Eric D. Colburn, PLS

Professional Land Surveyor News

Professional Land Surveyor News: USAF Begins Test  Satellite GPS IIF Transmission of L5 Signal

LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, El Segundo, Calif. – Officials from the Space and Missile Systems Center’s Global Positioning Systems Wing announced that the first GPS IIF satellite, launched May 27, 2010, has begun test transmissions of the new Safety-of-Life (L5) navigation signal.

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Professional Land Surveyor News

Professional Land Surveyor News: Air Force Upgrades GPS Constellation

SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. — The 2nd and 19th Space Operations Squadron will soon take control of the Air Force’s newest GPS satellite following its tentative launch into orbit May 27 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.

The GPS IIF SV-1 satellite represents a substantial upgrade for the GPS constellation. Thanks to improvements with the cesium-based atomic clocks used for timing, the IIF is expected to provide more accurate navigation signals than those of its predecessors.

The new IIF satellite will also broadcast two new signals: a jam resistant military code signal and a third civil signal known as the L5.

This latest addition is part of an ongoing modernization effort for the GPS constellation by the Air Force.

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A United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket lifts off with the NASA/NOAA GOES-P from Space Launch Complex-37 at 6:57 p.m. EST. High resolution (Credit: The Boeing Company)

Here’s a news article from earlier this month that I missed, but thought was interesting. Besides, the picture of the rocket taking off is pretty cool, too!

Newest NOAA Geostationary Satellite Reaches Orbit

GOES-P has improved severe weather, solar storm detection capabilities

March 4, 2010

NOAA and NASA officials announced a new Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES), launched tonight, successfully reached its initial orbit, joining four other GOES spacecraft that help NOAA forecasters track life-threatening weather and solar activity.

The new satellite, GOES-P, lifted off at 6:57 pm EST from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, and separated from the launch vehicle at11:18 pm EST. The first signal from the satellite was captured at the same time.

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Professional Land Surveyor News

The U.S. Air Force chose Raytheon to develop a new element of the Global Positioning System (GPS), called the Advanced Control Segment (OCX), which will improve the accuracy of information from GPS satellites.

February 25, 2010

The U.S. Air Force selected Raytheon for a contract of $886 million to develop a new element of the Global Positioning System (GPS), called the Advanced Control Segment (OCX), to improve the accuracy of information from GPS satellites.

The new segment will include anti-jam capabilities and improved security, accuracy, and reliability. It will be based on a modern service-oriented architecture to integrate government and industry open-system standards.

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VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket was launched here at 11:51 a.m. Oct. 8. The Delta II was launched on behalf of Boeing Launch Services. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Andrew Lee)

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Vandenberg successfully launched a Delta II rocket from Space Launch Complex late last week.

The rocket carried WorldView-2, a high-resolution, remote-sensing satellite, into polar orbit.

With confirmation of the payload’s delivery into orbit and signal acquisition, the launch was pronounced a success.

Col. David Buck, the 30th Space Wing commander, was the launch decision authority for this mission.

“There really is nothing quite as exciting as seeing one of these powerful little rockets jump off the pad,” Col Buck said. “I’m incredibly proud of this wing and its mission partners for the way they conquer the immense technical difficulties of space lift operations and make it look so easy.”

Once operational, WorldView-2 will join a constellation of satellites belonging to DigitalGlobe. It will produce high-resolution, world-imagery products and services for defense and intelligence, government, and commercial clients.

The Delta II is an expendable launch, medium-lift vehicle. First launched in 1989, the Delta II’s primary mission was to carry Air Force GPS satellites into orbit. Today, it is used to launch military, civil and commercial payloads into low-earth, polar, geosynchronous transfer and stationary orbits.

“The Delta II is one of my favorite rockets; I’ve been launching them since I was a lieutenant colonel,” Colonel Buck said. “I’m very confident whenever I am working with this rocket, but I am even more confident when I work with this team.”

Vandenberg is next scheduled to launch an Atlas V carrying a payload for the Defense Meterological Satellite Program on Oct. 18.

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Professional Land Surveyor Source

U.S. AIR FORCE - Vandenberg Base

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., June 25, 2009 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] has shipped a Global Positioning System (GPS) IIF satellite to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida to conduct a series of key tests for the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation satellite navigation system.

Built at Boeing’s El Segundo satellite factory, Space Vehicle 2 (SV-2) is undergoing ground testing to prepare for the launch of SV-1, the first of 12 GPS IIF satellites. SV-2 arrived at Cape Canaveral May 7 aboard a C-17 Globemaster III.

SV-2 is being used to execute a consolidated system test (CST), which is a set of one-time, system-level design validation tests involving the space vehicle, the ground-based control segment, and user equipment. SV-2 is also being used as a “pathfinder” to validate satellite transportation processes and equipment, and to validate the launch site test program, procedures and equipment. After completion of the CST and pathfinder activities, SV-2 will return to El Segundo to prepare for its own launch from the Cape. Read the rest of this entry →

GPS Constellation

Here are two news stories from yesterday and today concerning GPS that I think you might find interesting.

First, in yesterday’s news.

Some GPS devices unable to acquire satellite signal

It is being reported today that certain GPS devices stopped working on Saturday and were unable to connect to satellites.

This serious problem appears to be an isolated problem and is associated with a few minor brands, like Omnitech, that were sold in Staples stores.

Without a signal, people relying on their GPS are unable to navigate. The reason for this glitch is unclear but the fault may lie with a change to the U.S. run satellite system also made on Saturday. Read the rest of this entry →

Houston, we have a problem…..

GPS Constellation

For over a month now there has been some chatter regarding the stability and reliability of Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites and now there is a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) with some very disturbing news concerning the GPS system as we move into the very near future.

The GAO, in recognition of the importance of GPS in positioning, navigation, timing data, and U.S. national security, to name a few, has undertaken a broad review of GPS, particularly in light of the Air Force GPS acquisition program and GPS modernization efforts. GAO assessed the following programs:

1. Acquiring GPS satellites.
2. Acquiring the ground control and user equipment necessary to leverage GPS satellite capabilities.
3. Coordination among federal agencies and other organizations to ensure GPS missions can be accomplished.

What they’ve found is a rather disturbing picture for GPS which includes Read the rest of this entry →