LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, El Segundo, Calif. — The U.S. Air Force launched the seventh Global Positioning System (GPS) IIF satellite from Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla. at 11:23 p.m. EDT, Aug. 1.
“Today we launched the third GPS IIF satellite in 2014, and we have one more satellite to launch this year. This is the most aggressive launch campaign schedule since we initially populated the GPS constellation in 1993,” said Col. Bill Cooley, director of Space and Missile Systems Center’s Global Positioning Systems Directorate. “The successful outcome of today’s launch was due to the hard work of the men and women of SMC, the 45th, 50th, and 310th Space Wings, Boeing, ULA, The Aerospace Corporation, GPS IIF and Atlas V launch teams, we have a world class team providing a worldwide service,” he said.
The Boeing-built GPS IIF satellite provides greater navigational accuracy through improvements in atomic clock technology, adds a new third civil signal (L5) for commercial aviation and safety-of-life applications, and a longer design life of 12 years. Operated by U.S. Air Force Space Command, the GPS constellation provides precise positioning, navigation and timing services worldwide seven days a week, 24-hours a day.
The GPS constellation is being modernized to improve operations, sustainment, and overall performance of GPS services for the warfighter, international, commercial and civil users. These improved capabilities ensure GPS remains the Gold Standard for positioning, navigation and timing service.
The Air Force Space Command’s Space and Missile Systems Center, located at Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., is the U.S. Air Force’s center of acquisition excellence for acquiring and developing military space systems. Its portfolio includes the Global Positioning System, military satellite communications, defense meteorological satellites, space launch and range systems, satellite control networks, space based infrared systems and space situational awareness capabilities.
