CAPE
CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION, Fla., Dec. 16,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- This evening at 7:52 p.m. ET, the seventh Lockheed Martin [NYSE:
LMT]-designed and -built Global Positioning System (GPS) III space
vehicle, GPS III SV07, launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force
Station, Florida, into orbit
12,550 miles above earth.
GPS III SV07 was launched on an accelerated timeline and joins
the Space Force's ongoing modernization of the GPS constellation,
following GPS III SV06 that launched in 2023.
The team has now completed signal acquisition of GPS III SV07,
and the spacecraft is now under operational control at Lockheed
Martin's Denver Launch & Checkout Operations Center until its
official acceptance into the current operational GPS 31-satellite
constellation.
The Road to a Rapid Launch
The spacecraft, assembled
at Lockheed Martin's Littleton,
Colorado, facility, traveled across the country via ground
transport to its launch site in Florida. This is different than the typical
air transport for these missions, since its standard military
aircraft ride was engaged in hurricane tracking and relief
efforts.
The team seamlessly changed gears to a road shipment on short
notice, which helped the mission maintain its rapid launch schedule
in the face of shifting aircraft availability. The Space Force time
from call-up to launch for SV07 was reduced to about three months
to demonstrate operational agility for launch of critical national
security missions.
Lockheed Martin's spacecraft team carefully mapped out the
approximately 2,337-mile route, and carefully monitored weather
models, as Hurricane Milton was on track to pass through
Florida around the time of the
spacecraft's arrival.
After an epic, six-day road trip, SV07 arrived at its final
destination, avoiding severe weather and undergoing final checks
and preparation for launch.
"We supported our customer's vision for an accelerated launch of
this GPS satellite, ultimately helping them achieve quick-turn
operational readiness," said Malik
Musawwir, vice president of Navigation Systems at Lockheed
Martin. "Time is of the essence for national security missions, and
we quickly delivered this critical capability for the Space Force
to support rapid demand for secure, advanced positioning,
navigation, and timing signals."
An Additional Satellite with Secure Military Code
All
GPS III space vehicles, including SV07, are equipped with M-code.
M-Code is an advanced, new signal designed to improve anti-jamming
and anti-spoofing, as well as increase secure access to military
GPS signals for U.S. and allied armed forces. GPS III space
vehicles provide up to eight times more anti-jamming power than GPS
II space vehicles, and M-code has been in operational acceptance
since 2020.
GPS satellites provide essential navigation for U.S. military
assets, operational troops, and field supply deliveries while
powering global financial markets, transportation, utilities,
agriculture, construction and ride-share services.
About Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is a global
defense technology company driving innovation and advancing
scientific discovery. Our all-domain mission solutions and
21st Century Security® vision accelerate the delivery of
transformative technologies to ensure those we serve always stay
ahead of ready. More information at Lockheedmartin.com.
High res images available for download here and here.
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SOURCE Lockheed Martin Space