress according to Defense One; Wikipedia, citing Space Systems Command, lists the third quarter of 2028 as of 1 May 2026 (Defense One) and 3 September 2026 (Wikipedia) · defenseone.com
Ground control
Next-generation OCX system cancelled in April 2026; the legacy AEP system is being upgraded instead as of 1 May 2026 · defenseone.com
Typical smartphone accuracy
Within 4.9 m (16 ft) under open sky as of 14 September 2026 (date checked; the gps.gov archive page is undated) · archive.gps.gov
Test signal
Experimental NTS-3 satellite on PRN 34, testing planned through June 2027; users should not track it as of December 2025 · navcen.uscg.gov

Timeline

  1. 16 July 2000

    SVN44 (PRN 22), a Block IIR satellite, launches. On 14 September 2026 it is the oldest satellite in NAVCEN's operational table. qzss.go.jp

  2. 23 December 2018

    The first GPS III satellite launches, catalogued by CelesTrak as NAVSTAR 77 (USA 289). celestrak.org

  3. 30 May 2025

    A GPS III satellite catalogued as NAVSTAR 84 launches, the only GPS launch of 2025 in CelesTrak's catalogue. celestrak.org

  4. 28 January 2026

    GPS III SV09, named for Ellison Onizuka, launches on a Falcon 9 (27 January local time) after the Space Force moved it off Vulcan. insidegnss.com

  5. 6 March 2026

    NAVCEN sets SV09 (SVN82) usable on PRN 20, which SVN51 had used until its decommissioning on 8 January 2026. navcen.uscg.gov

  6. April 2026

    The Space Force cancels the OCX next-generation ground control system. defensescoop.com

  7. 21 April 2026

    GPS III SV10, named for Hedy Lamarr, launches on a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral as the last GPS III satellite. spaceflightnow.com

  8. 24 April 2026

    NAVCEN removes SVN43 (PRN 13), launched in 1997, from the constellation. navcen.uscg.gov

  9. 2 September 2026

    NAVCEN declares SV10 (SVN83) usable on PRN 13. navcen.uscg.gov

Commonly got wrong

  • (1) CelesTrak's operational flag lags GPS status. On 14 September 2026 CelesTrak's satellite catalogue flagged 33 NAVSTAR records as operational, one more than the 32 in NAVCEN's operational table. The extra record is NAVSTAR 43 (USA 132), which is SVN43, removed from the constellation on 24 April 2026 according to NAVCEN notice NANU 2026038.
  • (2) A search of CelesTrak's catalogue names for 'GPS' misses GPS satellites. CelesTrak's satellite catalogue and the active catalogue the globe uses name them NAVSTAR with a number and a USA or OPS designation, while CelesTrak's gps-ops element group labels the same objects by block and PRN, so NAVSTAR 86 (USA 585) appears in gps-ops as GPS BIII-10 (PRN 13). PRN numbers are also reused, according to NAVCEN notices, so a PRN on its own does not identify a satellite. Japan's QZSS satellite table (qzss.go.jp) labels SVN82 'GPS 3-10', although SVN82, launched on 28 January 2026, is GPS III SV09.
  • (3) A figure of 31 GPS satellites still circulates. The gps.gov space-segment page, checked on 14 September 2026, still gives 31 operational satellites as of 3 July 2023, and 6 operational Block IIR satellites where NAVCEN now lists 4. AI search summaries have repeated a 'BeiDou 56 vs GPS 31' comparison that comes from a SpaceNews policy article. NAVCEN's table listed 32 operational satellites on 14 September 2026.
  • (4) Figures for the next block, GPS IIIF, conflict. Lockheed Martin said on 21 April 2026 that it was under contract for 12 GPS IIIF satellites, while Wikipedia's GPS Block IIIF article gives 14 on order. For the first launch, Defense One reported on 1 May 2026 that Space Force leaders told Congress it was scheduled for May 2027, while the same Wikipedia article, citing Space Systems Command and the fiscal year 2027 budget estimates, lists the third quarter of 2028.

Sources

  1. NAVCEN, GPS constellation status table
  2. NAVCEN, NANU 2026067 (SVN83 usable)
  3. NAVCEN, NANU 2026038 (SVN43 decommissioned)
  4. NAVCEN, NANU 2026022 (SVN82 usable)
  5. NAVCEN, NANU 2025077 (NTS-3 testing on PRN 34)
  6. GPS.gov, space segment
  7. GPS.gov archive, GPS accuracy
  8. CelesTrak SATCAT, NAVSTAR records
  9. CelesTrak, gps-ops element group
  10. CelesTrak SATCAT, 2018-109 (first GPS III)
  11. Lockheed Martin, GPS III SV10 launch release (21 April 2026)
  12. Spaceflight Now, final GPS III launch (21 April 2026)
  13. InsideGNSS, GPS III SV09 moved from Vulcan to Falcon 9
  14. Defense One, Space Force GPS upgrade (1 May 2026)
  15. DefenseScoop, Space Force cancels OCX (20 April 2026)
  16. Wikipedia, GPS Block IIIF
  17. QZSS, GNSS satellite table
  18. SpaceNews, BeiDou and GPS policy article

Checked on 14 September 2026. Where official statements and independent tracking disagree, both are given. The live count above comes from the catalogue, not from this research.

Military satellites, counted and explained →

Frequently asked

How many GPS satellites are there?

As of 14 September 2026, the US Coast Guard Navigation Center (NAVCEN) lists 32 operational GPS satellites: 4 Block IIR, 7 Block IIR-M, 11 Block IIF and 10 GPS III. More remain in orbit: CelesTrak's catalogue held 80 NAVSTAR payloads in orbit that day, 40 of them flagged non-operational. The live count on this page, 40, is the number of NAVSTAR objects in CelesTrak's active catalogue, which can include backups and satellites whose catalogue status lags behind NAVCEN. The United States commits to keeping at least 24 operational 95 per cent of the time.

Who runs GPS?

The US Space Force operates and maintains GPS. The US Coast Guard Navigation Center publishes the constellation table and the notices, called NANUs, that tell civil users when a satellite becomes usable or is removed.

How high are GPS satellites?

About 20,200 km, in medium Earth orbit. gps.gov describes six equally spaced orbital planes, with each satellite circling Earth twice a day, and CelesTrak's element sets for 14 September 2026 put the orbits at inclinations of about 53 to 57 degrees.

How accurate is GPS on a phone?

gps.gov's archived accuracy page says GPS-enabled smartphones are typically accurate to within 4.9 m (16 ft) under open sky.

What comes after GPS III?

GPS III finished with SV10, launched on 21 April 2026. The next block is GPS IIIF, with 12 satellites on contract according to Lockheed Martin on 21 April 2026. Its first launch is a target without a settled date: Defense One reported May 2027 on 1 May 2026, and Wikipedia, citing Space Systems Command, lists the third quarter of 2028.

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