GPS World

Tag: government contract

  • NASA awards PlanetiQ contract for commercial satellite data acquisition

    NASA awards PlanetiQ contract for commercial satellite data acquisition

    NASA has awarded PlanetiQ an expanded contract through its Commercial Smallsat Data Acquisition (CSDA) program, broadening access to commercial satellite data for the scientific community.

    The contract expands PlanetiQ’s CSDA portfolio to add high-SNR GNSS polarimetric radio-occultation data to PlanetiQ’s existing NASA CSDA offerings of ionospheric scintillation, ionospheric total electron content, and high-SNR GNSS radio-occultation data.

    The expanded data offering will provide government researchers with access to advanced GNSS observations that can help improve the understanding of precipitation processes, atmospheric structure, and Earth system dynamics.

    Polarized radio occultation (PRO) measurements have demonstrated the ability to characterize precipitation, detect rain and snowfall structure, identify melting layers, and observe variations in storm intensity. PlanetiQ uses a unique receiver to collect data with a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). High-SNR measurements are particularly important for precipitation applications because increased SNR improves sensitivity to lighter precipitation and certain cloud structures.

    “By making polarized radio occultation data available through the CSDA program, NASA is enabling a broader research community to investigate new applications for these observations,” said E. Robert Kursinski, chief scientist, PlanetiQ. “As more researchers gain access to high-SNR PRO data, we expect both the scientific understanding and the potential operational uses of the technology for precipitation and severe weather monitoring to expand.”

    PlanetiQ’s GNSS-PRO measurements are acquired using high-rate, high-SNR receivers that enhance the detection of precipitation signatures and cloud structures. In addition to supporting atmospheric science research, these measurements are critical for operational applications related to rainfall characterization, snowfall detection, storm monitoring, and weather forecasting.

    Researchers interested in learning more about GNSS-PRO and precipitation sensing can watch PlanetiQ’s recent webinar.

  • Space Force awards Lockheed Martin new GPS IIIF contract

    Space Force awards Lockheed Martin new GPS IIIF contract

    Total GPS IIIF commitment now at 14 satellites

    The U.S. Space Force has awarded Lockheed Martin a $514 million contract to build GPS IIIF Space Vehicles 23 and 24, bringing its total GPS IIIF commitment to 14 spacecraft.

    With legacy spacecraft past their intended design life, the award marks a vital step in continued modernization of the constellation. The 14 upcoming GPS IIIF satellites will deliver advanced, reliable positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) capabilities for both military and civilian users.

    IIIF capabilities include: 

    • The Regional Military Protection capability that provides a 63-fold increase in anti-jam capabilities, allowing warfighters to access strong GPS signals in contested environments
    • Additional M-code-enabled satellites, allowing for secure GPS connection for warfighters
    • A digital navigation payload, increasing accuracy and reliability of IIIF spacecraft.

    “Modernizing the constellation with highly resilient, next-generation space vehicles ensures warfighters have access to the GPS capabilities they require for their missions,” said Christina Mancinelli, vice president of global communications and navigation at Lockheed Martin. “We continue to invest in advanced technology, facilities and the people who are the driving force in the production of this spacecraft that help our military secure peace.”

    Earlier this year, all Lockheed Martin-made GPS III satellites reached orbit. GPS III SV09 and SV10 each launched on accelerated timelines, bringing unprecedented levels of resiliency to the constellation.

    The GPS constellation provides critical positioning, navigation and timing capabilities to key warfighter platforms made by Lockheed Martin. For example, the F‑35 uses GPS to determine its exact location, keep its systems perfectly synchronized, and share real‑time position data with other assets, enabling autonomous navigation and pinpoint strike capabilities.

    Similarly, the UH-60 Black Hawk employs GPS to navigate accurately, deconflict with ground and air forces, and deliver cargo or weapons with high precision, enhancing mission safety and effectiveness.

    For civilians, the GPS constellation underpins banking transactions, telecommunications networks, emergency‑response services, and everyday navigation. The new GPS IIIF satellites broadcast all civil signals — including the interoperable L1C and L5 — at greater accuracy and reliability.

    Advanced design features speed and resiliency

    GPS IIIF satellites are engineered for resiliency. Starting with SV13, these spacecraft are built on the evolved LM2100 Combat Bus, providing increased cyber-hardening, improved spacecraft power, propulsion and electronics. The LM2100 Combat Bus is also outfitted with additional size, weight and power to accommodate future capability insertions.

    The company has already completed the core mate milestone — marking the official “birth” of a satellite — for three GPS IIIF satellites, with all other IIIF satellites in different phases of production. The company was also recently awarded a $105 million contract to continue modernization of the GPS ground segment. With these contracts, Lockheed Martin reaffirms its long-term commitment to a resilient, high-performance GPS constellation that supports billions of users worldwide.

    Lockheed Martin continues to advance GPS IIIF production at its Denver area facilities, employing emerging technologies such as augmented reality and digital twins to accelerate build rates and ensure capabilities are delivered to the warfighter quickly.

  • Apogee awarded $103M PNT contract for US defense

    Apogee has been awarded a five-year, $103 million task order to provide positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) support services for the U.S. Department of Defense.

    The contract supports modernization, acquisition and sustainment planning across the international PNT enterprise, ensuring resilient and reliable capabilities that underpin critical military operations worldwide.

    Under the contract, Apogee will deliver technical expertise and mission support across multiple locations, including Robins Air Force Base, Georgia; Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio; and Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

    Apogee’s team will contribute to advancing next-generation PNT capabilities, strengthening system performance and supporting the continued evolution of a mission essential to joint and coalition operations.

    Apogee is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with regional offices nationwide.

  • PlanetiQ awarded $15M US Air Force contract for GNSS-RO weather data

    PlanetiQ awarded $15M US Air Force contract for GNSS-RO weather data

    PlanetiQ has been awarded a $15 million, 48-month Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) contract by the U.S. Air Force. The program will support the development and launch of spacecraft equipped with next-generation GNSS radio occultation (GNSS-RO) and GNSS polarimetric radio occultation (GNSS-PRO) instruments and the delivery of high-value weather data to the U.S. Air Force.

    The mission will focus on advancing GNSS-RO, GNSS-PRO and GNSS reflectometry (GNSS-R) capabilities. The program includes the development of advanced data assimilation techniques to integrate enhanced GNSS-PRO data into numerical weather prediction (NWP) models, improving forecast accuracy and enabling new insights into atmospheric conditions.

    After spacecraft commissioning, PlanetiQ will provide on-orbit data delivery during the contract period. This will support multiple applications across the Department of the Air Force, including artificial intelligence (AI) model training, data assimilation, and performance evaluation.

    As the largest commercial provider of GNSS-RO data, PlanetiQ operates a global constellation of satellites, including spacecraft equipped with advanced receivers capable of capturing high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) GNSS-RO and GNSS-PRO measurements. GNSS-PRO has demonstrated strong efficacy for measuring precipitation, a key capability for improving severe weather forecasting.

    This STRATFI award will enable the development of a next-generation receiver that adds GNSS-R capabilities, supporting new applications such as ocean surface wind measurement, sea state characterization, and soil moisture monitoring over land.

    “This award represents a major step forward in delivering more advanced, actionable weather information to the warfighter,” said Ira Scharf, CEO of PlanetiQ. “By combining GNSS-RO, PRO and R measurements in a single platform, we are unlocking a more complete picture of the atmosphere and Earth’s surface. We are proud to partner with the U.S. Air Force to accelerate these capabilities and bring next-generation environmental data into operational use.”

  • Lockheed Martin secures $105M contract for GPS IIIF operations

    Lockheed Martin secures $105M contract for GPS IIIF operations

    Lockheed Martin has received a potential $105 million firm-fixed-price task order from the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command to supportGPS IIIF launch and on-orbit testing.

    The award covers services related to the Architecture Evolution Plan (AEP) operational control system. This includes support for launch, early orbit operations and eventual disposal of GPS IIIF satellites (space vehicles SV11-22). The effort is part of ongoing work to sustain and manage next-generation positioning, navigation and timing capabilities for military users.

    Work under the sole-source task order will take place in Colorado Springs, Colorado, through March 2030. The contract is managed by SSC’s satellite communication and PNT office at Peterson Space Force Base. SSC obligated $13.4 million from fiscal 2026 research, development, test and evaluation funds at the time of award.

    Lockheed Martin’s previous contracts supporting the GPS IIIF program include a nine-year, $1.36 billion contract in 2018 to produce the 11th and 12th GPS IIIF satellites, and a $509.8 million contract modification for GPS IIIF space vehicles 21 and 22 granted in May 2025. SV-21 and SV-22 are expected to be delivered by November 2031.

  • TrustPoint accelerates defense-grade, GPS-independent PNT with Phase II SBIR award

    TrustPoint accelerates defense-grade, GPS-independent PNT with Phase II SBIR award

    Contract strengthens the company’s growing portfolio of U.S. government-funded PNT initiatives

    TrustPoint has been awarded a  $1.9 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Direct-to-Phase II contract focused on adapting and upgrading TrustPoint’s commercial C-band positioning navigation and timing (PNT) payload to integrate with U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) architectures and meet advanced government requirements.

    The Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Force, have partnered to streamline the SBIR and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process by accelerating the small business experience through faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business, and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by implementing process improvement changes in contract execution.

    The Air Force began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018, which expanded the range of funded innovations. Now, TrustPoint will accelerate its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the U.S.

    TrustPoint is developing a low size, weight, power and cost (SWaP-C) payload designed to address the U.S. Space Force’s growing need for tactically responsive and resilient space capabilities. The upgraded payload will bolster resistance to GPS jamming and spoofing, and expand the operational resilience of PNT in contested environments — an essential requirement for future proliferated space architectures and for the autonomous systems, including drones, that depend on trusted timing and navigation.

    The effort will culminate in laboratory testing in collaboration with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), setting the stage for potential Phase III deployment opportunities.

    The award marks TrustPoint’s fifth Phase II SBIR in 18 months, spanning projects with the Air Force, Space Force and Navy, and adds to the company’s participation in government-funded PNT initiatives.

  • US Space Force cancels smallsat project for Resilient GPS program

    US Space Force cancels smallsat project for Resilient GPS program

    The U.S. Space Force has ended an exploratory effort to add smaller, lower-cost navigation satellites to strengthen the existing GPS constellation, reports Space News.

    The Space Force does not plan to move forward with on-orbit demonstrations of industy-designed smallsats under the Resilient GPS (R-GPS) program, which began in 2024. In September of that year, the Space Force selected Astranis, L3Harris Technologies and Sierra Space to develop concepts for small, cost-effective navigation satellites to increase GPS resilience, using an expedited “quick start” contract process.

    But funding for the next phase of the program was not included in the fiscal year 2026 budget because of higher Department of the Air Force priorities, according to the report.

    R-GPS was part of a broader push by the Pentagon to diversify satellite architectures amid concerns that spacecraft are vulnerable to interference or attack.

    The Space Force has not said whether it plans to pursue alternative positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) efforts in place of R-GPS.

    Lawmakers have repeatedly raised concerns about GPS vulnerability and have called for studies examining commercial low Earth orbit navigation services as potential complements or backups to GPS.

  • Raytheon UK awarded UK Space Agency contract for satellite tracking

    Raytheon UK awarded UK Space Agency contract for satellite tracking

    Raytheon UK, part of RTX’s Raytheon business, has been awarded a contract to provide orbital analysts in support of the UK’s Space Domain Awareness mission.

    Under the contract, the UK Space Agency will gain access to Raytheon UK’s NORSSTrack software, which enhances orbital analysis and operational responsiveness by mapping and tracking satellites, monitoring potential collisions and debris, assessing re-entries and providing critical data for decision-making.

    The analysts will be based at a National Space Operations Centre facility at Royal Air Force Base High Wycombe.

    As highlighted in the UK’s Strategic Defence Review, space domain awareness is central to protecting critical space assets and strengthening resilience across government, defense and industry. It is considered a vital national capability, ensuring the UK can operate safely, securely and confidently in an increasingly contested space environment.

  • PlanetiQ wins largest-ever NOAA contract to provide GNSS-RO weather data

    PlanetiQ wins largest-ever NOAA contract to provide GNSS-RO weather data

    PlanetiQ, a provider of commercial weather and space weather data, has been awarded a $24.3 million contract from NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS). The award, issued under the Commercial Data Program’s Radio Occultation Data Buy 2 (RODB-2), is NOAA’s single largest commercial satellite weather data purchase.

    Under the agreement, PlanetiQ will deliver 7,000 GNSS-RO profiles per day, including 500 enhanced high-signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) profiles as well as 2,500 low-latency Total Electron Content (TEC) tracks daily. Data deliveries began Sept. 18.

    “I founded PlanetiQ because radio occultation is one of the few technologies I’ve worked with that tangibly improves the human condition. It’s gratifying to see this capability recognized and scaled.”

    GNSS-RO data from PlanetiQ provides precise vertical profiles of the atmosphere across the globe, over land and sea, and in cloudy and clear conditions. It is recognized as the most impactful satellite data input for weather forecast models. GNSS-RO has become critical to space-based climate monitoring, improving and stabilizing weather prediction and atmospheric research over the past several decades.

    The 500 enhanced high-SNR profiles per day are especially valuable in the lower troposphere, where measurement and forecast accuracy are often most challenging, further enabling actionable decisions and operations planning with reduced risk.

    TEC data additionally strengthens NOAA’s space weather monitoring and forecasting capabilities.

    “This award demonstrates NOAA’s confidence in our ability to deliver both the quantity and quality of data needed to advance weather and space weather forecasting,” said Ira Scharf, chief executive officer of PlanetiQ. “We are proud to expand our support for NOAA and its mission to protect life and property.”

    The new contract represents a threefold increase in PlanetiQ’s data deliveries compared to its most recent NOAA award, which provided 2,200 profiles per day, and is adding the enhanced SNR and TEC tracks as new products. PlanetiQ collects thousands of profiles daily across the planet and plans to expand its constellation of satellites in the future.

    PlanetiQ is excited that organizations running numerical weather prediction, and especially AI forecast models, are recognizing the value in high-quality GNSS-RO data. “Our ability to provide enhanced high-SNR profiles, at seven times the SNR of any other commercial company, sets us apart,” said Chris McCormick, president and chairman of PlanetiQ. “I founded PlanetiQ because radio occultation is one of the few technologies I’ve worked with that tangibly improves the human condition. It’s gratifying to see this capability recognized and scaled.”

    While NOAA is the procuring agency of the GNSS-RO data, it will also be used by NASA, the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy, and international government weather agencies for operational and research purposes.

    This award underscores the critical role of public-private partnerships to bring new capabilities online faster and at a lower cost to strengthen national forecasting and research. PlanetiQ also partners with leading commercial technology companies and data providers.

  • Spire Global awarded $11.1M NOAA contract for GNSS-RO weather data

    Spire Global awarded $11.1M NOAA contract for GNSS-RO weather data

    Spire Global Inc., a global provider of space-based data, analytics and space services, was awarded a $11,190,900 contract from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to provide GNSS radio occultation (RO) data for a one-year period from Sept. 18, 2025, to Sept. 18, 2026.

    The company’s near-real-time GNSS-RO data consists of vertical profiles of atmospheric measurements, including pressure, humidity and temperature, that can reach all points of the globe. NOAA, together with NASA, the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy, will integrate Spire’s GNSS-RO data into their weather and space weather models, while additional U.S. and international agencies will leverage the data to strengthen forecasts and advance climate research.

    “Spire’s satellites and radio occultation data are uniquely positioned to deliver the atmospheric insights needed to tackle today’s complex weather challenges,” said Theresa Condor, CEO at Spire Global. “Our continued work with NOAA underscores the importance of government–commercial partnerships in advancing weather forecasting and highlights NOAA’s commitment to harnessing innovation to improve forecasts and build climate resilience.”

    The award is part of an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for NOAA’s Commercial Weather Data Program Radio Occultation Data Buy II.

  • Viasat awarded second SouthPAN contract

    Viasat awarded second SouthPAN contract

    Viasat Inc. has received $252 million AUD from Geoscience Australia and Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) to deliver additional satellite services for the region’sSouthern Positioning Augmentation Network (SouthPAN).

    SouthPAN is a collaborative satellite-based augmentation system developed jointly by Australia and New Zealand. It provides precise positioning and navigation services to support aviation, maritime, agriculture, surveying and emergency response.

    This is the second contract award for Viasat, after Inmarsat — which has since combined with Viasat — was awarded a contract in May 2023 to deliver a satellite payload for SouthPAN. The new agreement, which amends the previous award and comes under Viasat’s Communication Services segment, covers the continuation of services from Viasat’s existing in-orbit satellites as well as a new payload, marking a significant extension of Viasat’s partnership with both governments.

    The agreement secures satellite service and ground infrastructure to deliver precise positioning across Australia, New Zealand and the region’s maritime zones.

    SouthPAN is delivered by Geoscience Australia in partnership with Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand, with early services available to both countries since 2022.

  • BAE Systems provides enhanced GPS technology for F-15 Eagle fighters

    BAE Systems provides enhanced GPS technology for F-15 Eagle fighters

    BAE Systems has received a $13 million contract for advanced GPS technology to protect U.S. F-15E aircraft from GPS signal jamming and spoofing. The company’s Digital GPS Anti-jam Receiver (DIGAR) will ensure the reliability of military GPS systems for aircraft operating in challenging signal environments.

    DIGAR uses advanced antenna electronics, high-performance signal-processing and digital beamforming — a capability that combines 16 steered beams — for better GPS signal reception and superior jamming immunity. These capabilities are critical for high-speed aircraft as they maneuver through the battlespace.

    The F-15 Eagle is the second U.S. Air Force fighter platform to receive DIGAR GPS upgrades, following the F-16 Fighting Falcon. DIGAR also provides advanced GPS capabilities for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft as well as multiple unmanned aerial vehicles.

    Two U.S. Marine Attack Squadron 211 F-35B Lightning IIs and two U.S. Air Force F-15 Eagles assigned to the 67th Fighter Squadron, fly over United Kingdom aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth over the west Indo-Pacific region in August 2021. (Photo: USAF/Staff Sgt. Kyle Johnson)
    Two U.S. Marine Attack Squadron 211 F-35B Lightning IIs and two U.S. Air Force F-15 Eagles assigned to the 67th Fighter Squadron, fly over United Kingdom aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth over the west Indo-Pacific region in August 2021. (Photo: USAF/Staff Sgt. Kyle Johnson)

    “Modern airborne missions require accurate positioning and navigation data, and GPS systems must be able to withstand adversaries’ best disruption efforts,” said Greg Wild, Navigation and Sensor Systems product line director at BAE Systems. “Our DIGAR antenna electronics are trusted to protect these platforms in contested environments.”

    BAE Systems’ family of military GPS products offer size, weight and power characteristics suitable for a variety of applications, including handheld electronics, vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, aircraft and precision-guided munitions. In addition to GPS anti-jam products, the company is delivering advanced GPS products compatible with the next-generation M-code satellite signal, and is developing the next generation of receivers to ensure dependable GPS for warfighters across land, air and sea domains.

    BAE Systems work on military GPS technology takes place in Cedar Rapids, where the company is investing more than $100 million to build a 278,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art research and manufacturing center.

    An F-15 Eagle with the 159th Fighter Wing, Louisiana. (Photo: USAF/Tiffany A. Emery)
    An F-15 Eagle with the 159th Fighter Wing, Louisiana. (Photo: USAF/Tiffany A. Emery)