GPS World

Tag: GPS IIIA

  • Air Force to Respond to GAO Report on GPS

    Global Positioning System experts from Air Force Space Command and the Space and Missile Systems Center will hold a media roundtable teleconference tomorrow, September 24, at 2:30 p.m. Mountain Time (4:30 p.m. Eastern Time) to discuss the recent GAO report titled “Global Positioning System: Challenges in Sustaining and Upgrading Capabilities Persist.” Colonel David Buckman, AFSPC command lead for positioning, navigation and timing, and Colonel Bernard Gruber, commander of the Global Positioning System Wing at Los Angeles Air Force Base, will participate in the teleconference.

    Air Force Space Command, which has responsibility for sustaining and maintaining the Global Positioning System, feels that the GAO report is overly pessimistic and doesn’t adequately acknowledge what AFSPC has done to address constellation sustainment, according to a press release issued from the Air Force, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. “The Air Force has created the largest, most accurate constellation, with the greatest capability, in the history of GPS, with 31 operational satellites currently on orbit,” stated the press release. “This is well above the 24 minimum satellites needed for a full constellation and to meet constellation performance standards. Since 1995, GPS has never failed to exceed performance standards.”

    The release continued, “AFSPC is working to mitigate the challenges identified by the GAO through a number of activities, including: applying a ‘back-to-basics’ approach to acquisition, continuing to identify additional ways to maximize the life of our operational satellites, implementing robust mission assurance processes, and transforming our launch enterprise.”

    The first GPS IIF satellite completed on-orbit testing and checkout and was set operational on August 26 as planned, the Air Force said, The GPS IIF program is ready for full rate production and continues to build confidence in its production line.  Through the institution of robust mission assurance processes, AFSPC is confident in the future of the GPS IIF program.

    The follow-on program, GPS IIIA, recently completed critical design review, two months ahead of schedule, the Air Force said. “AFSPC is optimistic that its ‘back-to-basics’ approach, including stable requirements, mature technologies, and more government oversight, will ensure a successful program, providing the GPS IIIA and its ground segment, OCX, within a timeframe that maintains a robust GPS constellation and supports GPS users.”

  • Lockheed Martin GPS III Team on Schedule in Design Review Stage

    The Lockheed Martin team developing GPS III, the next-generation GPS spacecraft, is progressing on-schedule, achieving key milestones in the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) phase with the U.S. Air Force, according to Lockheed Martin.

    GPS III will improve position, navigation and timing services and provide advanced anti-jam capabilities yielding superior system security, accuracy and reliability. The first block of the new generation satellites, known as GPS IIIA, will deliver significant enhancements over current GPS space vehicles, including a new international civil signal (L1C), and increased M-Code anti-jam power with full earth coverage for military users.

    GPS IIIA also incorporates an aggressive capability insertion program that lowers technology and integration risks associated with the capabilities planned for future GPS III satellites. The capability insertion program will ensure a graceful growth path, minimizing re-design of the GPS IIIA satellites that are necessary to reach the full set of GPS III warfighter capabilities in future increments.

    “The joint government-industry team is off to a robust start validating our requirements for this important program,” said Lt. Col. Donald Frew, the U.S. Air Force GPS III program manager. “Our back-to-basics approach in the execution of GPS III is already yielding excellent results and we look forward to achieving a successful segment-level review in May.”

    Lockheed Martin Space Systems (Newtown, Pennsylvania), along with industry partners ITT (Clifton, New Jersey) and General Dynamics (Gilbert, Arizona), have successfully completed 19 out of 71 PDRs for key GPS III spacecraft subsystems and assemblies. These include L-Band transmitters, antennas, solar arrays, power regulation unit, all attitude control assemblies, as well as the Tracking Telemetry and Command (TT&C) subsystem and all TT&C assemblies. This effort will culminate in an overall GPS III Segment PDR in May to ensure the preliminary design meets warfighter and civil requirements prior to advancing into the Critical Design Review phase.

    “Our progress in the preliminary design review stage is the result of an integrated government-industry team focused on achieving operational excellence and mission success,” said Dave Podlesney, Lockheed Martin’s GPS III program director. “We look forward to completing a comprehensive and efficient PDR phase to ensure a seamless transition to the critical design review phase for the vitally important program.”

    The team is working under a $1.4 billion Development and Production contract awarded in May 2008 by the Global Positioning Systems Wing, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, to produce the first two GPS IIIA satellites, with first launch projected for 2014. The contract also includes options for up to 10 additional spacecraft.

    The GPS constellation provides critical situational awareness and precision weapon guidance for the military and supports a wide range of civil, scientific and commercial functions — from air traffic control to the Internet — with precision location and timing information. Air Force Space Command’s 2nd Space Operations Squadron (2SOPS), based at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, manages and operates the GPS constellation for both civil and military users.