ULA photo by Carleton Bailie
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
After a five-minute delay to avoid the International Space Station, a United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket carrying the fifth modernized Global Positioning Satellite launched successfully at 3:04 p.m. Thursday.
Spacecraft separation occurred some 68 minutes after the liftoff. Ground stations picked up signals from the satellite on schedule.
After checkout, the satellite will begin working during the first week of January.
"You would actually be able to receive its signal," Dave Podlesney, GPS program director for Lockheed Martin said. "It's going to be replacing one that's been up there for quite a few years.
"This vehicle has more power for the existing signals, and it actually carries a few more signals for the military," said Podlesney. "The vehicles we're launching are inherently more accurate."
The U.S. government provides the GPS signals to the world at no charge. Cell phones and banks use the timing signals from the satellites. The 30 GPS satellites provide military aircraft with signals for precise navigation and weapons control.
"Today's launch moved us another step closer to modernizing the vital
GPS constellation which provides 'combat effects' our warfighters depend
on," said Brig. Gen. Susan Helms, commander of the 45th Space Wing.
This was the 13th launch this year and the 79th successful Delta launch
since the last accident. The next GPS satellite will launch in March from the Cape. Next year ULA has 19 scheduled launches, including 16 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and seven from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
Designed to operate for 10 years, GPS satellites orbit the Earth at 11,000 miles every 12 hours, emitting continuous navigation signals.
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