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| Launch of the Atlas V rocket carrying the GPS 11F-11 satellite for the U.S. Air Force. Photo: United Launch Alliance |
[Avionics Today 11-02-2015] United Launch Alliance (ULA) successfully launched the U.S. Air Force’s Global Positioning System (GPS) 2F 11 satellite Oct. 31 aboard an Atlas 5 rocket. The satellite is the 11th of 12 Boeing-built GPS 2F satellites, which provide improved signals for military and civil applications.
The Air Force’s GPS constellation is comprised of two GPS 2As, 12 GPS 2Rs, seven GPS 2R-Ms, and 10 GPS 2F satellites on orbit, providing precise global positioning, navigation, and timing services to users around the globe. GPS 2F satellites include the new operational third civil signal, L5, that benefits commercial aviation and safety-of-life applications, improved accuracy through advanced atomic clocks, and a longer design life than previous GPS satellites.