SpaceX is set to launch a Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite for the US military on May 30 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The mission marks another high-profile national security effort for the company, which has taken over two previous launches.
The GPS III SV-08 satellite was originally assigned to United Launch Alliance (ULA), but was switched to SpaceX due to the military’s need for advanced anti-jamming capabilities as soon as possible. This comes amid increasing threats from both nation-state actors and commercial interference, which are affecting the accuracy of GPS signals.
According to officials, the Space Force worked closely with SpaceX and Lockheed Martin to accelerate the launch schedule in order to get more advanced GPS satellites into orbit quickly. The mission was executed on an unusually accelerated timeline, with launch planning kicking off just three months ahead of liftoff.
The urgency stems from growing threats to the Global Positioning System. With 38 GPS satellites currently in orbit and 31 operating daily, adding SV-08 will allow for increased resistance against jamming and spoofing attacks. The new satellite offers nearly eight times the anti-jamming capability of previous versions and broadcasts two new signals: M-code and L5.
The success of this mission highlights the adaptability of GPS’s design flexibility, which allowed SpaceX to take over just three months after initial planning began. This adaptability is a key lesson for the national security space fleet, with officials emphasizing its potential to inform future launch strategies.
Source: https://spacenews.com/spacex-to-launch-another-gps-iii-satellite-in-record-turnaround