CAPE CANAVERAL, AFS - The launch attempt of the United Launch Alliance Delta IV with the Air Force's Global Positioning System IIF-01 satellite has been rescheduled for May 21. During normal processing for launch, mission managers determined a piece of ground support equipment used to control one of the swing arms on the Fixed Umbilical Tower was not operating correctly and needed replacing.


Replacing this GSE component will add one day to launch processing. The Delta IV rocket and GPS IIF satellite are safe and secure at this time. The launch is rescheduled for Friday, May 21, with a launch window of 11:25 - 11:43 p.m. EDT.

GPS is a worldwide timing and navigation system utilizing 24 satellites, in six different planes, with a minimum of four satellites per plane, positioned in orbit approximately 11,000 miles above the Earth’s surface. The satellites continuously transmit digital radio signals pertaining to the exact time (using atomic clocks) and exact location of the satellites.

(Graphic Above: Delta IV Medium+ (4,2) launch vehicle. Credit: ULA)


The GPS IIF series is the next generation of GPS satellites and have a design life of 12 years. With the proper equipment, users can receive these signals to calculate time, location, and velocity. The signals are so accurate that time can be measured to within a millionth of a second, velocity within a fraction of a mile per hour, and location to within meters. Receivers have been developed for use in aircraft, ships, land vehicles, and to hand carry.

The GPS IIF system brings next-generation performance to the constellation. The GPS IIF vehicle is critical to U.S. national security and sustaining GPS constellation availability for global civil, commercial and defense applications. Besides sustaining the GPS constellation, IIF features increased capability and improved mission performance and longevity.

As a result of increased civil and commercial use as well as experience in military operations, the USAF is adding the following new capabilities and technologies to the GPS IIF series to sustain the space and control segments while improving mission performance:
  • Two times greater predicted signal accuracy than heritage satellites
  • New L5 signals for more robust civil and commercial aviation
  • An on-orbit, reprogrammable processor, receiving software uploads for improved system operation
  • Military signal "M-code" and variable power for better resistance to jamming hostile environments,meeting the needs of emerging doctrines of navigation warfare


(Graphic Above: Delta IV / GPS IIF-1 flight profile. Credit: ULA)


This is a mission of several important firsts. GPS IIF SV-1 is the first of the next generation GPS satellites, incorporating various improvements to provide greateraccuracy, increased signals, and enhanced performance for users and this will be the first GPS satellite to ride on the Delta IV launch vehicle. GPS IIF SV-1 will be launched on a Delta IV Medium+ (4,2) launch vehicle from Space Launch Complex (SLC) 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), FL.

 
 RETURN TO THE SPACEARIUM HOMEPAGE
 Copyright © 2008, Space Media Corporation and The Spacearium, All Rights Reserved.
 All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners.
 Space Media Corporation is a wholly owned company of the Aerospace Research & Engineering Systems Institute, Inc.
space, X-Prize, NASA, KSC, rocket, space exploration, Cape Canaveral, Kennedy Space Center, space travel, space news, space shuttle, space station, satellite, satellites, spacecraft, space history, space politics, space policy, rockets, rocketry, launch vehicle, launcher, astronomy, space technology, model rockets, amateur rockets, Moon, Mars, launch, launch vehicles, missiles, model rockets, amateur rockets, moon, mars, rocket forum, rocket website, rocket blog, weblog, space pictures, space videos, space multimedia, Rocket Science, Space Technology, Launch Sites, Launch Vehicles, satellite, launch, space station, Cape Canaveral, KSC, Florida, model rocketry, amateur rocketry