SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- How does a Global Positioning System satellite make it from the ground into a 12,000-mile orbit?

The 45th Space Wing at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., is in charge of the first 68 minutes of the trip; after that, they hand the reins to the 1st Space Operations Squadron here.

"We take over as soon as the vehicle separates from the (rocket's) third stage," said Lt. Col. Thomas Meyer, 1st SOPS director of operations. "From there until we hand the vehicle in its near-final orbit to 2nd SOPS, we take care of everything."

An artist's concept shows a GPS Block 2R satellite orbiting Earth. Credit: Lockheed Martin

The stretch of five to seven days when 1st SOPS has satellite control authority, or SCA, is the most important period of time in a satellite's life. In that short time, the satellite will maneuver more -- and spend more fuel -- than any other time in it's operational life.

In the case of GPS IIR-16(M), which launched Nov. 17 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., the critical few days began as the satellite separated from its Delta II rocket over the Pacific Ocean. Space systems operators at 1st SOPS made contact when the vehicle came within range of the Air Force Satellite Control Network's facility on Oahu Island, Hawaii.

"The first acquisition is always key," Colonel Meyer said. "That's when we establish that it's in the right orbit, get an initial state of health and begin the 'turn-on' processes."

The "right" orbit, which the GPS satellite achieves within hours of launch, is a highly elliptical path that is more than 11,000 miles above the earth at apogee and just a few hundred miles away at perigee.

The orbital analysis shop in 1st SOPS calculates the satellite's precise orbit.

"Orbital analysis is a big part of this," Colonel Meyer said. "We can't point antennas or know when to conduct satellite supports without knowing where and in what orientation the satellite is."

Knowing the satellite's precise orbit is also crucial to the next step: an apogee kick-motor burn, or AKM, that devours 2,011 pounds of fuel in 55 seconds during the satellite's equivalent of full afterburner. If operators were to conduct the AKM at the wrong point in the satellite's orbit, it could become a multi-million dollar piece of space debris.

GPS IIR-16(M)'s AKM, in contrast, was a textbook example of accuracy. The procedure of moving the satellite into a permanent orbit allows for a number of corrective maneuvers after the AKM -- maneuvers 1st SOPS did not have to perform.

"It's exciting for us because the AKM was on-target," Colonel Meyer said.

Once the satellite reaches a more circular orbit, 1st SOPS operators send it commands to slow its spin: from 55 rotations per minute to 10, then from 10 to 1.3 RPM. The vehicle's solar panels deploy next, slowing its rotation further.

From there, the satellite achieves attitude control: the solar panels lock onto the sun, the vehicle locks onto the earth, and the satellite stops spinning altogether.

Satellite operators begin turning on the vehicle's sensors and systems once the vehicle's attitude is stable.

"It's just turning on boxes at that point," Colonel Meyer said.

The final activation sequences, and maybe a few drift rate adjustment maneuvers, are the final steps of preparing the satellite for handoff to 2nd SOPS.

"When we hand over SCA, it will be in a configuration in which 2nd SOPS can take it and run with it," Colonel Meyer said. "We'll give them SCA but we'll 'tweak' the satellite's orbit for them over the next couple of weeks."

An informal ceremony surrounds SCA transfer from 1st SOPS to 2nd SOPS, which took place Nov. 22 for GPS IIR-16(M). The two squadrons are located across the hall from each other, and Airmen from both units come out to observe a ritual football handoff -- or throw, in this case.

Although the business of early orbit takes place in 1st SOPS' facilities here, it takes a total-force team to raise a satellite. In Florida, 45th SW coordinates the rocket science of getting the satellite into orbit. Here, Airmen from 7th SOPS, the Reserve Associate Unit for 1st SOPS, work alongside their active-duty counterparts on 1st SOPS' operations floor.

"I'm extremely proud of how the team has worked throughout this entire launch," Colonel Meyer said.

Contractors with Lockheed Martin and Aerospace Corporation both provide technical know-how in the technical adviser shop adjoining the operations floor.

"This is the hub," Colonel Meyer explained. "Data from the floor comes back here. Lockheed Martin contractors talk to people at the factory who designed and built the satellite, who are ready in a second if something goes wrong in orbit."

Capt. William Dexter, a space vehicle operations director with 1st SOPS, was the focal point of information flow between operators and technical advisers for the GPS IIR-16(M) mission. He also handled behind-the-scenes support before the launch, such as making sure crewmembers can talk to satellites via AFSCN before the vehicle leaves the ground.

Colonel Meyer also spoke highly of 22nd SOPS' work in scheduling support for launch and early orbit. Bad weather at Cape Canaveral had delayed the launch of GPS IIR-16(M) on a couple of occasions.

"They (22nd SOPS) were very helpful because they've been very flexible and agile in their support," Colonel Meyer said.

Without Airmen, reservists, government civilians and contractors working side by side, the 12,000-mile trip would never take its first step.

"We appreciate all the vehicle work you have done," said Lt. Col. Harold "Stormy" Martin, 2nd SOPS director of operations. "It's historic in the sense that we now have 31 satellites in the GPS constellation. We appreciate the role you played in doing that."