8/22/2011 - SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) -- Officials from the 50th Space Wing 2nd Space Operations Squadron accepted command and control of the second Global Positioning System Block IIF satellite Aug. 19.
The Space and Missile Systems Center GPS Directorate, located at Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., remained in control of the satellite during a 30-day on-orbit checkout period before the hand-off to 2nd SOPS.
"We're extremely honored to accept command and control of the second GPS IIF satellite," said Lt. Col. Jennifer Grant, the 2nd SOPS commander. "We look forward to continuing to provide our warfighters and civil users with the most accurate position, navigation and timing signal available in the history of GPS. We are proud to be the world's gold standard."
The next-generation GPS IIF satellites, built by Boeing, will provide improved accuracy through advanced atomic clocks, a longer design life than legacy GPS satellites, and a new third civil signal, L5 that will eventually benefit commercial aviation and safety-of-life applications.
The GPS constellation is more robust and capable than at any other time in its history. The members of 2nd SOPS operate the largest Department of Defense satellite constellation via the Master Control Station and a worldwide network of monitoring stations and ground antennas.
