Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. GPS News .




GPS NEWS
Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Complete First Launch Exercise for Next Generation GPS Satellites
by Staff Writers
Newtown, PA (SPX) Sep 06, 2012


illustration only

Raytheon and Lockheed Martin have successfully completed the first launch readiness exercise for the U.S. Air Force's next generation GPS III satellites. The exercise is a key milestone demonstrating the team remains on schedule to achieve launch availability in 2014.

The Lockheed Martin-built GPS III satellites and the Raytheon-developed next generation GPS operational control system, known as OCX, are critical elements of the U.S. Air Force's effort to affordably replace aging GPS satellites while improving capability to meet the evolving demands of military, commercial and civilian users worldwide. This is the first space and ground enterprise successfully building the ground control and space vehicles by two independent prime contractors.

The launch readiness exercise, completed over a three day period by mission operations personnel, validated the basic satellite command and control functions, tested the software and hardware interfaces and demonstratedbasic on-console procedures required for space vehicle contacts during the launch and early orbit mission.

The event sets the stage for the first GPS III satellite's mission readiness timeline, which includes five short-duration exercises and six, five day mission rehearsals leading up tolaunch.

"Completion of our first GPS III launch readiness exercise is a major milestone for the entire GPS enterprise and is a solid indictor that our space and ground segments are well synchronized," said Col Bernie Gruber, the director of the U.S. Air Force's Global Positioning Systems Directorate.

To achieve first launch availability in the 2014 timeframe, the U.S. Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin and Raytheon contracts in January of this year to provide a Launch and Checkout Capability (LCC) for launch and early on-orbit testing of all GPS III satellites.

At the heart of the LCC is Raytheon's Launch and Checkout System that will provide satellite command and control capability, an integral part of OCX's support of the first GPS III launch.

"The completion of our first launch readiness exercise is an important milestone for the entire GPS enterprise," said Keoki Jackson, vice president of Lockheed Martin's Navigation Systems mission area.

"This achievement is a testament to efficient planning and synchronization by theU.S. Air Force and demonstrates that we are on track to deliver critical GPS III capabilities to military, commercial and civilian users worldwide."

"This milestone represents the hard work and dedication of the entire GPS III and OCX government-industry team," stated Ray Kolibaba, a vice president of Raytheon's Intelligence and Information Systems business and GPS OCX program manager.

"This is another demonstration of the rapid progress we're making on OCX development, while maintaining GPS space-ground enterprise alignment. I'm confident that we'll be prepared to support the first GPS III launch with an efficient, evolvable and secure ground control system built independently."

.


Related Links
Lockheed Martin
GPS Applications, Technology and Suppliers






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








GPS NEWS
Mobile users wary of privacy invasion by apps: survey
Washington (AFP) Sept 5, 2012
Users of mobile devices are rejecting or uninstalling some apps because of concerns about how much personal and private information is collected, a US survey showed Wednesday. The Pew Internet Project survey found that 54 percent of mobile users who download apps have decided to not install a cell phone app when they discovered how much personal information they would need to share in order ... read more


GPS NEWS
US fruit giant Dole settles 38 pesticide complaints

Spinach power gets a big boost

Bees, fruits and money

Little evidence of health benefits from organic foods

GPS NEWS
More than 70 percent of electronic waste management is uncontrolled

Researchers measure photonic interactions at the atomic level

Wayne State's new flexible electronics technology may lead to new medical uses

Magnetic Vortex Reveals Key to Spintronic Speed Limit

GPS NEWS
PZL-Swidnik highlights new products

'Sideways' aircraft for supersonic speed?

Chilean deal with EADS falling through

Arrest after China flight threat: state media

GPS NEWS
GM says China sales grow despite slowdown

US auto sales jump 20 percent in August

New Saab cars to be rolled out in 2014

China's Dongfeng sees profits slide in first half

GPS NEWS
Hong Kong to restrict foreign homebuyers from 2013

Nordic-Baltic states seek more cooperation

'Green' products trade gains momentum in APEC

Chile eyes free trade deals at APEC

GPS NEWS
Loss of tropical forests reduces rain

Controversy in Liberian forest logging

Amazonian deforestation may cut rainfall by a fifth

Liberia forests sold off in secret logging contracts: report

GPS NEWS
Astrium installs new terminal in Mexico to receive SPOT 6 and SPOT 7 imagery

Suomi NPP Captures Smoke Plume Images from Russian and African Fires

Remote Sensing Satellite Sends First Earth Imagery

Proba-2's espresso-cup microcamera snaps Hurricane Isaac

GPS NEWS
Researchers Develop New, Less Expensive Nanolithography Technique

Breakthrough in nanotechnology material science

Nano machine shop shapes nanowires, ultrathin films

New wave of technologies possible after ground-breaking analysis tool developed




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement