GPS World

Tag: USSF

  • TrustPoint secures USSF contract to demonstrate GPS-independent PNT

    TrustPoint has been awarded a $4 million Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) contract to demonstrate a GPS-independent positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) system.

    The award was issued by SpaceWERX, the innovation arm of the United States Space Force, and jointly funded by the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and the Commercial Space Office (COMSO). It supports a full end-to-end demonstration of TrustPoint’s resilient navigation architecture designed for defense and commercial applications.

    Under the contract, TrustPoint will design, deploy and operate a fully integrated PNT system comprising four satellites and four ground stations, delivering a complete operational architecture. The program will execute an end-to-end system demonstration, including live trilateration across multiple space and ground assets, operational services and advanced receivers.

    With an accelerated execution timeline, initial system deployments will occur within 12 months, establishing a rapid deployment model designed to scale to significantly larger constellations while prioritizing affordability, operational relevance, and capital efficiency.

    “We founded TrustPoint on the belief that resilient navigation does not require billion-dollar constellations,” said Patrick Shannon, founder and CEO of TrustPoint. “This program will prove our technology’s GPS independence while demonstrating that real, operational PNT capability can be delivered with exceptional capital efficiency.”

    Beyond GPS-independent C-band demonstrations, the system will validate a software-defined architecture that supports on-demand reconfiguration of navigation services in contested, degraded and denied environments, pioneering commercial delivery of this capability. TrustPoint’s experience includes the first C-band GNSS signal transmission with real-time reception and the first broadcast-based ground-to-space C-band PNT demonstration.

    The program directly advances national security objectives. It also establishes a scalable foundation for future commercial services, redefining what is possible for users who require reliable PNT in GPS-challenged environments.

  • USSF terminates GPS OCX program

    USSF terminates GPS OCX program

    The GPS Next Generation Operational Control System program of the U.S. Space Force has been cancelled by the Defense Acquisition Executive, based upon the recommendation of the acting service acquisition executive.

    OCX was intended to update command and control of the GPS satellite constellation, replacing the current system, known as the Architecture Evolution Plan (AEP), as well as replacing the Launch, Anomaly and Disposal Operations system. However, the program was unable to deliver needed capabilities on an operationally relevant timeline at an acceptable level of risk to meet the GPS constellation modernization needs.

    “It’s important we refine and update acquisition processes to prioritize rapid, incremental capability delivery versus complex ‘all or nothing’ system deliveries,” said Acting Service Acquisition Executive Tom Ainsworth. “The Department of War [Defense] has made clear that we need to deliver warfighting capability at a faster rate. We must continue to work with industry to meet the needs of our warfighters as we focus on delivering the right technology on the right timeline to enhance our capabilities and maintain space superiority.”

    In July 2025, following a multi-year regimen of factory testing, the Space Force contractually accepted OCX from RTX (Raytheon) and began extensive integrated systems testing to resolve liens carried over from factory testing, as well as to ensure the system could operate within the broader GPS enterprise of ground systems, satellites, and user equipment.

    As of January 2026, the program cost was approximately $6.27 billion which included complete Raytheon funding to date and other government costs, such as the cost of government testing and support costs to the OCX acquisition program office.

    “Regrettably, extensive system issues arose during the integrated testing of OCX with the broader GPS enterprise,” said Mission Delta 31 Commander Col. Stephen Hobbs. “Despite repeated collaborative approaches by the entire government and contractor team, the challenges of onboarding the system in an operationally relevant timeline proved insurmountable. We discovered problems across a broad range of capability areas that would put current GPS military and civilian capabilities at risk.”

    Because of past delays on the OCX program, the Space Force has made incremental improvements over the last 10 years to AEP. These successful upgrades provide confidence that further upgrades to GPS ground systems will continue to support the enterprise and deliver new capabilities.

    “Ultimately, we analyzed the work remaining on OCX and compared this with the current GPS control system capability,” Hobbs said. “The analysis revealed additional investment in OCX was no longer the best solution for protecting and advancing GPS capabilities. Instead, we will continue enhancing the current control system to operate the GPS satellite constellation.”

  • L3Harris demonstrates reprogrammable PNT system for US Space Force

    L3Harris demonstrates reprogrammable PNT system for US Space Force

    L3Harris has demonstrated a positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) solution for the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command that is adaptable across platforms, fully reprogrammable on orbit and scalable to support more signals and increased power as PNT threats evolve. According to L3Harris, the solution is designed to provide the Space Force with the flexibility to deploy smaller, multi-launch-capable satellites, thereby strengthening or diversifying its satellite constellation.

    During a two-day design concept review, L3Harris presented a resilient-GPS (R-GPS) prototype that exceeded current requirements, highlighting its potential to accelerate the Space Force’s roadmap for a stronger, more adaptable PNT infrastructure. Using the Navigation Technology Satellite-3 reprogrammable payload and NSA-certified cryptography, the company simulated the operation of an R-GPS satellite transmitting navigation signals. These signals were successfully acquired and tracked by monitoring stations, military receivers and commercial equipment, demonstrating that R-GPS technology can be seamlessly integrated into the existing GPS framework.

    “Our team transmitted, tested and validated a core set of R-GPS signals across the entire enterprise to demonstrate a fully reprogrammable, resilient PNT solution for the Department of Defense,” said Ed Zoiss, president of Space and Airborne Systems at L3Harris. “We leveraged best-in-class commercial technology and the government’s investment in NTS-3 PNT technologies.”

    L3Harris followed a “prototyping with purpose” approach that showcased maturity far beyond a traditional Preliminary Design Review, resulting in a low-risk, achievable plan for the future development phases of the R-GPS program. The L3Harris R-GPS design includes capabilities aligned to future Lite Evolving Augmented Proliferation, providing an opportunity for roadmap acceleration and reduction in lifecycle costs. 

    “Our approach supports satellite design verification, proves compatibility with the Control Segment and user equipment, and enables early integration opportunities,” Zoiss said. “After more than five decades in the field, we understand the challenges in aligning the Space, Control and User segments of the GPS enterprise, so we used a holistic, unified approach.”

    The Design Concept Review demonstrated how the L3Harris R-GPS satellite can minimize impact on existing control systems while maintaining backward compatibility with current and future user equipment. In 2024, L3Harris was selected to design concepts for Phase 0 of the R-GPS program through the Space Enterprise Consortium, which the National Security Technology Accelerator manages. The agile R-GPS satellite program aims to reduce costs by launching eight smaller, more advanced space vehicles simultaneously, allowing the United States to quickly modernize GPS.

  • Sierra Space successfully tests resilient GPS technology for US Space Force

    Sierra Space successfully tests resilient GPS technology for US Space Force

    Sierra Space has successfully demonstrated its Resilient GPS (R-GPS) technology for the U.S. Space Force (USSF). This milestone, achieved in collaboration with General Dynamics Mission Systems, involved generating all GPS navigation signals required for the R-GPS mission. The technology seeks to address the growing need for resilient GPS systems capable of countering threats such as jamming and spoofing, which pose risks to the current GPS infrastructure.

    GPS technology is integral to modern life, supporting civilian applications from smartphone navigation to critical military operations. However, as adversarial threats become increasingly advanced, there is a pressing need to enhance GPS resilience. To tackle this challenge, the USSF’s Quick Start program is focused on integrating smaller, cost-effective satellites into the existing GPS framework. These satellites would provide a rapidly deployable layer of protection against emerging threats, according to the USSF.

    The demonstration evaluated hardware, firmware, and software performance, including the generation of P(Y), M-code and C/A signals at L1 and L2 frequencies. These capabilities ensure that R-GPS satellites can produce accurate and secure navigation signals compatible with devices used globally.

    Sierra Space was awarded an R-GPS contract by the USSF Space Systems Command in September 2024 to develop design concepts for smaller and more affordable satellites. Following an internal Systems Requirements Review later that year, the company has now demonstrated its technological capabilities within months of the program’s inception.

  • GPS OCX still delayed and lawmakers are not happy

    GPS OCX still delayed and lawmakers are not happy

    Ground antenna at Schriever Air Force Base, home of the 50th Space Wing. (Photo: Raytheon)
    Ground antenna at Schriever Air Force Base, home of the 50th Space Wing. (Photo: Raytheon)

    GPS ground stations that are contracted by Raytheon Technologies to replace the current ground stations are more than seven years behind schedule and lawmakers are not happy, reported Defense One. This delay has caused the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to go over its yearly budget and has sparked discussions as to future budget allocations for the U.S. Space Force (USSF) to continue to control and enhance the GPS constellation.

    The USSF has been working to replace the current GPS ground stations with the GPS Next Generation Operational Control Segment (OCX) program since 2016. The operation was first delayed when the COVID-19 pandemic swept the world.

    The additional delay was caused by efforts to replace IBM as the OCX hardware supplier after IBM sold its server product line to the Chinese company, Lenovo. The Pentagon believed the OCX program would be at a high risk for Chinese hacking after the sale to Lenovo, and in response, the contract with Raytheon was modified to replace the hardware with HP in 2020.

    All of the delays have come at a cost, as the replacement of ground control stations has increased from $4 billion to $7 billion — a 73% increase over the original estimate — which was reported by a Government Accountability Office report in June.

    Lawmakers wrote in the 2024 DOD appropriations bill, “[t]he fiscal year 2024 President’s budget request for the Space Force is $30,197,634,000, an increase of $3,907,806,000 or 15[%] over last year’s enacted level, continuing a trend of double digit growth over the past several years… [h]owever, despite these significant increases, the budget request continues to include serious shortfalls and disconnects.”

    The USSF operates 32 GPS satellites, including six of the expected 10 next-generation GPS III satellites. However, some of the new satellites’ capabilities, including increased jamming resistance, can only be used once OCX comes online.

    The lawmakers shared their displeasure with the OCX program delay, “[t]his is unacceptable and demands senior leader attention to ensure the program has the appropriate resources to complete OCX development and deliver the capability as soon as possible. The Committee remains concerned by other poor performing programs including Space Command and Control, Family of Advanced Beyond-line-of-site Terminals, Military GPS User Equipment Increment 1, and Enterprise Ground Services.”

  • SSC completes final delivery of second payload to Japan for hosting on QZSS

    Space Systems Command (SSC) has successfully delivered the second and final spaceflight-ready payload to Japan, bolstering the contribution by the U.S. Space Force (USSF) to integrated deterrence in the region.

    The two USSF payloads, developed by MIT Lincoln Laboratories, will be hosted on Japan’s GEO-based Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS). The deliveries of both payloads to Japan follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two nations in December 2020.

    This effort aims to demonstrate the ability of the U.S.-Japan alliance to extend to space; contribute toward the Department of Defense’s broader integrated deterrence posture against shared adversaries in the Indo-Pacific theatre; contribute to the USSF’s Space Domain Awareness; and provide a basis for future opportunities with international partners.

    The hosted payloads will augment the USSF’s ability to conduct persistent, time-dominant volume search at geosynchronous orbit. Launch dates for the host satellites, QZS-6 and QZS-7, have not yet been announced.

  • First Fix: How high is the sky?

    First Fix: How high is the sky?

    Matteo Luccio
    Matteo Luccio

    When the U.S. Air Force shot down a Chinese balloon flying at 60,000 ft (11.4 miles) on Feb. 4, the incident raised many questions about international security, international law, U.S.-China relations and technology. Among them, where is the end of a nation’s airspace — the portion of atmosphere it controls above its territory? Its horizontal boundary corresponds to that of its land border and territorial waters, which extend 12 miles out from its coastline. However, there is no international agreement on the vertical boundary.

    The 1967 Outer Space Treaty — to which the United States is a party and which bans “appropriation” of outer space by any nation — omits a definition of “outer space” because none of the major powers wanted to limit their own freedom of action in space. At a United Nations meeting in Vienna in 2001, the U.S. delegation said, “Our position continues to be that defining or delimiting outer space is not necessary.”

    The United Nations has historically accepted as the boundary of space the Kármán line, at an altitude of 62 miles above mean sea level. It roughly marks the altitude where traditional aircraft cannot effectively fly using lift generated by Earth’s atmosphere, because the air there is just too thin. The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale agrees with this definition.

    Some countries have adopted a definition for their own legal purposes, usually based on either the Kármán line or on the altitude at which orbital flight is possible without utilizing atmospheric lift. As a courtesy, a state launching a space vehicle that will traverse another state’s territory during its sub-orbital flight will notify the overflight state.

    The U.S. military and NASA on the other hand, define space to begin at 50 miles above Earth’s surface. “Pilots, mission specialists, and civilians who cross this boundary are officially deemed astronauts,” according to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service.

    Escaping Earth’s atmosphere entirely is another story. It requires traveling at least 600 miles, to its outermost layer, where violent solar winds have greater sway than air. If that were the definition of space, however, the Space Shuttle (which orbited up to 200 miles up), the International Space Station (205 miles to 270 miles), active Earth observation satellites (280 miles to 500 miles), some of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’ s polar-orbiting satellites (540 miles) and most scientific satellites, including nearly all of NASA’s Earth Observing System fleet, would not be considered spacecraft! Lower orbits have significant air-drag, which requires frequent orbit re-boost maneuvers.

    There’s no question that GPS satellites, orbiting at an altitude of about 12,550 miles, are in space. That is why they are acquired, sustained, and operated by the U.S. Space Force (USSF), established in December 2019 as the newest branch of the U.S. armed forces. Its mission is to organize, train and equip space forces to protect U.S. and allied interests in space and provide space capabilities to the joint force. As the USSF grows, we’ll hear more about it.

    Matteo Luccio | Editor-in-Chief
    [email protected]

  • QZSS hosted payloads delivered to Japan

    QZSS hosted payloads delivered to Japan

    Photo:
    Image: Todd Maki, United State Air Force

    The U.S. Space Force (USSF) has delivered two payloads to Japan for the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS). The payloads will be integrated into two QZSS host satellites being prepared for launch, which will expand the QZSS constellation from five to seven satellites. 

    The QZSS hosted payload (QZSS-HP) is central to the USSF priority of expanding cooperation to contribute to international security. The mission is managed by the Space Domain Awareness and Combat Power Directorate (SDACP) of the Space Systems Command (SSC) within the USSF. 

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Lincoln Laboratories (MIT/LL) is the primary payload developer for the QZSS-HP. MIT/LL and USSF personnel will travel to Japan to support the integration and test efforts with Japanese partners until both QZSS host satellites are launched.

  • Space Force enhances GPS ground communications for greater resiliency

    Space Force enhances GPS ground communications for greater resiliency

    Modernized communications lines were installed at seven locations worldwide in an overhaul of the global communications network that provides command and control of the GPS constellation.

    Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands is one of seven locations that received a GPS communications network overhaul.(Photo: USGS)
    Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands is one of seven locations that received a GPS communications network overhaul.(Photo: USGS)

    From 2018 to 2022, GPS Product Support Delta — in conjunction with the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) — performed a complete overhaul of the global communications network required to provide command and control of the GPS satellite constellation. GPS Product Support Delta is under Space Systems Command of the U.S. Space Force.

    The project, called GPS Operations Network Enhancements (GONE), connected multi-protocol label switching internet protocol (IP)-based routers to modernized communications lines at seven key GPS facilities, replacing older serial lines.

    “With the GONE project completed, we are seeing a 75 percent reduction in communication line interruptions.”

    The GONE initiative “has significantly enhanced communications for GPS weapon systems,” said Brian Botka, Product Support Delta GPS program manager.

    “These upgrades not only increase communications speed and reduce overall down-time and adding a new paradigm in network resiliency with the networks capable of recovering in mere seconds from an outage or issue,” said Sean Foley, DISA technical project manager. “The system upgrades will continue to improve service to the warfighter as well as enable increased resiliency and network diversity for DISA.”

    The modernized communications lines were installed at

    • Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado
    • Vandenberg SFB, California
    • Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
    • Facilities in Hawaii, Ascension Island, Diego Garcia and Kwajalein Atoll.

    Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many of these locations were under strict lockdown or required long quarantine periods, making coordination and travel to remote locations more challenging.

    Lockheed Martin was the contractor who supported Product Support Delta GPS on the GONE project. “This was a collaborative effort with Product Support Delta GPS and DISA that required significant logistical efforts due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Christina Mancinelli, Lockheed Martin GPS Ground Programs director.

    “With the GONE project completed, we are seeing a 75 percent reduction in communication line interruptions, and we expect that metric to continue to improve,” Mancinelli said. “The migration of the GPS communication lines to the modern MPLS [multiprotocol label switching] routers and Ethernet-based connections continues the significant improvements in GPS ground capability, cybersecurity and reliability.”

    SSC is the USSF field command responsible for rapidly identifying, prototyping, and fielding resilient space capabilities for joint warfighters. It delivers sustainable joint space warfighting capabilities to defend the nation and its allies while disrupting adversaries in the contested space domain.

    SSC mission areas include launch acquisition and operations; space domain awareness; positioning, navigation, and timing; missile warning; satellite communication; and cross-mission ground, command and control and data.

  • Lt Col Robert Wray takes command of GPS unit 2 SOPS

    Lt Col Robert Wray takes command of GPS unit 2 SOPS

    USSF Lt Col Robert Wray takes command of 2SOPS. (Photo: USSF/Dennis Rogers)
    USSF Lt Col Robert Wray takes command of 2SOPS. (Photo: USSF/Dennis Rogers)

    The 2nd Space Operations Squadron (2 SOPS), which oversees the GPS constellation, now has a new leader. Outgoing U.S. Space Force (USSF) Lt. Col. Michael Schriever relinquished command of the unit to USSF Lt. Col. Robert Wray.

    The squadron conducted a change of command ceremony at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado, on July 6, officiated by Space Delta 8 Commander Col. Matthew Holston.

    As the new commander, Wray assumes the responsibility of overseeing the daily operations of a unit whose mission is to operate the GPS constellation, which provides global navigation, time transfer, and nuclear detonation detection.

    Col. Matthew Holston honors Lt. Col. Michael Schriver for his 2SOPS service. (Photo: USSF/Dennis Rogers)
    Col. Matthew Holston honors Lt. Col. Michael Schriver for his 2SOPS service. (Photo: USSF/Dennis Rogers)