Fourth GPS satellite for 2014 successfully launched

Unlike the ill-fated Orbital Sciences’ Antares rocket launch on Wednesday, a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket has successfully boosted the latest GPS satellite into orbit.

Signals from the 8th Boeing-built Global Positioning System (GPS) IIF indicate that it is functioning correctly. This was the fourth, and final, GPS IIF launch scheduled for the US Air Force (USAF) this year.

Lift-off from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station occurred at 1.21 pm US Eastern time, Wednesday, with signal acquisition about three and a half hours later. The satellite is scheduled to enter full operational service during December.

“The schedule this year has put the GPS team through its paces, with launches occurring approximately every three months to continue GPS modernisation,” said Dan Hart, vice president of government space systems at Boeing Network & Space Systems.

“We typically were processing two satellites concurrently at the Cape, requiring strong execution, an unrelenting focus on mission assurance and solid team work with the Air Force and United Launch Alliance.”

The next GPS IIF launch is expected in the first quarter of 2015.

Boeing says the GPS IIF series satellites have improved accuracy and anti-jamming capabilities as well as bringing into service the new civil L5 signal.