GPS IIF-9 is one of the next-generation GPS satellites, incorporating various improvements to provide greater accuracy, increased signals, and enhanced performance for users.
Delta IV GPS IIF-9 Mission Overview Brochure http://www.ulalaunch.com/uploads/docs/Mission_Booklets/DIV/div_gpsiif9_mob.pdf
Rocket/Payload: A United Launch Alliance Delta IV Medium+ will launch the GPS IIF-9 mission for the U.S. Air Force.
Date/Site/Launch Time: Wednesday, March 25, from Space Launch Complex (SLC)-37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
Launch Notes: GPS IIF-9 marks the 29th Delta IV launch and the 57th operational GPS satellite to launch on a ULA or heritage launch vehicle.
Launch Updates: To keep up to speed with updates to the launch countdown, dial the ULA launch hotline at 1-877-852-4321 or join the conversation at www.facebook.com/ulalaunch, http://twitter.com/ulalaunch and http://instagram.com/ulalaunch.
Constellation Changes: The Air Force Second Space Operations Squadron (2 SOPS) indicates that IIF-9, SVN-71/PRN-26, will replace SVN-35 (currently being operated in Launch, Anomaly Resolution and Disposal Operations (LADO)) in the B plane slot 1F. SVN-38/PRN-08 will be taken out of the operational constellation prior to SVN-71 payload initialization and sent to LADO. PRN-08 will be assigned to SVN-49 in May and set to test, but is tentatively scheduled for assignment to IIF-10 to launch 16 June of this year. SVN-35, launched on 30 August 1993, has been in a residual status since March 2013 in an expanded node slot in the B plane and successfully served 21.5 years, 14.0 years beyond its designed service life, due to the diligent efforts of the men and women of the U.S. Air Force. SVN-51 is still in a re-phase journey from E1 (GLAN=146 °) to an auxiliary node at E7 (GLAN=60.7 °) scheduled to arrive sometime this summer.