The mission aims to launch the 11th in a series of a dozen satellites called Block IIF, built by Boeing, that are updating a Global Positioning System constellation now featuring 31 active satellites.
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It’s the 11th in a series of 12 satellites created to improve navigational data for troops around the world.
Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station will host the launch.
The rocket lifted off on time at 12:13 p.m. under ideal Florida skies., marking the 102 consecutive time United Launch Alliance has successfully luanched one of its rockets, going back to 2002.
A close-up image of a Global Positioning System IIF-series satellite as it sits atop its payload adapter awaiting final encapsulation within a four-meter diameter protective fairing October 16 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. The launch window opens at 12:17 p.m. EDT and will remain open for 18 minutes.
“NASA has trusted our highly reliable Atlas vehicles to launch all second and third generation TDRS satellites”, said Laura Maginnis, ULA vice president of Custom Services.
Compared with previously launched satellites, the IIFs have improved atomic clock technology and about a 12-year life cycle, as compared with 7.5 years of a few now in orbit.
Launch Notes: GPS IIF-11 will be the third GPS mission ULA launches in 2015: GPS IIF-9 launched on a Delta IV in March, and GPS IIF-10 launched in July.
SMC, located at Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, Calif., is the U.S. Air Force’s center of acquisition excellence for acquiring and developing Military space systems.
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The 11 Global Positioning System IIF satellite in encapsulated earlier this month at Cape Canaveral.
