Whether it’s mapping a trip to a business meeting across town, or providing U.S. warfighters with navigation and timing information to enable critical missions around the world, the Global Positioning System (GPS ) has become key to daily life for billions of people.  

The 11^th  of 12 planned Boeing-built GPS IIF  satellites was launched from Cape Canaveral on October 31. All 11 have achieved 100 percent mission success to-date. The IIF satellites offer greater accuracy, a longer design life, increased signal power for civil applications, a more robust military M-code signal, and variable power for better jamming resistance.  

And the next chapter in GPS development promises to get even better, with new innovation and improved technologies for the next generation GPS III satellite.  

This summer, Boeing successfully demonstrated a digital version of the GPS III navigation signals – building on a record of more than 40 other satellites launches with digital payloads – that overcomes limitations of current GPS III analog payloads in combining multiple signals and accommodating future requirements. It also weighs less, costs less and has fewer components.  

In addition, Boeing notes that its recent advancements in amplifier technology will boost signal power and can lead to even smaller and lower-cost GPS satellites. These developments, coupled with other improvements, add up to meeting GPS needs today and stretching into the next generation.  

Check out highlights of the recent launch of GPS IIF-11: