The launch of a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the 12th and final GPS IIF satellite has been pushed back to at least Feb. 4, according to a press release. It was originally scheduled to launch Feb. 3. The delay is to “evaluate concerns over the integrity of electrical connectors on the Atlas V booster,” states the release. The Air Force launched the 11th GPS IIF satellite from Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla., in late October, after a leak in ground support equipment shifted the launch window by one day. The Air Force took control of GPS-IIF 12 in late November. The GPS constellation, which includes about 40 satellites, provides global positioning, navigation, and timing for users around the world.
If the Air Force is in line for a big budget bump from President Donald Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget in 2027, the head of Air Combat Command said he would make aircraft spare parts his top spending priority—but cautioned that more money to buy parts won’t equal a…
