The satellite gurus over at Air Force Space Command are making progress on modernizing the equipment, ground control systems, and military-user tools needed to upgrade the Global Positioning System. According to a Wednesday release from AFSPC, eight of the latest Block IIR replenishment satellites will be modernized with new military codes and a civil signal, and the first GPS IIR-M is scheduled for launch later this year. The new signals will provide less vulnerability to interference and increased performance in accuracy, availability, integrity and reliability.
Officials at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., said the range is “fully mission capable” to support launches following a major May 28 mishap involving Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket.