GFO Satellite Overview

The Navy Prime Contract for the GFO system design, production, and test was awarded by the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command in August 1992.  The system elements included the satellite, payloads, launch vehicle and updates to the Navy Satellite Ground System.  The finished GFO satellite was launched on 10 February 1998, and accepted on 29 November 2000. The satellite and the ground system are now operational.

A summary of the performance to date of the GFO spacecraft on-orbit is posted on the Performance Summary Page.  The chart on that page gives an overview of the on-orbit performance of the satellite and with a hyperlink to information on any satellite or ground-system anomalies.

• GFO Spacecraft
  The image below shows the spacecraft structure during its Modal Survey and Vibration testing
  
  

• GFO Launch Vehicle - TAURUS
  This image shows the expendable launch vehicle on the launch pad at Vandenberg Air Force
  Base prior to the 10 February launch.
  
  

• GFO Radiometer
  This image shows the water vapor microwave radiometer flight unit ready for spacecraft integration.
  
  

• GFO Altimeter
  This image shows the all solid state microwave radar altimeter flight unit ready for spacecraft integration.
  
   

• GFO Spacecraft
  This shows the integrated spacecraft during its system testing.
  
  

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