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.
The U.S. Space Force and Lockheed Martin launched the GPS III Space Vehicle 10 (SV10) on April 21, marking the final satellite in the GPS III series and bringing the GPS constellation to its largest size to date.
Signal acquisition was achieved shortly after launch. The spacecraft is being managed at Lockheed Martin’s Denver-based launch and checkout operations center while it undergoes initial testing before integration into the operational network.
SV10 includes enhancements designed to improve the accuracy and resiliency of the constellation. Among its payloads is an optical crosslink demonstration designed to test direct satellite-to-satellite communication in orbit, a capability intended to strengthen system robustness.
The launch represents the fourth consecutive GPS mission conducted on an accelerated schedule.
GPS III satellites provide improved performance over earlier generations, including increased positioning accuracy, stronger resistance to jamming, and the addition of secure M-code signals for military users. The constellation supports positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services for military, civil and commercial applications worldwide.
SV10 also carries a demonstration digital rubidium atomic frequency standard, an advanced clock designed to improve onboard timekeeping precision.
The deployment of SV10 concludes the GPS III series and precedes the next-generation GPS IIIF satellites. The upcoming series is expected to introduce additional capabilities, including enhanced anti-jamming features such as Regional Military Protection.
More than 30 GPS satellites are currently in orbit, providing global PNT services to billions of users across defense, infrastructure and commercial sectors.
Astranis has completed a critical demonstration for the U.S. Space Force’s Resilient GPS (R-GPS) program, showcasing its ability to transmit core GPS waveforms using software-defined radio hardware. Conducted ahead of schedule and within budget, the demonstration highlights Astranis’ ability to adapt its flight-heritage high-orbit satellite hardware to meet new resilience requirements for the Space Force.
The test took place at Astranis’ headquarters in San Francisco, California, using a flight-like software-defined radio and positioning, navigation and timing algorithms provided by Xona Space Systems, a partner and subcontractor for the R-GPS program. Astranis transmitted a GPS Course Acquisition (C/A) navigation signal through its resilient GPS payload and demonstrated signal acquisition and recovery of Legacy Navigation messages with an off-the-shelf GPS receiver. According to Astranis, this validated that its resilient GPS design, Nexus, complies with GPS specifications “out of the box,” ensuring compatibility with existing user equipment without requiring costly upgrades.
Astranis was selected in September 2024 as one of four contractors to design next-generation resilient GPS satellites under the Space Force’s initiative. The company received its Authority to Proceed on Sept. 19, 2024, and has since exceeded program objectives ahead of schedule. The R-GPS program aims to augment the existing GPS constellation with smaller, cost-effective satellites to enhance resilience against threats such as jamming or spoofing.
Astranis is advancing its satellite design in preparation for the Space Force’s goal of launching the first eight R-GPS satellites by 2028. The company’s approach leverages its MicroGEO satellite design and software-defined radio technology to deliver resilient capabilities while maintaining compatibility with legacy equipment.
SpaceWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force, has selected Xairos Systems Inc. for a $1.9 million Direct-to-Phase II contract to develop a fusion positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) system. This project aims to integrate quantum and optical synchronization of clock ensembles to address critical challenges faced by the Department of the Air Force (DAF).
Xairos Systems is collaborating with Luminous Cyber Corporation and Eritek on this initiative. The team has recently completed a Preliminary Design Review. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) shared that the collaboration is part of a broader effort by the AFRL and SpaceWERX to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer processes.
AFRL and SpaceWERX seek to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process through faster proposal-to-award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small businesses and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution, according to AFRL.
In 2018, the DAF launched the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program to broaden its funding for innovations. As part of this initiative, Xairos is developing innovative technologies that enhance the national defense of the United States.
The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC) has awarded a $1.9 million contract to Slingshot Aerospace to enhance its GPS jamming and spoofing detection capabilities. This contract, Positioning, Navigation and Timing – Secure Electronic Navigation Threat Intelligence and Location (PNT-SENTINEL), aims to improve the company’s existing technology by incorporating advanced artificial intelligence and predictive analytics.
The PNT-SENTINEL program builds upon Slingshot’s previous work under the Data Exploitation and Enhanced Processing (DEEP) contract, awarded in October 2021. The technology developed through DEEP currently assists the U.S. Space Force in detecting GPS jamming and ground-based interference sources related to ongoing conflicts, potential future conflict zones and counterterrorism efforts.
GPS spoofing and jamming pose significant threats to both military operations and civilian infrastructure. Such interference can impact a wide range of operations, including satellite systems, ground and air operations and critical services such as commercial airline operations and vehicle navigation. The global reliance on GNSS has increased the importance of protecting these signals from interference.
Slingshot’s technology utilizes a mesh network of thousands of satellites to create a near-real-time picture of GPS jamming occurrences worldwide. This space-based approach offers a more comprehensive view of global jamming conditions compared to traditional ground-based detection systems.
As part of the contract, Slingshot will integrate its AI model, Agatha, into the PNT-SENTINEL system. This integration aims to enhance the technology’s ability to detect and differentiate between unintentional interference and deliberate jamming or spoofing attempts. The improved system will also implement pattern recognition algorithms to identify active jamming events and predict how situations may evolve.
The contract also includes provisions for expanding the system’s capabilities to monitor interference across multiple GNSS sources, not just GPS. This multi-GNSS processing will allow for a more complete, real-time view of jamming activities by incorporating data from allied nations’ spacecraft.
The PNT-SENTINEL system is designed to be interoperable with existing military systems, enabling near-real-time information dissemination to support rapid decision-making in national security operations. These enhancements aim to provide warfighters with a strategic advantage in GPS-contested environments.
The Pentagon’s first batch of new and more capable GPS satellites, part of the GPS IIIF program, is facing significant delays. The first batch is eight to eleven months behind schedule, which the U.S. Space Force attributed to manufacturing difficulties encountered by contractor Lockheed Martin, particularly with complex components necessary for the satellites’ operation. Originally expected to be available for launch in April 2026, the first satellite’s delivery has now been pushed to November 2026.
The GPS IIIF program is a $9.2 billion initiative aimed at deploying up to 22 advanced satellites. The first ten satellites in this series are designed to enhance the GPS system with improved accuracy and jamming-resistant signals. These satellites will serve both critical defense applications, such as guiding smart bombs, and civilian uses, such as turn-by-turn navigation.
The new F-model satellites promise increased navigation accuracy, a signal compatible with similar European satellites, greater resistance to cyberattacks and jamming and civilian search-and-rescue capabilities to detect and locate emergency beacons.
“For the average driver using GPS navigation,” the new satellites will provide “enhanced route planning and navigation, reducing travel time and improving fuel efficiency” and a “consistent GPS service even in urban canyons and areas with tall buildings,” according to the Space Systems Command.
According to the US Space Force, The primary obstacle appears to be the production of the Mission Data Unit, a crucial new component for improved navigation. Bloomberg reported that the subcontractor, L3Harris Technologies, manufactures this unit and is experiencing technical issues.
Despite these setbacks, Lockheed Martin is reportedly on track to meet the contracted delivery dates, even if they miss the Space Force’s preferred “available for launch” schedule.
Lockheed Martin’s fixed-price contract includes incentives for meeting schedules and keeping costs below U.S. targets. However, the Space Systems Command has indicated that some criteria have not been met, resulting in reduced profit for Lockheed Martin. The exact amount of lost payments has not been disclosed.
The Space System Command notes that these delays occur against global inflation and supply chain challenges. While these factors have affected industries worldwide, the Space System Command emphasizes that Lockheed Martin, as the prime contractor, is responsible for managing all aspects of the GPS IIIF satellite development and production.
The GPS IIIF program remains a critical component of the U.S. Space Force’s efforts to modernize the GPS constellation, ensuring its continued reliability and effectiveness for both military and civilian applications in the face of evolving global challenges.
Astranis has been selected as one of four prime contractors for the U.S. Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command’s (SSC) new Resilient GPS (R-GPS) program. This initiative aims to augment the existing GPS constellation with small, low-cost satellites to enhance resilience for both military and civil users. The program’s initial phase, Lite Evolving Augmented Proliferation (LEAP), aims to launch up to eight satellites by 2028.
As part of this effort, Astranis has been awarded an $8 million contract for concept development. The company plans to leverage its expertise in manufacturing and operating low-cost, high-orbit satellites. Specifically, Astranis will utilize its MicroGEO satellite design and Octane Software-Defined Radio hardware to advance the R-GPS spacecraft design.
The R-GPS program is characterized by a rapid development timeline. It utilizes the “Quick Start” authority, which allows for contract awards in under six months. Ultimately, the USSF envisions a proliferated fleet of over 20 small GPS satellites to enhance navigation and timing capabilities.
These satellites will incorporate the latest GPS signals, including M-code, to offer optimal performance even in contested environments. In addition to Astranis, other contractors involved in the initial phase include Axient, L3Harris and Sierra Space.
SpaceWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force, has awarded ANELLO Photonics a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I contract to develop a resonator laser gyroscope. The new gyroscope seeks to address critical challenges faced by the Department of the Air Force (DAF).
By leveraging its expertise in integrated photonics and artificial intelligence (AI) based solutions, ANELLO aims to support the Space Force’s mission of providing capabilities to joint forces operating in GPS-challenged environments.
This contract is part of a broader initiative by the Air Force Research Laboratory and SpaceWERX to streamline the SBIR and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) processes. The initiative focuses on accelerating proposal-to-award timelines, expanding opportunities for small businesses, reducing bureaucratic overhead and implementing continuous process improvements. Enhancing these processes aims to foster advancements and versatility within the defense sector to overcome GPS-challenged environments.
New GPS ground stations that are contracted by Raytheon Technologies to replace the current ground stations have been delayed until July 2025, the Pentagon’s testing office reported.
The Next Generation Operational Control System (OCX) is facing a new delay of 16 months, according to the 2023 Annual Report of the Director of Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E).
More than seven years behind schedule, the continuous delays have caused the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to go over its yearly budget and have sparked discussions as to future budget allocations for the U.S. Space Force (USSF) to continue to control and enhance the GPS constellation.
“These delays increase the risk that U.S. and allied warfighters will be unable to conduct successful operations in future contested environments due to the lack of access to modernized GPS position, navigation, and timing (PNT) information,” the Pentagon’s testing office said in a statement.
The M-Code can now be broadcast on 21 of the 31 GPS satellites in orbit. However, it is only available to a small number of military personnel due to both the OCX issue and a lack of radios and receivers equipped to access it.
The Space Force has a Military GPS User Equipment (MGUE) program underway to develop new computer chip-carrying cards to retrofit existing platforms, such as aircraft and ships, so they can ingest M-code signals, as well as to develop a new handheld receiver. This effort has also experienced delays, according to a June 2023 report by the Government Accountability Office.
The 2024 DOT&E report notes that because of the delays in the development of the MGUE receiver cards, the Army and Marine Corps are now buying commercially developed receivers capable of ingesting the M-Code for fielding with ground vehicles.
Additionally, the DOT&E report cautions that because the OCX software is designed to be the basis for an upgraded system, OCX Block 3F, designed to control the planned next generation of GPS satellites called GPS IIIF, that effort also is likely to be delayed. The Space Force intends to launch the first GPS IIIF satellite in 2027.
It may be hard to remember — or imagine — life without the Global Positioning System (GPS). From finding the nearest Dunkin’ Donuts to making ATM withdrawals, GPS is part of everyday life. It makes global finance possible, first responders faster, electric grids smarter and industries more efficient. Without GPS, the critical infrastructure that powers homes and workspaces, mobilizes roads and rails, guides air travel, delivers news and even produces food could come to a grinding halt. That fact is not lost on the United States’ adversaries.
Modernizing GPS to make it work better in times of peace and to ensure its resilience in times of conflict is a prime responsibility of the Space Systems Command (SSC) of the U.S. Space Force (USSF).
History
When it comes to anniversaries, 2023 is a big year for GPS. It’s widely considered to be the 50-year anniversary of GPS because it was on December 17, 1973, that the Defense Systems Acquisition Review Council (DSARC) gave U.S. Air Force Col. Bradford Parkinson, now retired and hailed as the father of GPS by many in the aeronautics and astronautics sectors, approval to proceed with development of what would become today’s 31-satellite GPS constellation.
It also marks 40 years since President Ronald Reagan authorized the use of GPS for civil aviation following the downing of Korean Air Lines Flight 007, after it inadvertently entered hostile air space. This year is also GPS’s 30-year anniversary of initial operating capability and the 20-year anniversary of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), which enhances the accuracy and integrity of GPS services across the entire National Airspace System.
At the most recent meeting of the Civil GPS Service Interface Committee, the recognized worldwide forum for effective interaction between civil GPS users and GPS authorities, Parkinson — who, after his service in the U.S. Air Force earned a Ph.D. and has been a professor at Stanford University for decades — recounted his first-hand experience making GPS a reality. The former chief architect for GPS, who led original advocacy for the system as an Air Force colonel, described the incredible challenges and numerous unique innovations involved in starting this program.
Today’s GPS continues to deliver on its commitments for accuracy, integrity, availability, continuity and coverage. It is considered by many the gold standard in navigation and timing. Yet challenges remain, posed by an increasingly contested space domain and emerging threats from pacing challengers and adversarial nations. Advancing, maintaining and modernizing the GPS enterprise for the benefit of commercial, civil and military users falls under the responsibility of SSC and is carried out by the field command’s Military Communications and Positioning, Navigation & Timing program executive office (SSC/MilComm & PNT), in collaboration with its exceptional mission partners, and launch services provided by SSC’s Assured Access to Space program executive office.
As we celebrate the multiple GPS anniversaries, it is worth exploring successes in GPS modernization. This update will explore the exciting advancements in the GPS space systems, user equipment, and control systems.
Space Systems
On January 18, the Lockheed Martin GPS III Space Vehicle 6 (SV06) launched into orbit aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket out of Cape Canaveral, Florida. The successful launch of SV06 and handoff to the USSF’s Space Operations Command/Space Delta 8/2nd Space Operations Squadron marked another key step in the larger goal of modernizing the GPS constellation. SV06 is the sixth GPS III satellite to be launched and is equipped with the full suite of modernized signals and capabilities. The GPS III satellites are more capable and resilient than their predecessors. Improvements include three times greater accuracy and up to eight times improved anti-jamming capabilities.
In preparation for future launches, the GPS III team has been diligently working with the Assured Access to Space Launch Enterprise to ensure rigorous and successful integration of the GPS III spacecraft’s launch systems onto a brand-new rocket, the United Launch Alliance Vulcan Launch Vehicle. GPS III SV07/Vulcan is targeted for launch in the summer of 2024.
Additionally, production of the tenth and final space vehicle in the GPS III fleet was finalized this year and it has a target launch date of 2026. GPS III Space Vehicles 7-10 are in storage and available for launch, awaiting launch call-up.
The modernization, however, doesn’t end there. GPS IIIF continued to make progress this year with development and integration of the follow-on spacecraft program with 10 vehicles now in production. GPS IIIF Non-Flight Satellite Testbed completed panel integration and initial system performance testing and the program completed an integrated baseline review. The GPS IIIF team worked with the National Security Agency to successfully complete an information assurance preliminary design review, one of the first such reviews of its kind. The team has also made essential inputs to the planning for the future GPS IIIF launch and checkout capability.
GPS III Space Vehicle 06 (SV06) was launched Jan. 18 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. It is the 18th GPS satellite to broadcast the L5 signal.
User Equipment
SSC/MilComm & PNT actively manages and maintains the public GPS interface specifications that allow industry to build civil receivers that successfully capture and process the GPS signal-in-space satellite-broadcast. Simultaneously, SSC also leads design and development of military receivers, currently the Military GPS User Equipment (MGUE). In April, the MGUE Increment 1 team successfully completed technical requirements verification on its MGUE GPS receiver application module — a standard electronic module specifically designed for aviation and maritime users. This allowed the MGUE Inc 1 program to deliver its new aviation and maritime software to the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy to support the lead platform integration and testing on the B-2 Spirit bomber and the Arleigh Burke guided-missile destroyer. This is the first fully functional GPS aviation and maritime software suite to support the jam-resistant military M-code signal.
GPS has an active and successful foreign military sales (FMS) program with 60 allied partners, and many of them are highly engaged with SSC/MilComm & PNT to acquire MGUE receivers with their M-code capabilities. According to the Department of State, U.S. allies and partners purchase approximately $45 billion annually in arms, equipment, and training — many equipped with GPS — via FMS.
This spring, the MGUE Increment 2 team, developing an advanced, follow-on receiver, completed the new Next Generation Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), the first of two major Critical Design Reviews (CDRs) with mission partner BAE Systems. That success was followed by a second CDR this summer for the MGUE Increment 2 Miniature Serial Interface (MSI) receiver card, which integrates the Next Generation ASIC along with a host of other innovations. L3Harris, a mission partner, has also successfully completed its own next generation ASIC CDR and is on-track for an MSI CDR in October. MGUE Increment 2 also awarded a Joint Modernized Handheld contract to the Technology Advancement Group, enabling this industry partner to move forward on its MGUE Increment 2 Handheld initiative.
Control Systems
While the current operational control system continues performing at a high level, a major update to the GPS modernization architecture is underway. In March 2022, the USSF began formal testing of the Next Generation Operational Control System (OCX) Block 1/2 system through the Functional Qualification Test designed to test OCX requirements. Currently, preparations are underway to follow that up with a major government-led Integrated Systems Test.
OCX developmental testing is an important part of the software development process. Thorough developmental testing can help ensure that OCX is of high quality and meets all requirements. Testing is rigorous and comprehensive; it is a complex and challenging undertaking, but one necessary to ensure OCX is ready for operational use before it is transitioned into service. SSC’s program office is taking the necessary steps to ensure that it will be a success.
The OCX 3F program also contributes to SSC’s advancements in GPS control systems. The follow-on to OCX for support to GPS IIIF spacecraft has successfully completed a Critical Capability Release for the GPS IIIF launch and checkout capability.
GPS IIF
Sustainment
SSC/MilComm & PNT’s GPS Support Delta has a legacy of providing sustainment expertise for Space Operations Command’s operations team. It sustains a global network including a Master Control Station (MCS), Alternate MCS, 11 command-and-control antennas, and 16 monitoring sites, plus 38 on-orbit GPS spacecraft. The sustainment team performs seamlessly, anticipating issues, collaborating with operators, updating servers and software tools, enhancing cyber secutiry and fine-tuning GPS to keep it running at peak performance.
Future Opportunities
In 2019, the department of the Air Force designated the Navigation Technology Satellite-3 (NTS-3) as a Vanguard program and the Department of Defense’s first experimental integrated navigation satellite system in nearly 50 years. Co-sponsored by SSC and the Air Force Research Laboratory, NTS-3 is helping to pave the way for more robust and resilient positioning, navigation, and timing.
In June, SSC/MilComm & PNT hosted its first Alternate/Augmented PNT Reverse Industry Day at SSC’s new Commercial Space Marketplace for Innovation and Collaboration Center. The event was a unique opportunity for government leaders and technical experts to hear directly from industry in a one-on-one environment about their many exciting innovations and opportunities as well as challenges. SSC was joined by its close government and interagency partners, including representatives from the Department of Transportation, the National Space-Based PNT Coordination Office, the Space Operations Command/Mission Area Team, the Air Force Research Laboratory, and the Space Development Agency. Through the event, SSC gained market intelligence and made many valuable industry connections for future investments.
Conclusion
As the nation celebrates an exciting 50-year anniversary of GPS, continued enhancements in the three elements of the GPS enterprise — space systems, user equipment, and control systems — represent significant milestones toward GPS modernization. This essential upgrade is delivering many new GPS capabilities — including robust new signals such as M-code, L2C, L5, and L1C — while preserving backward compatibility for GPS legacy signal users. GPS modernization will enhance utility, make the system more robust and resilient, and ensure that the United States, its allies, and its government agency partners have access to the most accurate and reliable navigation and timing services available. At the same time, while we continue to look for ways to (in the words of the National Space-Based PNT Advisory Board) “protect, toughen, and augment” GPS capabilities, we are also actively engaged in evaluating ways to incorporate alternate sources of PNT, as well as GPS augmentation, that will continue to make PNT capabilities even more robust and resilient in the future.
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket begins its roll out to the historic Launch Complex (LC)-39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (Image: SpaceX)
Space Systems Command (SSC) and SpaceX are preparing to launch the U.S. Space Force (USSF)-52 mission into orbit. The Falcon Heavy mission is set to launch on Dec. 10, 2023, from the historic Launch Complex (LC)-39A at NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
USSF-52 is the seventh mission of the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, an experimental program with technologies designed to provide the U.S. Space Force with a reliable, reusable, unmanned space test platform.
This launch adds to a notable year. The last NSSL Falcon Heavy launched in early January; that mission, USSF-67, was followed by a Falcon 9 launching a GPS satellite 61 hours later, both from the Eastern Range and using the same Space Systems Command crew. The Assured Access to Space team worked alongside SpaceX to complete both launches.
In preparation for a challenging and busy launch schedule, the U.S. Space Force is placing greater importance on being agile and resilient. The ability to conduct launch operations at a faster pace will be particularly crucial for successfully deploying multiple constellations, the Space Force said.
The ULA Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle. (Image: ULA)
The United States Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC) has assigned 21 launch service mission assignments for the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 2 Launch Service Procurement contract. This is the fifth and final order year in the Phase 2 contract.
United Launch Alliance (ULA) received 11 mission assignments and SpaceX received 10. These missions are scheduled to launch over the next two to three years and focus on a variety of mission areas.
The 11 missions assigned to ULA are: GPS III-9, NROL-73, NROL-56, STP-5, SILENTBARKER 2/NROL-118, GPS IIIF-1, NROL-100, USSF-95, NROL-109, SDA T2TL-B and USSF-25.
The 10 missions assigned to SpaceX are: SDA T1TL-F, SDA T1TR-A, USSF-57, NROL-77, SDA T1TR-E, GPS III-10, USSF-75, SDA T2TL-A, SDA T2TL-C and USSF-70.
NROL-77, NROL-73, NROL-56, NROL-109, and NROL-100 are missions being conducted in partnership with the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).
T1TL-F is the last mission of six Space Development Agency (SDA) Tranche 1 Transport Layer launches. T2TL-A, T2TL-B and T2TL-C are the first three Tranche 2 Transport Layer launches. SDA’s Transport Layer aims to provide assured, resilient, low-latency military data and connectivity worldwide to the full range of warfighter platforms.
T1TR-A and T1TR-E are the last two SDA Tranche 1 Tracking Layer launches. The Tracking Layer aims to provide global indications, warning, tracking and targeting of advanced missile threats, including hypersonic missile systems.
The GPS III-9 and GPS III-10 missions are the final projected GPS III missions. The GPS IIIF-1 is the first launch of the follow-on GPS III satellites. GPS Block IIIF introduces several improvements and novel capabilities compared to previous GPS satellite blocks.
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy launch vehicle. (Image: SpaceX)
USSF-57 will launch the first of three next generation overhead persistent infrared GEO satellites. These satellites will deliver survivable, resilient missile warning, tracking, and defense in a highly contested and congested space domain.
SILENTBARKER 2/NROL-118 is a joint NRO and SSC Space Domain Awareness mission to meet U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and intelligence community space protection needs.
USSF-25 will launch the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO). The goal of the DRACO program is to demonstrate nuclear thermal rocket in orbit.
USSF-95 will be the first launch of a missile track custody (MTC) prototype satellite. The MTC prototype effort will evaluate the ability of various next generation overhead persistent infrared sensor designs to meet missile tracking requirements.
STP-5 is the latest mission in support of SSC’s Space Test Program (STP). The STP performs mission design, payload-to-bus integration, space vehicle-to-launch vehicle integration, and on-orbit operations for science and technology payloads that exhibit potential military utility. STP-5 will launch two satellites in support of the DOD’s Strategic Capabilities Office.
