Tag: GPS
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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…
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Launch Roundup: Chinese asteroid mission, and Falcon 9 launch
This week, China launched a near-Earth asteroid sample return mission amongst several other missions. Meanwhile, Rocket Lab has postponed the launch its Electron rocket from New Zealand until June 3 for additional checks and bad weather. Coming off the launch of Starship’s ninth flight test on Tuesday, SpaceX launched several Starlink missions. The company also…
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Raytheon Secures $379.7 Million Contract Extension for Delayed GPS Control System
The U.S. Space Force has awarded Raytheon a $379.7 million contract extension to continue work on the overdue Next Generation Operational Control System (OCX), a critical upgrade to the Global Positioning System (GPS) ground control infrastructure that is now more than eight years behind schedule. The contract extension, disclosed on May 21, adds another year…
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A military satellite waiting to launch with ULA will now fly with SpaceX
For the second time in six months, SpaceX will deploy a US military satellite that was sitting in storage, waiting for a slot on United Launch Alliance’s launch schedule. Space Systems Command, which oversees the military’s launch program, announced Monday that it is reassigning the launch of a Global Positioning System satellite from ULA’s Vulcan…
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Launch Roundup: SpaceX plans for five customer missions; Rocket Lab launch mission for Synspective
The orbital launch manifest for the week of Dec. 16 through Dec. 22 has been one of the busiest yet, with 10 of the 12 planned launches worldwide succeeding. SpaceX planned to launch seven Falcon 9 missions this week, with five customer missions, one rideshare mission, and one Starlink mission. Outside of the U.S., three…
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SpaceX launches sixth next-generation GPS satellite
SpaceX launched its fourth mission of the year, a GPS-III satellite for the US Space Force, on Wednesday, Jan. 18. The launch saw a Falcon 9 rocket lift off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 7:24 EST (12:24 UTC). The payload for this mission is Global Positioning System…
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SpaceX launches newest GPS satellite on reused booster
SpaceX has launched another next-generation Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite for the United States Space Force. Falcon 9 lifted off with the GPS-III-SV05 satellite on June 17 from SLC-40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida right on time at 12:09EDT (16:09 UTC). This was the 19th Falcon 9 launch in 2021, and…
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SpaceX launches GPS navigation satellite from Cape Canaveral
A Falcon 9 rocket streaks into space with the U.S. Space Force’s fourth third-generation GPS navigation satellite. Credit: SpaceX SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket Thursday from Cape Canaveral with the U.S. Space Force’s newest third-generation Global Positioning System navigation satellite, helping clear the way for the launch of SpaceX’s first operational Crew Dragon astronaut…