The launch of GPS III SV-08 — the eighth satellite in the GPS III constellation — was originally assigned to United Launch Alliance (ULA) but was switched to SpaceX as the military prioritizes getting advanced anti-jamming capabilities into orbit as quickly as possible.
This marks the second consecutive GPS III satellite to be switched from ULA to SpaceX, following December’s launch of GPS III SV-07.
Col. Andrew Menschner, commander of Mission Delta 31, explained the strategic rationale behind the push to get GPS III SV-08 on orbit quickly.
Looking ahead, Vulcan is still expected to handle the final two GPS III missions, along with the debut flight of the next-generation GPS IIIF satellite.
For now, said Lauderdale, there are no additional GPS launch reassignments planned.
WASHINGTON — SpaceX is preparing to launch a U.S. Global Positioning System satellite. S. . Another high-profile national security mission that switched from United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan to the Falcon 9 rocket was carried out by the military on May 30 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The military prioritizes putting cutting-edge anti-jamming capabilities into orbit as soon as possible, so SpaceX was chosen to launch GPS III SV-08, the eighth satellite in the GPS III constellation, instead of United Launch Alliance (ULA). The action was taken in response to growing threats to GPS signals from both unintentional commercial interference and nation-state actors.
After GPS III SV-07 was launched in December, this is the second consecutive GPS III satellite to be moved from ULA to SpaceX. After being certified to launch national security missions, ULA’s Vulcan still experiences delays and has a backlog of military launches.
According to officials, the Space Force expedited the timeline in collaboration with SpaceX and GPS manufacturer Lockheed Martin to launch the more sophisticated GPS satellites.
The mission was carried out on an exceptionally accelerated timeline, according to Space Force officials during a press conference on May 28. GPS III SV-08 launch preparations began in February, with SpaceX receiving a formal request on March 7 and Lockheed Martin on February 21 — just under three months before liftoff. They said that’s a remarkable speed for a national security launch, which normally takes 18 to 24 months after contract award.
Growing threats to the Global Positioning System are the reason for the urgency. Both commercial sources and adversarial nation-states have increased their efforts to jam and spoof GPS signals. Col. Commander Andrew Menschner of Mission Delta 31 outlined the strategic justification for the urgency with which GPS III SV-08 was put into orbit.
Menschner stated, “There are currently 38 GPS satellites in orbit, 31 of which are operational every day.”. The constellation has a healthy amount of redundancy. However, by including SV-08, the constellation can strengthen its defenses against potential GPS signal interference. “”.
more secure GPS for both civilians and the military.
The most recent generation of satellites, the GPS III series, has almost eight times the anti-jamming capacity of earlier models. The L5, a new civilian signal that uses a frequency band set aside for aviation safety, and M-code, a hardened, military-only signal, are also transmitted by these satellites.
SV-08 will be the 19th satellite to transmit the L5 signal and the 26th satellite with M-code capability. Menschner claimed that GPS jamming and interference affect more than 1,100 commercial flights every day. “We are eager to unlock that capability when OCX is delivered later this fall. “.”.
Operational Control Segment, or OCX ground system, is a crucial but long-delayed piece of infrastructure that will fully enable the M-code and L5 signals. It will improve the safety of civilian aviation as well as defense operations once it is operational.
Takeaways for the future.
GPS’s design flexibility is one of the reasons the Space Force was able to switch launch providers so fast. Menschner stated that “the GPS three program’s foresight to be qualified on multiple launch vehicle providers was our greatest advantage.”. That’s a great lesson we’re imparting. “.”.
The GPS III program is becoming a model for how to incorporate agility, he said, although this flexibility isn’t common throughout the national security space fleet.
SV-08 was initially scheduled for launch in late 2025, according to Walt Lauderdale, mission director and chief of Falcon systems at Space Systems Command. According to him, this made it possible for us to launch the M-code a little earlier.
Going forward, Vulcan is still anticipated to manage the last two GPS III missions as well as the launch of the upcoming GPS IIIF satellite. There are currently no plans for any more GPS launch reassignments, according to Lauderdale.
