GPS Modernization Continues as GPS IIF Satellite Becomes Active

8 Jan 2015

The US Air Force and Boeing have joined forces to build a new GPS satellite in orbit.

The eight global positioning system (GPS) IIF satellite has finally joined the other 30 satellites that currently make up a GPS constellation in orbit. The GPS satellite device was built by Boeing and is owned and monitored by the US Air Force (USAF).

The satellite, called the GPS IIF-8 satellite, is now finally active. In October, it was launched on the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas 5 rocket, coming from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

This marks the fourth GPS-IIF satellite to become active and be put into service by Boeing and the USAF just in 2014 alone. They continue to improve the modern technology of the constellation, being used by people all over the world for GPS tracking and GPS navigation. This is a great achievement, according to Dan Hart, who is the vice president of the Boeing Network and Space Systems. He told reporters:

“We made great progress this year in the quest to modernise GPS services. With two-thirds of the 12 Boeing GPS IIFs now on orbit, the constellation is setting new records for accuracy and the Boeing GPS IIF’s are consistently among the best performing.

The GPS IIF satellites are not your typical GPS satellite. They are among the most advanced satellites being used in orbit. They are nearly jam-resistant, providing military signals even in the most hostile of environments. They are considered next generation satellites and are replacing the previously used GPS Block IIA satellites. These older satellites were launched between 1990 and 1997.

There are many advanced features provided by these modern satellites. They have excellent navigational accuracy, much better than older versions. It is difficult to jam them, regardless of the current weather conditions, which is a big plus for military and civilians. There have also been great improvements made with the atomic clock technology of the satellites, offering a second civil signal for dual-frequency equipment. There is also a third civil signal that is for safety-of-life applications and commercial aviation.

Boeing is under contract to complete a total of 12 GPS IIF satellites, eight of which are now complete and active. The other four are manufactured and currently being maintained in El Segundo, California at the Boeing Satellite Development Center. They expect to launch the ninth GPS IIF satellite in the first quarter of 2015,and hope to have another between 2015 and 2016.

Boeing has been responsible for building satellites for the last 40 years and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Not only with their current missions, but to keep working to improve GPS technology and get these modernized devices in orbit.

 


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