Good News For General Aviation

On May 27, 2010, the United States Air Force successfully launched the first of 12 new generation GPS satellites. At 11 p.m. EDST, a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket rose from the launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. In just over two and a half hours from launch, the first signals were received from the new satellite.

The GPS IIF-1 satellite was deemed to be healthy by the Air Force 19th Space Operations Squadron and Boeing’s Mission Operations Support Center in El Segundo, California. GPS signals will be turned on for testing of and fine tuning.

|The constellation of GPS satellites currently numbers 30 spacecraft, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. When in place, the 12 new GPSIIF satellites will be able to provide more powerful and accurate signals to the nearly 1 billion military and civilian worldwide GPS users. The new generation of satellites will also have a longer design life.

Improved Accuracy

“The inaugural launch of the GPS IIF-1 is a milestone in Boeing’s 30 years of support to the Air Force that goes back to the first days of this program,” said Craig Cooning, vice president and general manager, Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems. Cooning added, “The new GPS IIF satellites bring key improvements including… a new civil signal to enhance commercial aviation and search-and-rescue operations, and significantly improved signal accuracy, (as more of these new satellites go into operation).”

Boeing is producing the next 11 GPS IIF satellites. The next launch is currently scheduled for later this year.

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