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Aerospace and Defense

Lockheed Martin Awarded $395 Million GPS III Contract Option

Lockheed Martin Awarded $395 Million GPS III Contract Option

Littleton, Colorado-based Lockheed Martin Space Systems has received a $395 million U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center contract option to build two additional GPS III satellites. The contract option calls for long-lead and production hardware to manufacture GPS III space vehicles (SVs) 9 and 10.

“The GPS III SV 9 and 10 satellites are expected to be ready for launch in 2022, thus sustaining the GPS constellation,” said Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves, Space and Missile Systems Center’s commander.

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By Inside GNSS
Air Force Disposes of Long-Serving GPS IIA Satellite

Air Force Disposes of Long-Serving GPS IIA Satellite

The U.S. Air Force’s 2nd Space Operations Squadron (2SOPS) at the 50th Space Wing, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, has moved the longest-serving GPS satellite, space vehicle number (SVN) 23, into a disposal orbit several hundred miles above the operational GPS constellation.

The satellite, which was launched on November 26, 1990, had a rough start, the Air Force said. After early-orbit operations and initial stabilization in December 1990, SVN 23’s solar array stopped working.

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By Inside GNSS
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GPS Directorate’s Whitney: No Immediate GPS OCX Work Stoppage

GPS Directorate’s Whitney: No Immediate GPS OCX Work Stoppage

Col. Steve Whitney, GPS Directorate

A funding shortfall will not halt work on the new GPS ground system this month, although a decision expected in the next two weeks may signal major changes in the program.

Increased personnel costs on the Global Positioning System Next Generation Operational Control System (OCX) program had eaten up the fiscal year 2016 budget and were poised to force managers to stop work on September 15. The Pentagon had requested Congress to allow $39 million to be reprogrammed to bridge the gap but lawmakers left for the summer recess without approving the change.

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By Inside GNSS
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Lockheed Martin Advances GPS Block III Testing
August 26, 2016

Lockheed Martin Advances GPS Block III Testing

More than 300 engineers, technicians, and support personnel have been working on the GPS III program, including successfully completing space vehicle (SV) 01 testing, at Lockheed Martin’s processing facility near Denver.
 
The Air Force recently exercised contract options for Lockheed Martin to complete development of eight GPS III space vehicles (GPS III SVs 01 to 08). The eight vehicles are in various stages of assembly, integration and testing, according to the prime contractor for the next-generation spacecraft.
 

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By Inside GNSS
GPS OCX to Halt Work September 15 unless Lawmakers Act
August 16, 2016

GPS OCX to Halt Work September 15 unless Lawmakers Act

A lack of funds will force a shutdown in the development of the GPS new ground system on September 15 unless lawmakers act on a July request to redirect funds, according to the Air Force.

Although the doors likely would only be closed for a little over two weeks, a hiatus would add substantially to the total cost of the GPS Next Generation Operational Control System (OCX) and further delay completion of the already behind-schedule program, the Pentagon has told lawmakers.

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By Inside GNSS
Air Force Announces a New Competition for GPS III Launch Services
August 6, 2016

Air Force Announces a New Competition for GPS III Launch Services

Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves, Space and Missile Systems Center commander and Air Force program executive officer for Space., U.S Air Force photo by Van Ha

[Updated August 19, 2016, to include Air Force responses to Inside GNSS questions.] The U.S. Air Force has announced a new competition for the next GPS III satellite launch, scheduled for 2019. The request for proposal (RFP) for an Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) Launch Service, due from the industry by September 19, follows a draft RPF that received “extensive industry engagements,” the Air Force said.

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By Inside GNSS
Air Force Backs GPS OCX as Temporary Shutdown Looms
July 17, 2016

Air Force Backs GPS OCX as Temporary Shutdown Looms

The Air Force is defending the new GPS ground system, taking a stand against naysayers in Congress and declaring through its actions an intent to stick with the Next Generation Operational Control System program (OCX) — at least for now.

The most public of these actions occurred June 30 when Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James announced OCX would surpass by at least 25 percent the program’s estimated cost. She declared a critical Nunn-McCurdy breach, putting the program on a path to automatic cancellation.

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By Dee Ann Divis
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