Author Topic: LIVE: Delta-IV - GPS IIF-5 - February 20, 2014 (LT)  (Read 77906 times)

Offline beidou

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This will be the second launch of two GPS IIFs in 2013.
« Last Edit: 02/22/2014 09:12 am by input~2 »

Offline HIPAR

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Re: Delta 4 - GPS IIF-5 - November, 2013
« Reply #1 on: 01/16/2013 05:29 pm »
There was mention of three GPS launches during 2013.

A few years ago, the General Accounting Office (GAO) issued a study predicting a failure of the core 24 satellite system.  The news media had a 'field day' reporting satellites would soon 'fall out of the sky.'

Contrary to the GAO study premises, Block IIF GPS satellite deliveries and launches paced decommissioning of old equipment while the system operators stretched the life of on orbit space vehicles.

Consequently, GPS degradation isn't imminent.  In actuality, a twenty seven (24+3) satellite core constellation has been operating with four orbital slots reinforced by additional healthy satellites.

Realistically, the constellation still depends upon the viability of several old Block IIA satellites.  These really need to be replaced.

Augmenting three IIF satellites now in service, three new 2013 ones would have virtually relieved pressure on the the system operators to sustain a robust system.

Depending upon what breaks, two new well placed satellites will still be welcomed.

---  CHAS

Offline grythumn

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Re: Delta 4 - GPS IIF-5 - November, 2013
« Reply #2 on: 01/17/2013 05:17 pm »
Augmenting three IIF satellites now in service, three new 2013 ones would have virtually relieved pressure on the the system operators to sustain a robust system.

Depending upon what breaks, two new well placed satellites will still be welcomed.

These two also bring us up to 12 L2C capable birds (plus maybe SVN49 if they ever figure out a workable fix). Anyone know what the minimum constellation is before it goes operational? 18? 24?

-R C

Offline HIPAR

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Re: Delta 4 - GPS IIF-5 - November, 2013
« Reply #3 on: 01/17/2013 10:54 pm »
These two also bring us up to 12 L2C capable birds (plus maybe SVN49 if they ever figure out a workable fix). Anyone know what the minimum constellation is before it goes operational? 18? 24?

-R C

In satellite navigation parlance, L1 and L2 refer to GPS radio frequency bands where the navigation signals are transmitted.  Older satellites transmit the 'legacy' signals while the newer ones transmit 'legacy' plus 'modernized' signals.

L2C is a modernized civil signal that has never been enabled to send navigation messages.  There's a nice article about L2C modernization at GPS World Magazine.

http://www.gpsworld.com/2c-or-not-2c/

The system operators cite the inability of the current ground infrastructure to operate L2C as the reason for not setting the signal usable for navigation.  That includes world wide network of remote monitoring stations and the master control station at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado.

There's a contract in place, that hasn't been free of controversy,  to develop a master control station called the OCX that will support the complete suite of legacy and modernized signals.  OCX is tightly coupled with the arrival of Block III satellites and probably will not be delivered before 2016.

Apparently, it's not just a matter of the number of available modernized satellites that will determine when the new signals are usable for navigation.  Meanwhile, those who argue the signal is useful now and should be available from the capable satellites will remain frustrated.

---  CHAS


Offline grythumn

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Re: Delta 4 - GPS IIF-5 - November, 2013
« Reply #4 on: 01/21/2013 05:41 pm »
Cool, hadn't read this month's GPS World yet. Thanks for the link, and for the additional info on OCX. The article makes it sound like they could turn on L2C pretty much any time if the Air Force was willing to tolerate/pay for some more manual processing.

-R C

Offline beidou

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Re: Delta 4 - GPS IIF-5 - Oct 1, 2013
« Reply #5 on: 05/16/2013 01:04 pm »
The current launch schedule is on Oct 1st.

Offline Jim

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Re: Delta 4 - GPS IIF-5 - Oct 1, 2013
« Reply #6 on: 05/16/2013 07:58 pm »
The current launch schedule is on Oct 1st.

Based on what info?

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

Re: Delta 4 - GPS IIF-5 - Oct 1, 2013
« Reply #7 on: 05/16/2013 08:03 pm »
The current launch schedule is on Oct 1st.

Based on what info?

I remember seeing it somewhere (it's on a NASA graph showing the expected launch dates of all the launchers involved with NASA missions), but I can't find it now. MSDB only lists "Oct. 2013" right now: http://msdb.gsfc.nasa.gov/launches.php
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Offline vapour_nudge

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Re: Delta 4 - GPS IIF-5 - Oct 1, 2013
« Reply #8 on: 05/17/2013 08:51 am »
The current launch schedule is on Oct 1st.

Based on what info?

Hello Jim, this might be what Galactic Penguin was referring to. It shows the launch date to be October 1st. I don't think it is just a place holder (NET) but that's just my non-authoritative opinion:

http://fdf.gsfc.nasa.gov/news/launch-schedules

Nudge

Offline macpacheco

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Re: Delta 4 - GPS IIF-5 - Oct 1, 2013
« Reply #9 on: 06/12/2013 04:36 am »
The current launch schedule is on Oct 1st.

Source: http://earth-info.nga.mil/GandG/sathtml/satinfo.html - May 2013 update

Satellite         Freq.         
 PRN/SVN   Plane  Std #   Block   
---------+-------+-----+----------+-Scheduled-Upcoming-Launches---------------------------------
  ??/??     --            IIF-5    November 2013...???...

With the ??? should probably read NET November 2013

No birds misbehaving bad enough to require launching a new one.
SVN38/SVN39 are currently the worst performing birds, but since they're flying a triplet arrangement, one can be retired without direct replacement.

Likely one of both will be retired, but next launch will go into another orbital plane to prepare for M-Code/L2C IOC.
Looking for companies doing great things for much more than money

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

Re: Delta-IV - GPS IIF-5 - Oct 1, 2013
« Reply #10 on: 08/15/2013 07:16 am »
Per GPS World the launch date is October 17 and will fly SVN64 to space.
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Offline Galactic Penguin SST

Re: Delta-IV - GPS IIF-5 - Oct 1, 2013
« Reply #11 on: 08/16/2013 08:20 am »
Per GPS World the launch date is October 17 and will fly SVN64 to space.

From Ben Cooper's Cape Canaveral rocket viewing information webpage (http://www.launchphotography.com/Delta_4_Atlas_5_Falcon_9_Launch_Viewing.html) the launch window on October 17 is 6:20 - 6:38 pm EDT (22:20 - 22:38 UTC).
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Offline jacqmans

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Re: Delta-IV - GPS IIF-5 - October 17, 2013
« Reply #12 on: 09/17/2013 03:11 pm »
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., Sept. 17, 2013 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] workers lift the Global Positioning System (GPS) IIF-5 satellite onto a transporter following its Aug. 1 arrival at the Navstar Processing Facility on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.

Boeing shipped the fifth GPS IIF satellite from its satellite factory in El Segundo, Calif., on a U.S. Air Force C-17 airlifter. Workers will fuel the satellite and integrate it with a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket prior to launch in October. The GPS IIFs continue to meet mission requirements as they are added to the on-orbit constellation, achieving the greatest accuracy ever and ensuring highly accurate position, timing and navigation services to a global user community.

# # #

Photo credit: Boeing photo
Jacques :-)

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

Re: Delta-IV - GPS IIF-5 - October 17, 2013
« Reply #13 on: 10/01/2013 04:43 pm »
Hmm.... per SFN this launch has slipped to October 23 at 5:53-6:12 pm EDT (21:53-22:12 UTC). I wonder why?  ???
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Offline bjornl

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Re: Delta-IV - GPS IIF-5 - October 17, 2013
« Reply #14 on: 10/01/2013 11:05 pm »
Most unfortunate, as I am around the Cape only until October 18th and this would have been my first launch :(
Well, better luck next time!

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

Re: Delta-IV - GPS IIF-5 - October 17, 2013
« Reply #15 on: 10/02/2013 06:48 am »
Hmm.... per SFN this launch has slipped to October 23 at 5:53-6:12 pm EDT (21:53-22:12 UTC). I wonder why?  ???

I asked the ULA PAO on Twitter; here's their response:

Quote
ULA ‏@ulalaunch
@Cosmic_Penguin Yes. To allow technicians time to change out a faulty ground system valve on the liquid oxygen storage tank prior to launch.
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Offline jacqmans

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Re: Delta-IV - GPS IIF-5 - October 23, 2013
« Reply #16 on: 10/15/2013 04:25 pm »

The Air Force is in the process of setting a new launch date for its next Global Positioning System satellite on a Delta IV rocket.

Launch of the GPS IIF-5 spacecraft from Cape Canaveral had been targeted for next Wednesday at 5:53 p.m., but will slip.

A spokesperson for the 45th Space Wing could not immediately confirm the reason for the slip or a new target launch date.
Jacques :-)

Offline ugordan

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Re: Delta-IV - GPS IIF-5 - October 23, 2013
« Reply #17 on: 10/15/2013 04:28 pm »
James Dean of Florida Today says it may slip "a couple weeks".

Offline Star One

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Re: Delta-IV - GPS IIF-5 - October 23, 2013
« Reply #18 on: 10/17/2013 08:46 am »
Any update on the reason for the change in launch date?

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: Delta-IV - GPS IIF-5 - October 23, 2013
« Reply #19 on: 10/18/2013 08:52 pm »
ULA

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. (Oct. 18, 2013) -- The launch of the GPS IIF-5 mission on a ULA Delta IV launch vehicle, currently scheduled for Oct. 23, 2013, is being delayed. The team has continued with Phase II of an investigation related to a successful Delta IV launch that occurred in October 2012 in which the second stage RL10B-2 engine thrust was lower than expected.  It was determined that a fuel leak occurred within the engine system and that this fuel leak caused the low thrust.  The ongoing Phase II investigation has included extremely detailed characterization and reconstructions of the instrumentation signatures obtained from the October 2012 launch and these have recently resulted in some updated conclusions related to dynamic responses that occurred on the engine system during the first engine start event.  The GPS IIF-5 Delta IV launch is being delayed to allow the technical team time to further assess these updated conclusions and assess the improvements already implemented and determine whether additional changes are required prior to the next Delta IV launch. The Delta IV booster for the GPS IIF-5 mission has completed the standard processing and checkout on the launch pad and will be maintained in a ready state for spacecraft mate and launch pending completion of this assessment. A new launch date will be established when the assessment of the updated dynamic response information is completed in the coming weeks. The processing of Atlas V vehicles for upcoming missions including the Nov. 18 launch of the MAVEN mission for NASA are proceeding as planned.

 

Jessica Rye, APR
ULA Communications
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