GPS 2F-1 (Delta 4 launched on May 27, 2010)

[Zipi]

Launch window: 03:00-03:19 GMT on 28th (11:00-11:19 pm EDT on 27th)
Launch site: SLC-37B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

The United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket will launch the Air Force's first Block 2F navigation satellite for the Global Positioning System. The rocket will fly in the Medium+ (4,2) configuration with two solid rocket boosters. Delayed from late 2009. Delayed from February, May 13 and May 17.

Live Stream: http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/Webcast.shtml

ULA's Launch Info: http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/Launch.shtml#/8/
ULA's Mission Overview Booklet: http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/docs/miss ... v1_mob.pdf (lots of very informative graphics)
Wikipedia GPS Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Positioning_System
Spaceflight Now's Launch Timeline: http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d349/10 ... eline.html



Delta IV Launch Vehicle

ULA's Delta IV Page: http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/Pro ... taIV.shtml
Delta IV Product Card: http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/docs/prod ... t_card.pdf
Delta IV Product Guide: http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/docs/prod ... de2007.pdf



First Stage

One RS-68 engine burning LOX/LH[sub]2[/sub]

RS-68 Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RS-68
P&W Rocketdyne Rs-68 Page: http://www.pw.utc.com/Products/Pratt+%2 ... dyne/RS-68
P&W Rocketdyne RS-68 Fact Sheet: http://www.pw.utc.com/StaticFiles/Pratt ... _RS-68.pdf
Purdue University's RS-68 Page: https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAE/Rese ... uids/rs68/
NASA's RS-68 Test Program: http://sscfreedom.ssc.nasa.gov/etd/ETDP ... S_RS68.asp

Boosters

Two GEM-60 solid rocket boosters

Graphite Epoxy Motor Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphite-Epoxy_Motor
ATK's Delta/GEM Page: http://www.atk.com/Customer_Solutions_S ... _delta.asp

Second Stage

One RL10-B-2 engine burning LOX/LH[sub]2[/sub]

RL10 Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RL10
P&W Rocketdyne RL10 Page: http://www.pw.utc.com/Products/Pratt+%2 ... tdyne/RL10
P&W Rocketdyne RL10 Fact Sheet: http://www.pw.utc.com/StaticFiles/Pratt ... r_RL10.pdf
Aerospaceguide.net RL10 Page: http://www.aerospaceguide.net/rocketengines/rl10.html

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: May 20, Delta 4 - GPS 2F-1

Excellent post

Looking forward for this one.

 

[hipar]

Re: May 20, Delta 4 - GPS 2F-1

Remember about a year ago when General Accounting Office issued findings that degradation of the GPS was immanent? That's because those Block IIA satellites launched during the 90s are operating well past their expected on orbit life expectancy are expected to fail with no replacements available. They cited delivery delays for GPS IIF satellites.

Of course the media sensationalized the entire matter .. car navigators were to be useless, satellites would fall from the sky, airliners would crash. Yikes!

One satellite (PRN25) has failed and was placed into disposal orbit this year but, generally, the constellation has remained viable as our system operators have managed it well.

GPS IIF is finally becoming real so let's hope the launch goes well and this satellite and it's eleven descendants function properly. This launch is important for all of us.

--- CHAS

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: May 20, Delta 4 - GPS 2F-1

Launch was scrubbed, and has been tentatively rescheduled for May 22 - lost telemetry signal from GPS satellite during final countdown minutes.

http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/Launch.shtml#/8/

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: May 23, Delta 4 - GPS 2F-1

Rescheduled to May 23., launch window 11:17 - 11:35 pm EDT, weather at 70% 'go'.

http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/Launch.shtml#/8/

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: May 23, Delta 4 - GPS 2F-1

http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/Launch.shtml#/8/

Launch attempt scrubbed - mission managers require additional time to validate the satellite telemetry signal.

Next launch attempt set for Monday, 24th May, with launch window of 11:13 - 11:31 pm EDT (19:13 - 19:31 GMT). Weather at 80% 'go'.

 

[Zipi]

Re: Delta 4 - GPS 2F-1 (DELAYED)

Since the hydrogen burnoff sparklers had fired, that was the only shot at launching tonight. The solid rocket boosters' hydraulic systems will have to be reset during the scrub turnaround as well. Exactly when the next launch attempt will be made is not known as this time.
This is the last date available on the Eastern Range for the launch to occur before to Wednesday morning's scheduled landing of the space shuttle Atlantis. The Range requires time in between events to reconfigure its tracking and communications equipment. So the next try, based purely on the Range, wouldn't be possible until late in the week.

http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/Launch.shtml#/8/

NET May 27.

 

[Zipi]

Re: May 27, Delta 4 - GPS 2F-1

Now that the space shuttle Atlantis mission has successfully concluded, full attention turns to Cape Canaveral's Complex 37 launch pad where a Delta 4 rocket will try again tonight to get into orbit and deploy an advanced Global Positioning System satellite. Liftoff time is 11:00 p.m. EDT (0300 GMT).
The United Launch Alliance ground team just rolled back the 33-story mobile service to reveal the Delta for today's countdown. The structure had been put back around the rocket after Monday night's scrub.

Quoted from: http://www.spaceflightnow.com/delta/d349/status.html

 

[scottb50]

Re: May 27, Delta 4 - GPS 2F-1

ORLANDO, Fla. – After several day's delay due to technical issues, a Delta 4 rocket has rumbled into the sky from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral carrying a GPS satellite.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100528/ap_ ... ket_launch

 

[Zipi]

Re: May 27, Delta 4 - GPS 2F-1

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZHi5ZipVfk[/youtube]

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: Delta 4 - GPS 2F-1 (Launched May 27, 2010)

SDC : Air Force Launches Advanced New GPS Satellite

By Tariq Malik
SPACE.com Managing Editor
posted: 27 May 2010
11:36 pm ET

This story was updated May 28 at 12:03 a.m. ET.



The first of an advanced new fleet of navigation satellites for the U.S. Air Force soared into space late Thursday in a blazing night launch from a seaside pad in Florida.

The new global positioning system (GPS) satellite, called GPS 2F-1, blasted off atop an unmanned Delta 4 rocket at 11 p.m. EDT (0300 Friday GMT) from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

GPS 2F-1 lifted off after a week of delays due to bad weather and technical issues. It is the first of a planned fleet of 12 new satellites to provide around-the-clock navigation ultra-precise navigation and timing services for military and civilian.

"These next-generation satellites provide improved accuracy through advanced atomic clocks; a more jam-resistant military signal and a longer design life than earlier GPS satellites; and a new civil signal that benefits aviation safety and search-and-rescue efforts," said Craig Cooning, vice president and general manager for Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems, which built the new satellite.

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: Delta 4 - GPS 2F-1 (Launched May 27, 2010)

Couple more pre-launch images :

http://www.spaceref.com : Delta 4 Poised to Launch with Next Generation GPS Satellite

The Delta 4 rocket sits atop flame trench. Nearly a million pounds of thrust will be exhausted through the ducts at liftoff towards photographers location. Credit: Ken Kremer

and launch :

http://www.spaceref.com : Delta 4 Blast Off with Advanced new GPS Satellite Marks 50th Anniversary of Delta Program

Delta 4 blast off at 11:00 PM EDT on 27 May 2010 with next generation GPS Satellite. Credit: John O’Connor

Liftoff of Delta 4 on 27 May 2010 at 11:00 PM EDT. Credit: Alan Walters

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: Delta 4 - GPS 2F-1 (Launched May 27, 2010)

http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1233

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., May 28, 2010 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] has acquired the first on-orbit signals from the Global Positioning System (GPS) IIF-1 satellite, the inaugural spacecraft in a 12-satellite constellation that the company is building for the U.S. Air Force. The signals indicate that the spacecraft bus is functioning normally and ready to begin orbital maneuvers and operational testing.

 

[vulture4]

Re: Delta 4 - GPS 2F-1 (Launched May 27, 2010)

Heard it, but couldn't see it. Too many clouds.

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: Delta 4 - GPS 2F-1 (Launched May 27, 2010)

http://www.gpsdaily.com : Officials Announces Initial Test Transmissions From GPS Satellite

by Staff Writers
Los Angeles AFB (AFNS) Jun 21, 2010

Officials from the Space and Missile Systems Center's Global Positioning Systems Wing announced that the first GPS IIF satellite, launched May 27, has begun test transmissions of the new safety-of-life (L5) navigation signal.

The L5 signal is a key element of efforts to modernize the GPS constellation for civil users. It was designed in close coordination with civil aviation and other organizations worldwide and is transmitted in a frequency band protected for safety-of-life applications.

It will be transmitted from all GPS IIF and later spacecraft. GPS IIF is also designed to broadcast all of the signals on L1 and L2 frequency bands that users worldwide already receive from the rest of the GPS constellation.

Initial test transmissions from this latest GPS satellite (known as SVN-62) began June 5 as part of its on-orbit checkout phase. Test transmissions of the L5 signal from the spacecraft will take place intermittently.