Tag: Lockheed Martin

Third GPS III arrives at Cape Canaveral for April launch

The nation’s third next-generation GPS III satellite — and the first delivered by Lockheed Martin to the new U.S. Space Force — has arrived in Florida for an expected April launch.

On Feb. 5, the third Lockheed Martin-built GPS III space vehicle (GPS III SV03) was shipped to Cape Canaveral from the company’s GPS III Processing Facility near Denver aboard a massive Air Force C-17 aircraft traveling from Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado.

GPS III SV03 — nicknamed “Columbus” — is the latest of up to 32 next-generation GPS III/GPS III Follow-On (GPS IIIF) satellites Lockheed Martin has designed and is building to help the Space Force modernize GPS with new technology and capabilities.

On Jan. 13, 2020, GPS III SV01 (“Vespucci”) was set healthy and active by the 2nd Space Operations Squadron (2 SOPS) at Schriever Air Force Base, in Colorado. 2 SOPS is now using the GPS III Contingency Operations (COps)-upgraded OCS ground control system to operate both the new GPS III and previously launched GPS satellites.

GPS III SV02 (“Magellan”), launched on Aug. 22, 2019, has completed its on-orbit testing and is currently awaiting its turn for integration into the constellation.

On Jan. 21, 2020, the Space Force called up GPS III SV04 for a launch later this summer. GPS III SV05-09 are now in various stages of assembly and test at Lockheed Martin’s commercial-like large satellite production line for GPS III satellites near Denver.

The company is expected to soon complete its critical design review with the Space Force to begin production on the first two GPS IIIF satellites under contract.

GPS III Advantages

GPS III is the most powerful and resilient GPS satellite ever put on orbit. Developed with an entirely new design for U.S. and allied forces, GPS III has three times greater accuracy and up to eight times improved anti-jamming capabilities over any previous GPS satellites in the constellation.

GPS III is also the first GPS satellite to broadcast the new L1C civil signal, which is shared by other international global navigation satellite systems, like Galileo, to improve future connectivity worldwide for commercial and civilian users.

“Every day, more than four billion civil, commercial and military users rely on the positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services provided by 31 GPS satellites launched since 1997,” said Tonya Ladwig, Lockheed Martin’s program manager for GPS III. “We are excited to help the Space Force refresh the constellation to ensure U.S. and allied forces always have the best technology and that the U.S. Global Positioning System remains the gold standard for PNT.”

GPS III was designed to evolve with new technology and changing mission needs. The satellite’s evolutionary modular design will allow new GPS IIIF capabilities to start being added at the 11th satellite. These will include a fully digital navigation payload, a Regional Military Protection capability, an accuracy-enhancing Laser Retroreflector Array, and a Search & Rescue payload.

”It’s an exciting time across the GPS mission as we bring together the best of our space, ground, and operations systems to help the United States Space Force modernize this critical national capability,” commented Johnathon Caldwell, Lockheed Martin’s vice president for Navigation Systems.

Lockheed Martin’s GPS III team is led by the Production Corps, Medium Earth Orbit Division, at the Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base.

2 SOPS, at Schriever Air Force Base, manages and operates the GPS constellation for both civil and military users.

Lockheed Martin shipped the U.S. Space Force’s third GPS III satellite to Cape Canaveral, Florida, ahead of its expected April launch. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

February 10, 2020
2nd Space Operations Squadron sets first GPS III healthy and active

By Staff Sgt. Matthew Coleman-Foster, 50th Space Wing Public Affairs

The 2nd Space Operations Squadron set Satellite Vehicle Number-74 (SVN-74, the first GPS III satellite) as healthy and active to users on the 2nd SOPS operations floor.

Setting SVN-74 healthy and active means the satellite will be available for use by military and civilian GPS users around the world as part of the constellation currently maintained by the squadron. This makes the satellite the first iteration in the GPS III family to join the active constellation following its launch Dec. 23, 2018.

Capt. Ryan Thompson, 2nd SOPS assistant director of sustainment, said various training modules and upgrades were instrumental in making the satellite operational.

“In order to operate GPS III, we first had to install Architecture Evolution Plan 8.0,” he said. “This allowed our squadron to control the new satellite without a next generation operational control system. The 2nd SOPS training and evaluations flight was able to expeditiously give our operators top-up training that allowed them to become comfortable with the new satellite.”

The GPS III vehicle family provides new capabilities vital to ensuring the fidelity of the constellation and signal in the contested, degraded and operationally limited environments.

According to the Lockheed Martin press release, GPS III satellites have three times better accuracy and up to eight times improved anti-jamming capabilities than their predecessors, and a design life extending 25 percent longer than the newest GPS satellites on-orbit today. GPS III’s new civil signal will also make it the first GPS satellite to broadcast a compatible signal with other international global navigation satellite systems, like Galileo, improving connectivity for civilian users.

2nd SOPS is already preparing for the second GPS Block III vehicle in orbit, awaiting its day to become healthy and active.

“There are vehicles currently projected to be put into the constellation and then following this there will be the Block III-F follow-on vehicles,” said Capt. Kaoru Elliot, 2nd SOPS assistant director of operations. “With those vehicles in place, all of those capabilities will come into the next decade.”

A third vehicle for GPS III is scheduled for launch later this year.

“It [GPS Block III vehicle two] is being managed currently by Lockheed Martin,” Elliott said. “They are the ones actually getting the satellites up there and once it is up in orbit, they make sure everything is good before handing it over to us.”

The work within 2nd SOPS to ensure SVN-74 is healthy and active in the constellation shows their commitment to continue providing the gold standard of position, navigation, and timing to 4 billion users around the world.

Second Lt. Kelley McCaa, 2nd Space Operations Squadron satellite vehicle operator, and Airman 1st Class John Garcia, 2nd SOPS satellite systems operator, set satellite vehicle number-74, the first iteration of GPS Block III vehicles, as healthy and active to users Jan. 13, 2020, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado,. Setting the vehicle healthy and active makes the satellite available for use by military and civilian GPS users around the world for agriculture, banking and navigation. (Photo: U.S. Air Force/Staff Sgt. Matthew Coleman-Foster)

January 15, 2020
CBS News goes inside GPS

Screenshot: CBS News

On CBS’ Sunday Morning show Dec. 1, correspondent David Pogue was invited into the Air Force’s GPS Master Control Station at Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to show viewers what GPS is all about.

Pogue discussed the GPS program with Brigadier General DeAnna Burt, who oversees the program as the director of operations at Air Force Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs.

He also discussed GPS vulnerabilities with Dana Goward, president of the Resilient PNT Foundation and contributor to GPS World magazine.

Pogue also visited Lockheed Martin’s satellite assembly facility, where the new generation of GPS III satellites is being built.

Watch the video here.

December 4, 2019
GPS World honors leaders in GNSS/PNT

On Sept. 19, in conjunction with the ION GNSS+ conference, GPS World hosted its annual Leadership Awards dinner. Five honorees — chosen by a panel of GNSS experts — were recognized for their outstanding recent contribution or achievement in four categories: Satellites, Signals, Services and Products.

SATELLITES AWARD: Presented by Johnathan Caldwell (left) to Mark Crews, both of Lockheed Martin. Crews accepted on behalf of Tim Hartman. (Photo: GPS World)

Satellites Award

TIM HARTMAN: Satellites Award winner

Tim Hartman, Chief Engineer, Military Space Programs, Lockheed Martin

Hartman was recognized for serving as the program manager for GPS IIRM and GPS III Space Segments. Tim’s leadership and program dedication helped support the U.S. Air Force’s decision to declare GPS III ready for launch on Oct. 17, 2017.

Sponsor: Lockheed Martin

On Aug. 22, Lockheed Martin Space celebrated the successful launch of the second of up to 32 next-generation GPS III/IIIF satellites that the U.S. Air Force contracted the company to design and build. Lockheed Martin’s commitment to positioning, navigation and timing can be found in the exemplary performance of the 18 Lockheed Martin-built GPS IIR and IIRM satellites that are a proud part of today’s 31-satellite GPS constellation. The company also is proud to support the Air Force with its continued sustainment of the current GPS Operational Control Segment.

SIGNALS AWARD: Presented by Joe Rolli of L3Harris (left) to Ramsey Faragher. (Photo: GPS World)

Signals Award

Ramsey Faragher, Founder and CEO, Focal Point Positioning

Focal Point Positioning’s new supercorrelator approach to indoor and urban GNSS signal processing could revolutionize smartphone-based GNSS. New signal processing methods for the correlation stage of a GNSS receiver enable several seconds of coherent integration while the receiver is undergoing dynamic motions. This improves accuracy and integrity, and provides anti-spoofing and spoofer-localization capabilities — without hardware changes or requiring access to encrypted signals.

Sponsor: L3Harris

L3Harris Technologies is an agile global aerospace and defense technology innovator, delivering end-to-end solutions that meet customers’ mission-critical needs. The company provides advanced defense and commercial technologies across air, land, sea, space and cyber domains. L3Harris has approximately $17 billion in annual revenue and 50,000 employees, with customers in 130 countries.

SERVICES AWARD: Presented by Mike Shepherd of Collins Aerospace (back) to Simon Banville (front left) and Denis Laurichesse. (Photo: GPS World)

Services Award

Denis Laurichesse, Navigation Systems Department Expert, Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES)

Simon Banville, Senior Geodetic Engineer, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)

Laurichesse and Banville demonstrated instantaneous, centimeter-level, multi-frequency precise point positioning (PPP). Their work shows PPP might become, within a few years, a practical alternative to real-time kinematic (RTK) for a wide range of applications.

Sponsor: Collins Aerospace

Collins Aerospace Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp., is a leader in technologically advanced and intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defense industry. Created in 2018 by bringing together UTC Aerospace Systems and Rockwell Collins, Collins Aerospace has the capabilities, comprehensive portfolio and expertise to solve customers’ toughest challenges and meet the demands of a rapidly evolving global market.

PRODUCTS AWARD: Accepted by Paul Alves (left) from presenter Jeff Martin of Spirent Federal Systems. (Photo: GPS World)

Products Award

Paul Alves, P.Eng, Ph.D., Technology Manager — Correction Services, NovAtel, part of Hexagon

Alves was recognized for his work on localization of interference sources for GNSS users leveraging the Interference Tool Kit. With the ITK, users can detect and mitigate adversarial jamming of GNSS signals, as well as unintentional interference from external sources.

Sponsor: Spirent Federal

Spirent has more than 30 years of experience delivering the world’s best test equipment. Spirent’s test solutions for GPS and GNSS, critical infrastructure SCADA vulnerabilities, Internet L3-L7 common vulnerabilities and exposures, and mobile vulnerabilities allow the world to communicate and collaborate faster. Spirent Federal Systems is a wholly owned subsidiary of Spirent Communications and was established to offer the world’s leading simulation equipment to U.S. government customers, armed services, education institutions, and prime contractors. Spirent Federal’s SimMNSA was the first to be granted Security Approval by the Global Positioning System Directorate.

PNT CHAMPS: The L3Harris team earned the most total points in all six games, and took home a trophy each. (Photo: GPS World)

PNT Games

After dinner, guests broke into teams to test their personal positioning, navigation and timing skills, precisely determined by their ability to toss rings and throw horseshoes under time pressure. Each team rotated through yard games such as ladder toss, ring toss, corn hole and horseshoes to prove who was the most accurate and resilient. The L3Harris team took home the first-place prize.

RAINBOW CONNECTION: Taking on giant pong are members of the rainbow bandana team, (from left) Sanjeev Gunawardena, Thomas Pany, Steffen Thoelert and André Hauschild. (Photo: GPS World)

ORGANIZED CHAOS: Wearing different-colored bandanas, teams cheer on their team members and fight for every point. (Photo: GPS World)

After all the awards were given, everyone got together for a memorable group photo. (Photo: GPS World)

November 12, 2019
GPS III production update: On the road to a refreshed constellation

Thermal Vacuum testing verifies that a satellite can operate in space’s extreme environment. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

With GPS III SV01 and SV02 now on orbit, GPS III satellites continue to roll off the production line at Lockheed Martin’s GPS III Processing Facility near Denver.

Johnathon Caldwell, Lockheed Martin Space’s vice president for navigation systems, provided GPS World with an update to the entire GPS III family.

SV01. The first GPS III satellite is in a holding state pending readiness by 2SOPS [the Second Space Operations Squadron] to take the vehicle onto the system for operational checkout, a transfer expected to take place later this year, Caldwell explained. The satellite completed on-orbit testing in July.

“We’re in the process of getting the 2SOPS crews trained up to operate a GPS III vehicle,” Caldwell said. “By the end of this year, they will be able to take [SV01] into the constellation and start flying it as a live, set-healthy vehicle.”

SV02. Launched Aug. 22, SV02 is following in the footsteps of its older sibling, with a quiet checkout and no major findings. Like SV01, once it completes testing, it will stay in temporary holding until 2SOPS is ready to bring it into the constellation.

SV03. On May 27, the Air Force declared SV03 available for launch. It is now in final preparations for shipment, with an expected launch date in January 2020 aboard a Falcon 9 rocket.

SV04. The Air force declared SV04 available for launch; it is now in storage awaiting a launch date.

SV05. The fifth satellite is wrapping up environmental tests. Lockheed Martin anticipates that it will be available for launch early next year.

SV06. The satellite has been moved into the thermal vacuum testing chamber and begun a rigorous testing campaign before it meets the harsh environment of space.

SV07, SV08 and SV09 are on the assembly line.

GPS IIIF Satellites. In 2018, the Air Force selected Lockheed Martin to build up to 22 GPS IIIFs, adding new features and resiliency to the original GPS III satellite design. The company has been on the path to meet the critical design review for the GPS IIIF spacecraft, which is due to take place next spring.

October 1, 2019
Javelin missiles remotely launched from unmanned vehicle

Remotely controlled Javelin firings can help keep soldiers out of harm’s way. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

The Javelin Joint Venture team, a partnership of Raytheon Company and Lockheed Martin, successfully fired Javelin missiles from a Kongsberg remote launcher mounted on a Titan unmanned ground vehicle built by QinetiQ North America and Milrem Robotics.

The demonstrations, conducted at the U.S. Army Redstone Test Center, Alabama, validated the integration of the weapon station, missile and vehicle.

“Javelin is ready to support emerging military robotic vehicle requirements,” said Sam Deneke, Raytheon Land Warfare Systems vice president. “Remotely operated technology like this protects soldiers in battle.”

Javelin has been fielded on the Common Remote Operations Weapon Station-Javelin across U.S. Army Stryker 8×8 vehicle brigades in Europe.

“Javelin offers true fire-and-forget engagements to 4 kilometers in most operational conditions,” said David Pantano, Javelin Joint Venture vice president and Lockheed Martin Javelin program director. “Once the launch command is issued, soldiers and vehicle assets like the UGV can reposition out of harm’s way. These tests demonstrated our ability to evolve Javelin capabilities to address new missions in support of the warfighter.”

Javelin is a versatile one-man-portable and platform-employed anti-tank and multi-target precision weapon system. The Javelin Joint Venture team has produced more than 45,000 Javelin missiles and 12,000 command launch units. The program continually updates the system to stay ahead of advancing threats, including enhancing its platform-mounted capabilities.

U.S. and coalition forces have used Javelin extensively in Afghanistan and Iraq in more than 5,000 engagements.

September 10, 2019
Second GPS III in orbit, responding to commands

A ULA Delta IV rocket carrying GPS III SV02 lifts off from Space Launch Complex-37 on Aug. 22. (Photo: ULA)

The U.S. Air Force’s second next-generation GPS III satellite, built by Lockheed Martin, is responding to commands, under control and now using its own internal propulsion system to get to orbit following its successful Aug. 22 launch.

At 11:01 a.m. ET, Air Force and Lockheed Martin engineers at Lockheed Martin’s Launch & Checkout Facility near Denver declared they had full control of GPS III Space Vehicle 02 shortly after the satellite’s separation from its United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV rocket booster. The satellite, nicknamed “Magellan” by the Air Force, began its rocket ride to space with a 09:06 a.m. ET launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

GPS III SV02 is now climbing towards its operational orbit about 12,550 miles above the earth under the power of its own Liquid Apogee engines. Engineers at Lockheed Martin Space’s Waterton, Colorado facility are commanding the satellite using elements of the GPS Next Generation Operational Control System (OCX) Block 0.

“GPS III SV02 is receiving and responding to commands just as planned. In the days ahead, we’ll finish orbit raising to our operational slot and then send the satellite commands telling it to deploy its solar arrays and antennas,” said Johnathon Caldwell, Lockheed Martin Space’s Vice President for Navigation Systems. “Once we are set up, we’ll begin on-orbit checkout and tests, including extensive signals testing with our advanced navigation payload.”

The payload is provided by L3Harris. The first GPS III satellite launched in December 2018 and its navigation payload has performed beyond expectations on-orbit during pre-operational testing, according to L3Harris.

GPS III SV02 is the second GPS III satellite designed and built by Lockheed Martin to help the Air Force modernize today’s Global Positioning System (GPS) constellation with new technology and capabilities. GPS III satellites provide 3x greater accuracy and up to 8x improved anti-jamming capabilities. GPS III also provides a new L1C civil signal, compatible with other international global navigation satellite systems, like Europe’s Galileo.

The First GPS III Satellite Completes On-Orbit Testing

Image: ULA

GPS III SV02 will be the second GPS III satellite in orbit and the second GPS III satellite now being commanded from Lockheed Martin Space’s facility.

On Dec. 23, 2018, the Air Force launched the first GPS III satellite. Nicknamed “Vespucci,” GPS III SV01 underwent months of checkout and thorough testing of its advanced, new navigation payload provided by Harris Corporation.

“GPS III SV01’s performance exceeded expectations during testing,” Caldwell said. “On July 12, we officially completed all On Orbit Check Out & Test activities. We are excited to see this satellite move to the next phase and perform in an operational environment.”

That’s expected to happen later this year once the first satellite is handed over to the Air Force.

Thinking Ahead From the Ground Up

In preparation for this handover, in 2016, the Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin the GPS III Contingency Operations (COps) contract to upgrade its current GPS ground control system – the Operational Control Segment (OCS) – to be able to fly today’s 31-satellite constellation, as well as the new, more-powerful GPS III satellites, until OCX Block 1, still in development, is delivered.

Lockheed Martin delivered the GPS III COps software upgrade in May and it is currently undergoing preparations for installation.

COps is the latest GPS ground control upgrade project Lockheed Martin has had since it began sustaining the OCS in 2013. In November 2018, the company completed the AEP 7.5 upgrade — the largest architectural change in the system’s history — replacing significant code, hardware and software to improve the system’s cybersecurity capabilities and positioning the Air Force to better operate in contested, degraded and operationally limited environments.

In December 2018, the Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin the GPS Control Segment Sustainment II (GCS II) contract to continue to further modernize and sustain the OCS through 2025.

In 2020, the OCS is expected to receive the M-Code Early Use (MCEU) upgrade, which will allow control of M-Code, an advanced, new signal designed to improve anti-jamming and anti-spoofing, as well as to increase secure access to military GPS signals for U.S. and allied armed forces.

With GPS III SV01 and SV02 now on orbit, GPS III satellites continue to roll off the production line at Lockheed Martin’s advanced $128-million GPS III Processing Facility near Denver. On May 27, the Air Force declared the GPS III SV03 Available for Launch (AFL) and had the company place it into storage waiting for a launch date. GPS III SV04-08 are now in various stages of assembly and test.

In all, Lockheed Martin is under contract to build up to 32 next-generation GPS III/IIIF satellites for the Air Force. Additional IIIF capabilities will begin being added at the 11th satellite. These will include a fully digital navigation payload, a Regional Military Protection capability, an accuracy-enhancing laser retroreflector array, and a Search & Rescue payload.

August 22, 2019
L3Harris delivers eighth GPS III navigation payload

The Harris-supplied navigation payload before integration into the second GPS III SV. (Photo: L3Harris)

As the U.S. Air Force prepares to launch its second next-generation GPS III satellite, L3Harris Technologies delivered its eighth navigation payload to GPS III satellite prime contractor Lockheed Martin.

The first GPS III satellite launched in December 2018 and its navigation payload has performed beyond expectations on-orbit during pre-operational testing, L3Harris said in a press release.

In May, the Air Force declared the third GPS III satellite Available for Launch, pending a launch date. L3Harris payloads are also already fully integrated in the GPS III 4-6 space vehicles currently in production and testing at Lockheed Martin.

The GPS III navigation payload features a mission data unit (MDU) with a unique 70-percent digital design that links atomic clocks, radiation-hardened processors and powerful transmitters — enabling signals three times more accurate than those on current GPS satellites. The payload also boosts signal power, which increases jamming resistance by eight times and helps extend the satellite’s lifespan.

In 2017, L3Harris announced that it completed development of an even more-powerful, fully digital MDU for the Air Force’s GPS III Follow On (GPS IIIF) program. The new GPS IIIF payload design will further enhance the satellite’s capabilities and performance.

In September 2018, the U.S. Air Force selected Lockheed Martin for a fixed-price-type production contract for up to 22 GPS IIIF satellites. L3Harris is Lockheed Martin’s navigation signal partner for GPS IIIF satellites, and in January received a $243 million award to provide the navigation signals for the first two GPS IIIF satellites, space vehicles 11 and 12.

L3Harris’ expertise in creating and sending GPS signals extends back to the mid-1970s — providing navigation technology for every U.S. GPS satellite ever launched. While the Air Force originally developed GPS for warfighters, millions of people around the world and billions of dollars of commerce now depend on the accurate, reliable signal created and sent by L3Harris navigation technology.

August 21, 2019
Second GPS III satellite tops rocket at launchpad

The second GPS III satellite — nicknamed Magellan — is now at the launchpad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, in preparation for liftoff on Aug. 22.

United Launch Alliance tweeted out an image of the encapsulated satellite on its way to the rocket.

The next @AF_SMC Global Positioning System navigation satellite #GPSIIISV02 Magellan, built by @LockheedMartin, has moved to the launch pad and successfully hoisted atop its #DeltaIV rocket at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station for liftoff Aug. 22. https://t.co/4MfISoJrh3 pic.twitter.com/ncz07NWMsw

— ULA (@ulalaunch) August 1, 2019

The Lockheed Martin-built satellite was originally scheduled for launch on July 25, but the launch was pushed to Aug. 22 because of “an anomaly during component testing at a supplier that created a cross-over concern. Upon further evaluation, additional time is needed to replace and retest the component on the launch vehicle,” ULA said.

Launch Updates

The launch window on Aug. 22 will open at 9 a.m. EDT (1300 UTC) and extend to 9:27 a.m. EDT (1327 UTC), a 27-minute duration. ULA’s live countdown blog begins at 11:45 p.m. EDT (0345 UTC) on Aug. 21. The launch webcast starts at 8:40 a.m. EDT (1240 UTC).

Those interested can dial the ULA launch hotline at 1-877-852-4321 or join the conversation at www.facebook.com/ulalaunch, twitter.com/ulalaunch and instagram.com/ulalaunch; hashtags #DeltaIV #GPSIIISV02.

GPS III SV02 will be the 29th and final flight of the Delta IV Medium rocket, the 73rd GPS launch by a ULA or heritage vehicle and marks ULA’s 135th mission.

GPS III SV02 is named Magellan in honor of the Portuguese explorer who led the first expedition to circumnavigate the Earth.

The satellite, encapsulated in the 4-meter-diameter composite payload fairing, was moved overnight last week from its processing facility to the seaside launchpad at a top speed never exceeding 5 mph.

The satellite was hauled by a motorized KAMAG Elevating Platform Transporter (EPT) that provided hydraulic leveling and precision positioning capabilities along the route. The EPT also towed a Portable Environmental Control System (PECS) trailer to supply conditioned air to the payload fairing during the trip.

Once parked in the hoistway on the backside of the Mobile Service Tower (MST), technicians used the crane system in the gantry the next morning to carefully lift the satellite onto the Delta IV rocket’s second stage to complete a successful vertical integration of the launch vehicle and payload. The fully assembled rocket now stands 207 feet tall.

A tip-to-tail electrical test of the combined payload and launch vehicle will occur next, an operation known as the Integrated Systems Test (IST). Once that is completed, the comprehensive process to verify flight readiness will begin in parallel to final vehicle closeouts for the launch targeted for Aug. 22 at 9 a.m. EDT (1300 UTC).

ULA rockets have successfully launched 70 GPS satellites since 1978.

ULA technicians transport the GPS III satellite to the Delta IV launchpad. (Photo: United Launch Alliance)

The Delta IV rocket leaves the the Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) aboard a 36-wheel, diesel-powered transporter on May 28 and traveled to Space Launch Complex-37. The trip took 40 minutes. (Photo: ULA)

August 13, 2019
Second GPS III satellite encapsulated for July 25 launch

The second next-generation GPS III satellite — nicknamed “Magellan” by the U.S. Air Force — is encapsulated and ready for its planned July 25 launch.

On June 26, Lockheed Martin Space and United Launch Alliance (ULA) technicians completed encapsulating GPS III Space Vehicle 02 (GPS III SV02) in its launch fairings at the company’s Astrotech Space Operations facility, where the satellite has undergone pre-launch processing and fueling since its March 19 arrival in Florida. This final step enclosed GPS III SV02 in a protective, aerodynamic, nose-cone shell.

In the coming days, the enclosed GPS III SV02 satellite will be mounted to a ULA Delta IV rocket for launch. The current window for launch on July 25 opens at 10:55 a.m. ET.

“GPS III SV02 is launching just a brisk seven months after the nation’s first GPS III satellite lifted off back in December. The first satellite’s performance during on-orbit testing has exceeded expectations,” said Johnathon Caldwell, Lockheed Martin’s vice president for Navigation Systems. “We are excited to deploy more GPS III satellites so this new technology and capabilities can be distributed constellation-wide.”

GPS III satellite production and launch cadence is picking up. On May 27, the Air Force declared the next GPS III satellite, GPS III SV03, available for launch, pending an official launch date.

“More GPS III satellites are coming. If you looked at our production line back in Denver today you would see GPS III space vehicles 04, 05 and 06 already fully-assembled and in various stages of testing. And space vehicles 07 and 08 are being built up at the component assembly level now,” Caldwell added. “It is a smooth, efficient, methodical process.”

Lockheed Martin is under contract to develop and build up to 32 GPS III/IIIF satellites for the Air Force. GPS III will deliver three times better accuracy and provide up to eight times improved anti-jamming capabilities. GPS III’s new L1C civil signal will make it the first GPS satellite to be interoperable with other international global navigation satellite systems, like Galileo.

Additional GPS IIIF capabilities will begin being added with the 11th satellite. These will include a fully-digital navigation payload, a Regional Military Protection capability, an accuracy-enhancing laser retroreflector array, and a search-and-rescue payload.

Photo: Lockheed Martin

July 8, 2019
Lockheed delivers GPS III ground system upgrade, SV03 ready for launch

Technicians successfully integrated the U.S. Air Force’s third GPS III space vehicle (GPS III SV03) on August 14, 2017. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

On May 22, Lockheed Martin delivered the GPS III Contingency Operations (COps) software upgrade to the U.S. Air Force’s current GPS ground control system.

The upgrade will enable the Air Force to start commanding the new, next-generation GPS III satellites now coming off the production line and beginning to launch.

And the new GPS III satellites are coming. The first GPS III satellite launched in December 2018; the second GPS III shipped to Cape Canaveral in March for a July launch; and on May 17, the Air Force declared the third new GPS III “Available for Launch” next.

Ground System. The challenge was modernizing the current ground system — formally known as the GPS Architecture Evolution Plan Operational Control System (AEP OCS) — to fly the legacy constellation, as well as the new, modern GPS III satellites, until the next generation Operational Control System (OCX) Block 1, still in development, is delivered.

To address this, in 2016, the Air Force contracted Lockheed Martin to develop the GPS III COps program. Currently, the AEP OCS controls 31 GPS IIA, IIR, IIR-M and IIF satellites launched between 1993-2016. With the AEP OCS’ new GPS III COps upgrade, the Air Force will be able to command and control both the legacy satellites, as well the more powerful GPS III satellites.

Lockheed Martin shipped the U.S. Air Force’s first GPS III to Cape Canaveral, Florida ahead of its expected July launch. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

“Positioning, Navigation and Timing is a critical mission for our nation and COps will allow the Air Force to gain early access to its new GPS III satellites,” said Johnathon Caldwell, Lockheed Martin’s vice president for Navigation Systems. “We just finished Final Qualification Testing and delivery on COps, and it will be integrated and installed on the AEP OCS over the summer. We look forward to the Air Force ‘flying’ a GPS constellation on the COps OCS which includes the new GPS III satellites, later this year.”

Meanwhile, the first GPS III space vehicle (GPS III SV01), launched in December 2018, is finishing up pre-operational on-orbit check-out. It continues to be controlled by OCX Block 0 software installed at Lockheed Martin’s GPS III Launch and Checkout Center at the company’s Denver facility. GPS III SV01 is expected to be “handed over” to the COps OCS later this year after the legacy constellation is moved over to the updated AEP OCS.

Lockheed Martin has sustained the AEP OCS since 2013. In November 2018, the company completed the AEP 7.5 upgrade — the largest architectural change in the systems history — replacing significant code, hardware and software to improve the system’s cybersecurity capabilities and positioning the Air Force to better operate in contested, degraded and operationally limited environments.

In December 2018, the Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin the GPS Control Segment Sustainment II (GCS II) contract to continue to further modernize and sustain the AEP OCS through 2025. In 2020, the AEP OCS is expected to receive the M-Code Early Use (MCEU) upgrade, which will allow control of M-code, an advanced, new signal designed to improve anti-jamming and anti-spoofing, as well as to increase secure access to military GPS signals for U.S. and allied armed forces.

Lockheed Martin is under contract to develop and build up to 32 GPS III/IIIF satellites. GPS III will deliver three times better accuracy and provide up to eight times improved anti-jamming capabilities. GPS III’s new L1C civil signal will make it the first GPS satellite to be interoperable with other international global navigation satellite systems. Additional “IIIF” capabilities, beginning at the 11th satellite, will include a fully digital navigation payload, Regional Military Protection, an accuracy-enhancing laser retroreflector array, and a Search & Rescue payload.

June 11, 2019
How GPS III is performing in orbit

Plus an update on GPS III satellites in production

Editor Alan Cameron talked with Johnathon Caldwell, Lockheed Martin’s vice president of navigation systems.

Tell us about the on-orbit performance of the GPS III SV01, launched in December.

On Jan. 8 we began broadcasting navigation data across all signal chains, and the satellite has been in checkout mode since then. According to all the reports I get from various independent agencies, the vehicle has been performing outstanding, and the payload performance has been exceeding expectations.

We’ve been evaluating in depth how the payload performs, including independent agencies assessing the signal quality. Later this fall we’ll transition satellite ground control from the OCX Block 0 ground control system installed at Lockheed Martin’s Waterton Launch & Check Out facility over to the GPS Operational Control Segment (OCS) the 2SOPS is using now, and we’ll really see the performance improving from where it is today.

“We’re certainly at the top end of what
we thought we might be able to achieve
in terms of signal accuracy.”

The satellite is doing what everybody had hoped. There’s always great anticipation when a new system goes up. It’s actually been a very smooth on-orbit test campaign. We’re wrapping up on the early side; we’ll be ready to transition into the OCS this fall.

This past December we completed a major Architecture Evolution Plan (AEP) 7.5 OCS upgrade. This included both hardware and software upgrades to the legacy control system, and the Contingency Operations (COps) upgrade is coming later this fall. This is the software upgrade that will let OCS fly this first GPS III satellite and let the Air Force take advantage of great new capabilities. We will deliver the upgrade in May; it will get packaged up and delivered into the OCS in the fall. SV01 will then move from Lockheed Martin’s Waterton launch and checkout facility control to Air Force 2SOPS control and join the constellation on the OCS.

A GPS satellite doesn’t do its mission by itself. It takes an entire system to run. You’re always monitoring signal quality and tweaking things to get the optimal performance. Today, we’re flying SV01 by itself. The OCS and the 2SOPS crew will start flying it like they do the others, giving it the daily update and looking at the signal quality and maximizing the performance.

We’re certainly at the top end of what we thought we might be able to achieve in terms of signal accuracy.

And GPS III SV02 has shipped to the Cape.

We’ve wrapped up functional testing; it’s in great shape. We’re now in a quiet period prior to final review leading up to fueling decisions in May for a planned July launch.

Using the Delta IVb rocket for SV02 offers a good opportunity to demonstrate the wide range of launch vehicles that GPS III is capable of. The satellite has great compatibility across platforms, a flexibility that’s a benefit for the Air Force.

The factory was also getting pretty full so it was great to ship out SV02. When it gets to the end of the line and ready to go, you want to get it out and have it doing the mission it’s designed to do.

GPS III production line. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

How about the production status of SVs 03 through 10 on the factory line?

SV03 has gone through complete environmental tests and is ready for delivery to the Air Force later this spring. SV04 is in final environmental test and will deliver later this year. SV05 is in thermal vacuum (TVAC) testing now, and doing an outstanding job. TVAC is the hardest test we go through, and it’s as if it’s flying in the environment of space. It’s the stress test. SV06 is put together, and now in its initial functional testing.

There aren’t many production lines of this size of large satellites. It’s very impressive. As you look down the line, our high bay is modeled after the best of production lines. Hardware and avionics and power systems are coming in as piece parts, getting built in. As you go down the bay, the vehicles are getting more and more complete. Now on the front end of the line we’ve got SV07 and SV08 starting. SV09 will begin later this summer, and not long after we hope to open up space for the 10th vehicle.

Last words: Progress so far on GPS IIIF?

We’re now in the full design campaign for the follow-on satellites that will lead to critical design review, the capstone of the process. The CDR will wrap up in February 2020.

May 13, 2019