Lockheed Martin launches GPS III SV09 into orbit

Lockheed Martin launched its ninth GPS III space vehicle, SV09, into orbit on Jan. 28 from Cape Canaveral aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9, and the company said the satellite added capabilities intended to enable connectivity and support warfighter operations in harsh conditions.

The company described the satellite's role in providing advanced security and anti‑jamming features for military users, noting GPS III platforms delivered three‑times better accuracy, eight‑times improved anti‑jamming capabilities and M‑code navigation signals for warfighters globally; the statement also said sustaining and expanding the GPS constellation was required as the existing constellation aged.

The satellite achieved signal acquisition shortly after launch and entered operational control at Lockheed Martin's Denver Launch & Checkout Operations Center until formal acceptance into the GPS operational control network, and SV09 was equipped with a laser retroreflector array to improve measurements of the Earth's orientation for the GPS coordinate system.

Lockheed Martin completed production of GPS III SV01–SV10 satellites and said it was manufacturing next‑generation GPS IIIF satellites; the PR noted that adding new GPS spacecraft was required to maintain uninterrupted global coverage and that forthcoming GPS IIIF satellites would deliver additional capabilities.

“The launch of GPS III SV09 is an important step in bolstering the resilience of the GPS constellation,” said Malik Musawwir, vice president of Navigation Systems at Lockheed Martin. “By adding more resilient satellites to the constellation, we're laying the foundation for the GPS IIIF‑era, which will provide 60‑times more anti‑jam capabilities. The ongoing investment in GPS III launches and additional GPS IIIF satellites ensures uninterrupted, precise navigation and timing for our forces, even in contested or denied environments.”

The PR stated that Lockheed Martin was manufacturing GPS IIIF satellites and that forthcoming GPS IIIF spacecraft would provide additional anti‑jam capabilities.