The second of 12 GPS IIF satellites, GPS IIF-2, also called SVN-63, has achieved operational acceptance and has entered service with the US Air Force following successful testing.
GPS IIF-2 will join the active 31-satellite GPS constellation operated by the Air Force 50th Space Wing and the 2nd Space Operations Squadron at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, US.
GPS Directorate director Colonel Bernard Gruber said this next-generation GPS IIF satellite was ready to begin providing a strong, clear and secure signal.
“The air force and allied military forces around the world use GPS devices in virtually every system to improve their capabilities and effectiveness while reducing risk to the warfighter,” he added.
Boeing Space & Intelligence Systems vice-president and general manager Craig Cooning said the new IIF satellite augments the constellation’s ability to provide highly accurate, 3D position, velocity and timing information in all weather conditions.
The next-generation GPS IIF satellites, built by Boeing, will provide improved accuracy through advanced atomic clocks, a longer design life than legacy GPS satellites and will form the core of the GPS constellation for the next decade or longer.
