The U.S. Air Force has launched a new GPS satellite that is expected to provide civilian and military users with enhanced navigation capabilities. The latest GPS Block II series satellite to be modernized by aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Martin is expected to become operational next month.
“The successful deployment of this high-performance satellite represents another important milestone in the modernization of the GPS constellation and reflects our commitment to achieving mission success for our customer,” said Lockheed Martin’s VP of Navigation Systems Don DeGryse.
“Our team is now focused on performing a rapid and efficient on-orbit checkout to quickly place the satellite’s advanced navigational capabilities into operational service,” DeGryse added.
Enhancing GPS Accuracy
Operated by the GPS wing of the U.S. Air Force, the entire 30-satellite GPS constellation currently in orbit provides the data so GPS-enabled mobile phones, dashboard-mounted devices, and other electronic gear can determine their altitude, velocity, and geographic coordinates to within just a few meters — on the ground, at sea, or in the air. The U.S. government provides users around the globe with access to the civilian side of this system free of charge.
Like its four predecessors already in commercial service, the newly launched satellite offers better performance than the previous-generation GPS platforms by incorporating a higher-powered antenna panel and an additional open-access signal for civilian use. And the new spacecraft features encryption and antijamming enhancements that will boost the security of the weapons control and navigation gear aboard U.S. military aircraft.
Moreover, the next GPS satellite in the series, which is slated for launch in 2008, will carry a demonstration payload that will transmit an additional civil “safety of life” signal that, among other things, will improve navigation accuracy.
“Early delivery of this payload reflects our team’s commitment to successful and timely program execution,” said DeGryse. “We look…