Published on Friday, 28 June 2013 22:11Recently released views of the next two Galileo satellites in the European Space Agency’s testing lab, along with dual-launch rumblings from the U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin, occasion this story about two birds with one drone. That is, an unmanned autonomous vehicle bound for the exosphere. The rest of the GNSS world is on board with this topic; isn’t it about time GPS caught up? The first two Galileo Full Operational Capability (FOC) satellites will launch as a pair, earlier advertised as a September blast, now possibly delayed until December; a second dynamic duo will follow sometime thereafter. Then two again, and two, and two, until the Ariane 5 rocket launches four at once. Four! […]

Published on Thursday, 16 August 2012 22:24The current GPS operational control segment (OCS) program implements a traditional support model with Level 1 support providing basic day-to-day administration of the ground system and routinely handles rudimentary troubleshooting of basic system problems. Level 2 troubleshooting issues, however, frequently deal with advanced operational configurations, system capabilities, and possible product bugs or even failures. […]

Published on Wednesday, 11 July 2012 22:26Tuesday, the 26th of June, started off as a beautiful day in Colorado Springs, if you ignored the towering plume of smoke to the west from the Waldo Canyon Wildfire. The wildfire started three days before in the popular Waldo Canyon hiking area in the Rocky Mountains just off Highway 24. While people in the Colorado Springs area were concerned, there were currently eight other wildfires raging in the state of Colorado and over the past month arsonist(s) were suspected of starting up to 20+ wildfires. So, many had become inured to the sight and smell of smoke. Only one serious wildfire was known to be currently out of control in Colorado at the time, so concerns in the Colorado Springs community could be described as moderate. […]

Published on Friday, 16 December 2011 22:28GPS WORLD December is typically the month when writers of regularly featured columns wax nostalgic and engage in a certain amount of prognostication. This year I enlisted the help of Lt. Col. Jennifer Grant, the 2SOPS/CC at Schriever AFB, the home of GPS, to help us with our year-end review and crystal-ball gazing as we look ahead to the GPS horizon. Lt. Col. Grant reminisces about her first 16 months as 2SOPS/CC, reviews numerous major accomplishments, and updates us on the status of the GPS constellation as well as the often overlooked, ever contentious and always seemingly in flux critical Command and Control (C2) segment. […]

The Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) team developing the U.S. Air Force’s next generation Global Positioning System has delivered the program’s pathfinder spacecraft to the company’s Denver -area facility. The pathfinder, known as the GPS III Non-Flight Satellite Testbed (GNST), will now undergo final assembly, integration and test activities in a new facility designed to maximize efficiencies and reduce costs of satellite production. The GPS III program will affordably replace aging GPS satellites while improving capability to meet the evolving needs of military, commercial and civilian users worldwide. GPS III satellites will deliver better accuracy and improved anti-jamming power while enhancing the spacecraft’s design life and adding a new civil signal designed to be interoperable with international global navigation satellite systems. […]

The GPS 2A-22 spacecraft had been removed from active duty two years ago to accommodate the deployment of a fresh bird into the constellation. Now, the Boeing-built satellite is back in action to transmit the timing and location signals to users around the world. Launched in August 1993 atop a Delta 2 rocket from Cape Canaveral, the satellite has long surpassed its 7-year design life. But with some use still left to give, the 2nd Space Operations Squadron at Schreiver Air Force Base in Colorado have taken the rare step of reactivating it. “My hat goes off to our operators, analysts, and contractor support personnel — their superior care and feeding of our constellation is the reason (2A-22) is still viable for operations 18 years after launch,” said Lt. Col. Dean Holthaus, 2 SOPS director of operations. Officials said this was only the second time in GPS history that a decommissioned satellite has returned to active status. […]

MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2011 The nation’s newest Global Positioning System satellite has completed its post-launch checkout and entered service in the orbiting constellation. The Air Force’s GPS 2F-2 spacecraft was boosted into orbit July 16 from Cape Canaveral atop a United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket. Controllers have spent the past month getting the Boeing-built satellite prepped to transmit precision navigation and timing information to users across the planet. “This next-generation GPS 2F satellite has been set healthy and is ready to begin providing a strong, clear and secure signal,” said Air Force Col. Bernard Gruber, director of the GPS Directorate. “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.” […]

The next-generation GPS Ground Control system (OCX) under the direction of prime contractor Raytheon did not pass the recently concluded [...]

Published on Wednesday, 29 June 2011 22:28SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colorado — The 50th Space Wing successfully completed a two phase [...]

Published on Thursday, 12 May 2011 22:28April, May, and June are watershed months for space and PNT geeks every year. In April I was honored to attend the National Space Foundation sponsored 27th annual National Space Symposium held at the incomparable five-star Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and in May, just last week I attended the 10th annual GPS Partnership Council at SMC (Space and Missile Systems Center) in Los Angeles, California. Currently I am planning my strategy and greasing the chain on the mountain bike for the sixth annual Space and Cyberwarfare Symposium in the beautiful mountain village of Keystone, Colorado, which is followed later in June by the Joint Navigation Conference, also in Colorado Springs. […]

Boeing… GPS’ Operational Optimism… (Satellites) [SatNews] Securing precise global navigation for private and military use, GPS IIF receives an increase in its operational status… Boeing [NYSE: BA] has announced that its GPS Operational Control Segment (OCS) has gained full operational status with the U.S. Air Force 50th Space Wing, Schriever Air Force Base, Colo. OCS keeps the GPS system operational within specified accuracy to provide secure and precise navigation around the world for military, humanitarian and commercial applications. […]

SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) -- Officials at the 50th Space Wing accepted two Global Positioning System ground system [...]

The GPS Operations Center announced that joint force warfighters on distant parts of the globe will soon be able to [...]

The Raytheon Co.-led [including Braxon Technologies] team vying for the U.S. Air Force contract for the next generation GPS control [...]