On October 30, the Air Force plans to launch the eleventh satellite in the Block IIF series of modernized GPS spacecraft. The GPS IIF satellites feature new clocks, new civil and military signals, and other upgrades for enhanced accuracy and robustness. The Air Force has produced 12 IIF satellites and plans to launch the final IIF satellite in February of 2016. Currently, there are 31 GPS satellites in operational service, including 10 Block IIF satellites and 21 spacecraft from previous generations. To learn more about the GPS constellation, go to www.GPS.gov <http://www.gps.us9.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=5ec6892f7dfb065c95b8bdd80&id=a0868112c7&e=8120c9772e>
Date/Site/Launch Time: Friday, Oct. 30, 2015, from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. 18 minute launch window opens at 1623Z, 1223 EST.
Rocket/Payload: A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 will launch the GPS IIF-11 mission for the U.S. Air Force.
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, twitter.com/ulalaunch and instagram.com/ulalaunch; hashtags #GPSIIF11 and #AtlasV.
Constellation Changes: The Air Force Second Space Operations Squadron (2 SOPS) indicates that IIF-11, SVN-73/PRN-10, will replace SVN-47 in the E plane slot E2. SVN-34/PRN-04 will be taken out of the operational constellation prior to SVN-73 payload initialization and sent to Launch, Anomaly Resolution, and Disposal Operations (LADO). PRN-04 is tentatively scheduled for assignment to IIF-12, launching in February of next year. SVN-34, launched on 25 Oct 1993, has been in an auxiliary node in the D-plane and successfully served ~22 years, almost 15 years beyond its designed service life, due to the diligent efforts of the men and women of the U.S. Air Force. SVN-47 will be re-phased from the E2 location to a newly defined E5 node (GLAN = 160°) once SVN-73 is set healthy."