USAF’s first GPS III SV01 satellite encapsulated for launch

The US Air Force’s (USAF) first advanced Global Positioning System III space vehicle (GPS III SV01) satellite has been encapsulated for launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Built by Lockheed Martin, the satellite was enclosed and sealed in an aerodynamic, nose-cone shell launch fairing, which will be mounted on to the rocket for liftoff from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, US, on 18 December. GPS III SV01 is the first of ten GPS III satellites currently under full production at the company’s advanced $128m GPS III processing facility near Denver. More

(Source: Airforce Technology - Dec 14)