Fourth New GPS Satellite in Orbit

Cindy ZimmermanGPS, Guidance, Video

The fourth new GPS IIF satellite was deployed earlier this month, providing even greater navigational accuracy for all users, including farmers using the latest precision technology.

gps-satThe U.S. Air Force GPS satellite built by Boeing was successfully launched May 15, carried aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V Launch Vehicle from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.

According to the USAF
, the new capabilities of the IIF satellites “will provide greater navigational accuracy through improvements in atomic clock technology; a more robust signal for commercial aviation and safety-of-life applications, known as the new third civil signal (L5); and a 12-year design life providing long-term service. These upgrades improved anti-jam capabilities for the warfighter and improved security for military and civil users around the world.”

“The GPS constellation remains healthy and continues to meet and exceed the performance standards to which the satellites were built. Our goal is to deliver sustained, reliable GPS capabilities to America’s warfighters, our allies and civil users around the world, and this is done by maintaining GPS performance, fielding new capabilities and developing more robust modernized capabilities for the future,” said Col.Bernie Gruber, director of the Space and Missile Systems Center’s Global Positioning Systems Directorate.

The third IIF satellite was launched just last October, the next is scheduled for November of this year.

Watch the launch video below: