Space Force’s Resilient-GPS Program Moves Forward
Location: National Harbor, Maryland
Key Points:
- The U.S. Space Force is nearing the award of follow-on contracts for the Resilient-GPS (R-GPS) program after receiving additional funding from Congress.
- Launched by former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, the R-GPS initiative aims to deploy eight small satellites offering position, navigation, and timing (PNT) from medium Earth orbit, starting in 2028.
- Initial prototyping work involved three vendors, but the next phase was initially unfunded in the fiscal 2027 budget request.
- Thanks to $15 million in congressional funding, the program continues, with imminent contracts to Astranis, L3Harris Technologies, and Sierra Space.
- The new contracts will focus on high-risk technologies, particularly reprogrammable cryptographic devices and innovative monitoring concepts.
Future GPS Developments
- The Space Force is also advancing its next-generation GPS satellites and ground systems to accommodate a wider array of users, including one-way drones and on-orbit sensors.
- The final two GPS III satellites were launched earlier this year, with ongoing production of the GPS III Follow-On (IIIF) satellites.
- An industry day is set to discuss the upcoming Gen4 GPS architecture, with a focus on new ground segments and space requirements.
- The latest GPS III satellite features a prototype digital atomic clock, successfully demonstrated before operational deployment.
- Lockheed Martin has been contracted to produce 14 GPS IIIF satellites, with the first unit undergoing thermal and acoustics testing.
This update emphasizes the Space Force’s commitment to enhancing PNT capabilities and adapting to modern technological needs.
