Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design
The U.S. Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin the GPS Control Segment Sustainment II (GCS II) contract to continue to sustain and further modernize the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite constellation’s ground control system through 2025. This is the follow-on contract to Lockheed Martin’s current GCS contract awarded in 2013.
By Inside GNSS
At approximately 12,550 miles (20,200 kilometers) up … turn left. You have arrived at a new era for the Global Positioning System (GPS).
A major milestone in the U.S. Air Force’s plan to bring new technology and capabilities to the GPS constellation, the first Lockheed Martin-built GPS III satellite began “talking” with engineers and operators from ground control, as planned, following its successful launch Sunday morning.
By Inside GNSS
UPDATE: According to SpaceX, the launch has been pushed back a second time. Initially the company had not selected a new launch date, but on Dec. 20 they stated that the new date was to be Dec. 22.
Here are some details from the SpaceX website published on Dec. 20:
SpaceX is now targeting December 22nd for launch of the United States Air Force’s first Global Positioning System III space vehicle (SV) from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. Weather is 80% favorable for the launch window which opens at 8:55 a.m. EST, 13:55 UTC.
For this mission, the satellite will be deployed to medium Earth orbit approximately 1 hour and 56 minutes after liftoff. Due to mission requirements, SpaceX will not attempt to land Falcon 9’s first stage after launch. You can watch the live launch webcast, starting about 15 minutes before liftoff.
By Inside GNSS
Advanced New Satellite Design to Help U.S. Air Force Modernize the GPS Constellation
TITUSVILLE, Florida, Dec. 11, 2018 – The U.S. Air Force’s first Lockheed Martin-built GPS III satellite is now encapsulated for its planned Dec. 18 launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
By Inside GNSS
Today at AWS re:Invent, Amazon Web Services (AWS), an Amazon.com company, and Lockheed Martin announced a strategic collaboration to integrate the new AWS Ground Station service with Lockheed Martin’s new Verge antenna network. AWS and Lockheed Martin are bringing these two highly capable systems together to provide a solution that addresses customer needs for resilient satellite uplinks and downlinks.
By Inside GNSS
NASA has a new spacecraft operating on the surface of Mars. This afternoon, the InSight Mars Lander, which was designed, built and tested by Lockheed Martin, navigated the dramatic entry and descent through the Martian atmosphere and touched down on Elysium Planitia in the equatorial region of Mars. Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor responsible for the complete spacecraft system – cruise stage, aeroshell and the lander itself.
By Inside GNSS
Harris Corporation has provided Lockheed Martin with its sixth of 10 advanced navigation payloads contracted for the U.S. Air Force’s GPS III satellite program, the company announced today.
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.
By Inside GNSS
The fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) protected communication satellite, built by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Air Force, was successfully launched today at 12:15 a.m. from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551 rocket. Lockheed Martin confirmed signal acquisition at 3:47 a.m. ET.
By Inside GNSS
A new consortium has been formed to enable government to more quickly find innovative solutions to space-related technology problems including those involving satellite navigation.
By Dee Ann Divis
The latest satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) project update from Lockheed Martin and GMV is designed to collect data near the equatorial region and determine benefits delivered by the dual-frequency, multi-constellation SBAS.
By Stan Goff
The Air Force officially announced Friday that Lockheed Martin had been awarded a $7.2 billion contract to build 22 GPS III Follow-on (IIIF) satellites.
By Dee Ann Divis
Once the next-generation GPS III satellites begin launching later this year, a series of updates to the current ground control system from Lockheed Martin will help the U.S. Air Force gain early command and control of the new satellites for testing and operations.
By Inside GNSS
The first of the U.S. Air Force’s advanced new, higher-power, harder-to-jam GPS III satellites is making its way to the launch pad.
By Inside GNSS
CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla.– The U.S. Air Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) Global Positioning Systems (GPS) Directorate achieved a major program milestone Aug. 21, successfully delivering the first GPS III satellite to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida to begin launch processing.
By Inside GNSS
As the first Lockheed Martin-built GPS III satellite prepares to ship to the launch pad, the U.S. Air Force has declared that the second GPS III satellite is complete, fully tested and ready to launch.
By Inside GNSS
