A handful of worries spawned by problems found in the factory have prompted the Air Force to delay launching the next Global Positioning System satellite.
The Lockheed Martin-built GPS 2R-M1 spacecraft was supposed to fly from Cape Canaveral this month aboard a Boeing Delta 2 rocket. But issues arose involving internal components, causing officials to put the brakes on launch plans.
This will be the first of the new GPS 2R satellites, increasing the power of existing GPS signals and adding new military and civilian signals to boost accuracy and reception.
More about GPS satellites:
The GPS constellation features 24 primary and several backup satellites flying into six orbital groupings 11,000 miles above Earth. The Air Force continues to launch new satellites as replacements to keep the critical navigation system in good health. Twenty-nine satellites are functioning in orbit today.