Modified batteries on the Air Force’s Global Positioning Systems IIR/IIR-M satellites are expected to extend the life of the fleet by more than 27 cumulative years, announced Air Force Space Command’s Space and Missile Systems Center officials on Jan. 22. The 19 satellites in the fleet comprise more than half of the GPS constellation, according to the release. The 2nd Space Operations Squadron at Schriever AFB, Colo., completed the modification, which began in October 2012, last November, according to the release. “Analysis by SMC, The Aerospace Corporation, and Lockheed Martin indicated that reducing the charge rates during solstice season would add an average of one-to-two years of life per space vehicle,” according to the release.
New Air Force Safety Tool Forecasts Mishap Risk
March 10, 2026
When you check the weather forecast, it can tell you there’s a 40 percent chance of rain for the day based on the barometric pressure, the wind, the humidity, or any number of factors. A new Air Force Safety Center dashboard offers commanders the same kind of outlook, but for mishaps—a forecast that quantifies their units’ risk level based on dozens of…