Boeing recently handed over control of the fifth Global Positioning System IIF satellite to the Air Force, according to an April 8 company release. The GPS IIF, which launched on Feb. 20, joins the rest of the GPS constellation and “increases the precision of position, navigation, and timing data sent to users around the world,” states the release. The Air Force is slated to receive a total of 12 GPS IIFs from Boeing in the coming years. “As each GPS IIF joins the fleet, we are sustaining and modernizing the constellation for years to come,” said Craig Cooning, Boeing’s vice president and general manager of space and intelligence systems. The Air Force, which is operating the satellite, and Boeing have “completed deployment and validation of the spacecraft’s systems, stabilizing the vehicle, and activating its navigation payload,” according to the release. The sixth satellite is slated “for a second-quarter launch,” states the release.
How Miss America 2024 Took the Air Force Somewhere New
Dec. 20, 2024
When 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh became the first ever active service member crowned Miss America on Jan. 14, top Air Force officials recognized a rare opportunity to reach women and girls who otherwise might not consider military service as an option.