The Air Force’s first Global Positioning System Block IIF satellite is progressing on schedule through its on-orbit checkout phase, USAF space officials announced Monday. The satellite was launched into orbit in May and is about halfway through its 90-day checkout period, said GPS officials with the Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles AFB, Calif. They said the satellite is currently broadcasting the same L1 and L2 navigation signals as previous GPS satellites as well as the new L5 safety-of-life signal. They are monitoring the quality and characteristics of the signals and the satellite’s overall performance. Tests done by German researchers showed that, while the three signals are operating nominally, there are higher residual errors than expected. GPS officials are investigating the root cause. They think it may be due to the satellite’s sensitivity to changes in its thermal environment.
Due to the prolonged delay in deliveries of the Tech Refresh 3 version of the F-35 fighter, Denmark is pulling six of its TR-2-configured F-35 jets stationed in the U.S. back to home base in order to consolidate aircraft and get better training for its pilots and maintainers, the Danish…