The Wideband Global SATCOM 2 (WGS-F2) military satellite aboard an Atlas 5 rocket was launched from Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 at 8:31 p.m. EDT, 4th April, 2009. The satellite (USA 204) will be stationed over the equator around 60 degrees East longitude and will cover the Indian Ocean Region. The WGS-F2 satellite will provide X-band communications and relay data to troops in the region.
WGS-2 F-2 Atlas 5 Launch The Wideband Gapfiller satellites will provide near-term continuation and augmentation of the services currently provided by the Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) and the Global Broadcast Service (GBS) Ka services currently provided by GBS payloads on UFO satellites. The new Wideband Gapfiller satellites will complement the DSCS III Service Life Enhancement Program (SLEP) and GBS payloads, and offset the eventual decline in DSCS III capability. Together these assets will provide wideband services during the transition period between today's systems and the advent of the Objective X/Ka wideband system or Advanced Wideband System (AWS) in 2008.