Tag: GPS
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NASA Ships Shoebox-Sized Navigation Payload to Intuitive Machines for First Lunar Relay Satellite
Altus-1 is the first of a planned network of lunar relay satellites being developed under Intuitive Machines’ Near Space Network Services contract with NASA. The relays are designed to provide communications and navigation support for missions at the Moon, including the challenging lunar South Pole region where Artemis astronauts will land in 2028 and where…
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GAO Puts $9.5B Missile-Warning Satellite Under Scrutiny
Does the GAO’s 2026 Space Force Report Signal a Defense Space Acquisition Crisis? The Government Accountability Office has put a $9.5 billion price tag on the Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared geosynchronous constellation — and that number is still growing. The GAO’s annual assessment of major defense acquisition programs, released July 2, reviewed 13 Space…
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Lockheed Martin Wins $514 Million Contract for Two Additional GPS IIIF Satellites
Lockheed Martin has secured a $514 million contract from the U.S. Space Force to build two additional Global Positioning System (GPS) IIIF satellites, expanding the company’s total commitment under the program to 14 spacecraft. The award covers GPS IIIF Space Vehicles 23 and 24 and supports ongoing efforts to modernize the GPS constellation as older…
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Launch Preview: GPS, Progress, and Starlink missions to launch during busy week
Seven missions, four countries, and five launch vehicles make the week of April 20 one of the more diverse on the 2026 manifest. GPS III SV10 carries the week’s most technically significant payload in its first-ever GPS laser communications demonstration, while South Korea’s ADD vehicle attempts its first complete four-stage orbital flight. Rocket Lab pulls…
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SpaceX Launches Jam-Resistant GPS III Satellite for U.S. Space Force
SpaceX on Tuesday night launched an advanced, jam-resistant GPS satellite for the U.S. Space Force, marking the company’s fastest turnaround to date for a national security mission. A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the GPS III-SV09 spacecraft lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 11:53 p.m. EST (0453 GMT on Jan. 28), following a…
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Launch Roundup: GPS, Starlink, Electron launches scheduled for last week of January
The last week of January has a busy slate of orbital launches, with flights from Florida, California, New Zealand, and possibly China on the schedule. SpaceX plans to close out the month with the GPS III SV09 mission, along with up to three Starlink launches, while Rocket Lab’s “Bridging the Swarm” mission is being prepared…
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TrustPoint Demonstrates GPS-Independent Time Transfer for LEO Navigation System
TrustPoint said it has completed a key ground-to-space time-transfer and tracking demonstration for its Low Earth Orbit Navigation System (LEONS), a milestone the company described as advancing its goal of offering a commercial, GPS-independent positioning, navigation and timing service. The work was carried out under the SpaceWERX Alternative PNT (AltPNT) Challenge, according to a Jan.…
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U.S. Space Force Awards Rhea Space Contract to Advance Autonomous Satellite Navigation
The U.S. Space Force has awarded Rhea Space Activity Inc. (RSA) a contract to further develop its autonomous navigation software, AutoNav, as part of a project aimed at improving satellite maneuverability and resilience in contested space environments. The project, known as VANGUARD—short for Vision-based Autonomous Navigation and Guidance for Unassisted Approach, Rendezvous, and Deployment—was selected…
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U.S. Space Force Orders Two Additional GPS IIIF Satellites from Lockheed Martin
The U.S. Space Force has awarded Lockheed Martin a $509.7 million contract for two more Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites, expanding the military’s investment in the advanced GPS III Follow-on (GPS IIIF) constellation aimed at bolstering both civilian and defense navigation services. The new satellites, GPS IIIF-21 and IIIF-22, are scheduled for delivery by 2031,…
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SpaceX to Launch Advanced GPS Satellite as U.S. Military Accelerates Security Upgrades
SpaceX is preparing to launch the U.S. military’s latest Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite, GPS III SV-08, on May 30 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, after the mission was reassigned from United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Vulcan rocket due to ongoing delays. The satellite, built by Lockheed Martin, will be the eighth in the…