The 50th Space Wing successfully completed a two phase GPS constellation expansion known as “Expandable 24” recently. The move increased GPS coverage and is now providing all GPS users with a more robust signal and a higher probability of signal acquisition in challenging environments.
The GPS constellation consists of 24 operational slots positioned within six equally-spaced orbital planes surrounding the earth.
Expandable 24 is a U.S. Strategic Command commander directed initiative to reposition six satellites in the current GPS constellation. Phase one of Expandable-24 began in January 2010 and the last of the satellites completed repositioning on Jan. 18. Phase two began in August 2010 and completed last week when the last satellite arrived at its new location.
“This marks another successful milestone in our continued commitment to modernize our weapon system,” said Lt. Col. Jennifer Grant, 2nd Space Operations Squadron commander. “We take great pride in providing GPS performance that exceeds our requirements for the system, which we have been doing since 1995.”