Air Force successfully launches GPS satellite Published Sept. 26, 2005 CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla. (AFPN) -- The Air Force’s 45th Space Wing, its mission partners and Boeing successfully launched a Global Positioning System satellite into orbit on a Delta II space launch vehicle at 11:37 p.m. Sept. 25. The GPS constellation provides continuous, precise three-dimensional location information -- including latitude, longitude and altitude -- velocity and exact time to worldwide users. The satellite launched should be fully checked-out and operational in about four weeks.“This next generation GPS satellite joins a constellation that continues to play an enormous role on the Global War on Terror, ensuring U.S. warfighters and our allies have the technology and advantage in an unconventional war,” said Col. Mark Owen, 45th Space Wing commander. “This ‘M-Code’ GPS satellite is a milestone -- a new military and civil signal that represents the U.S. commitment to continuous improvement of positional knowledge and precise timing to all customers.” The vision of the 45th Space Wing is to provide the world’s most responsive, reliable and cost-effective access to space; and the mission is to assure access to the high frontier and to support global operations, the colonel said. “This success is a tribute to the men and women of the joint Air Force and industry launch team and marks another major milestone in the storied history of the Delta II launch vehicle,” Colonel Owen said.