A Mission Out of This World: The Benefield Anechoic Facility Tests First Space Satellite in Decades

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PHOTO BY: Adam Bowles, https://www.afrl.af.mil/News/Photos/igphoto/2003233497/
PHOTO BY: Adam Bowles, https://www.afrl.af.mil/News/Photos/igphoto/2003233497/

June 12, 2023 | Originally published by AFRL on May 31, 2023

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE (AFB), Calif. — The Benefield Anechoic Facility (BAF) at Edwards AFB recently tested its first orbital satellite in decades. Anticipated to launch in late 2023, Navigation Technology Satellite-3 (NTS-3) will be the U.S. Department of Defense’s first experimental, integrated navigation satellite system in nearly 50 years.

“This is so important because we are testing one of the new satellites that will be going up into space to help with all of our GPS systems,” said Amarachi Egbuziem-Ciolkosz, Engineer, 772nd Test Squadron. “It’s probably going to affect so many lives; not just military but commercial alike.”