SpaceX launched a highly advanced GPS satellite into orbit today on unprecedented short notice, shattering records for the US Space Force’s ability to complete high-priority launches quickly. The Falcon 9 rocket successfully lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 1:37 p.m. EDT (1737 GMT), carrying the GPS III SV-08 spacecraft to orbit.
According to Col. Jim Horne, senior materiel leader of Launch Execution for Assured Access to Space, the record-breaking launch highlights the Space Force’s capacity to respond rapidly to emergent constellation needs. The GPS III SV-08 satellite is the eighth in its series and will provide precise navigation and timing information up to three times more accurate than its predecessors.
The rocket’s first stage successfully landed on a SpaceX drone ship “A Shortfall of Gravitas” just 8.5 minutes after liftoff, marking the fourth launch and landing for this particular booster. The upper stage continues to haul GPS III SV-08 to orbit, where it is scheduled to be deployed about an hour and a half after launch.
The GPS constellation currently consists of 31 active satellites, with seven others serving as on-orbit spares. This latest launch marks the first of ten GPS III spacecraft planned by the Space Force, built by Lockheed Martin. The final two satellites are expected to launch in the next year or so.
Col. Andrew Menschner, Mission Delta 31 commander at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado, stated that they aim to continue refining their processes and break records for rapid mission completion. He attributed this success to the ongoing rivalry with adversaries who intentionally try to disrupt US space capabilities by jamming GPS signals.
The GPS III SV-08 satellite is named after Katherine Johnson, a pioneering NASA mathematician who contributed significantly to the United States’ human spaceflight program during the early days of the space race.
Source: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/watch-spacex-launch-advanced-gps-satellite-for-us-space-force-today-in-record-short-turnaround