DENVER, June 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The fifth Global
Positioning System III (GPS III) satellite designed and built by
Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is now headed to its orbit 12,550 miles
above earth. This marks another step in supporting the U.S. Space
Force's GPS satellite constellation modernization efforts.
Launched earlier today, GPS III Space Vehicle 05 (GPS III SV05)
is the latest next-generation GPS III satellite, a warfighting
system owned and operated by the Space Force. GPS III SV05 will be
the 24th Military Code (M-Code) signal-enabled GPS space
vehicle on orbit, completing the constellation's baseline
requirement to provide our military forces a more-secure,
harder-to-jam and spoof GPS signal.
GPS III satellites provide significant capability advancements
over earlier-designed GPS satellites on orbit, including:
- Three times better accuracy;
- Up to eight times improved anti-jamming capabilities; and
- A new L1C civil signal, which is compatible with international
global navigation satellite systems, like Europe's Galileo, to improve civilian user
connectivity.
"With GPS III SV05, we continue our focus on rapidly fielding
innovative capabilities for the Space Force's Positioning,
Navigation and Timing Mission," said Tonya
Ladwig, Lockheed Martin vice president for Navigation
Systems. "With each satellite we bring to orbit, we help the U.S.
Space Force to modernize the GPS constellation's technology and to
imagine future capability. Our next three satellites, GPS III SV06,
SV07 and SV08, are already complete and just waiting for a launch
date."
About 90 minutes after a 12:09 p.m.
ET liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, in
Florida, U.S. Space Force and
Lockheed Martin engineers at the company's Denver GPS III Launch
& Checkout Operations Center declared GPS III
SV05 separated from its SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and "flying"
under their control.
In the coming days, GPS III SV05's onboard liquid apogee
engine will continue to propel the satellite towards its
operational orbit. After it arrives, engineers will send the
satellite commands to deploy its solar arrays and antennas, and
prepare GPS III SV05 for handover to Space Operations Command.
Part of U.S. critical national infrastructure, GPS drives
an estimated $300 billion in annual
economic benefits and is responsible for $1.4 trillion since its inception. Globally, more
than 4 billion military, civil and commercial users depend on GPS'
positioning, navigation and timing signals.
Lockheed Martin is part of the GPS III team led by the Space
Production Corps Medium Earth Orbit Division at the U.S. Space
Force's Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base. The GPS
Operational Control Segment sustainment is managed by the
Enterprise Corps, GPS Sustainment Division at Peterson Air Force
Base. The 2nd Space Operations Squadron, at Schriever Air
Force Base, manages and operates the GPS constellation for both
civil and military users.
For additional GPS III information, photos and video visit:
www.lockheedmartin.com/gps.
About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda,
Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace
company that employs approximately 114,000 people worldwide and is
principally engaged in the research, design, development,
manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology
systems, products and services. For additional information, visit
our website: www.lockheedmartin.com.
Please follow @LMNews on Twitter for the latest
announcements and news across the corporation.
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lockheed-martin-built-next-generation-gps-iii-satellite-propels-itself-to-orbit-301315001.html
SOURCE Lockheed Martin