In a strategic move to expedite deployment and ease a growing backlog of satellites in storage, the U.S. Space Force has reassigned the launch of its eighth GPS III satellite from United Launch Alliance (ULA) to SpaceX. The satellite, GPS III Space Vehicle 08 (SV-08), is now scheduled to lift off no earlier than late May aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Seen here prior to being sealed in its shipping container at Lockheed Martin’s Littleton, Colorado facility, SV08 will join the U.S. Space Force’s operational GPS constellation in orbit. Image: Lockheed Martin.
This marks the second such reassignment in recent months. In December 2024, the Space Force redirected the launch of GPS III SV-07—originally intended for ULA’s Vulcan Centaur rocket—to SpaceX’s Falcon 9, resulting in a successful mission dubbed “Rapid Response Trailblazer.”
According to the Space Systems Command (SSC), the launch of SV-08 aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 was necessary to ensure timely deployment of critical navigation capabilities and prevent long-term storage of ready-to-launch satellites. The SV-08 spacecraft, nicknamed “Katherine Johnson” in honor of the trailblazing NASA mathematician, has been awaiting launch since 2021 and arrived in Florida for final preparations on April 2.
“This mission represents an outstanding collaboration across multiple teams and agencies,” said Col. Andrew Menschner, commander of the Space Force’s Mission Delta 31. “It highlights our ability to rapidly deploy an additional M-Code-capable satellite and continues to push the boundaries of traditional launch timelines.”
M-Code, or Military Code, is a critical encrypted signal used by U.S. military forces to ensure secure and reliable navigation services. With more than half of the currently active 31 GPS satellites operating beyond their designed lifespan, officials say accelerating the deployment of newer, more secure GPS III satellites is imperative.
Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the GPS III series, confirmed that several satellites are aging well past their expected service life, with some doubling or tripling their originally intended operational durations. “We’re really in a state of borrowed time on some of these vehicles,” said Malik Musawwir, vice president of Navigation Systems at Lockheed Martin. “GPS underpins every facet of what we do, so we can’t afford to have any downtime.”
To maintain contractual balance with launch providers, the Space Force noted that a future GPS mission initially assigned to SpaceX will be transferred back to ULA. That mission, GPS IIIF-1, will now fly aboard the Vulcan rocket, effectively swapping launch responsibilities between the two companies.
Col. Jim Horne, senior materiel leader of launch execution at the SSC, described the trade as a demonstration of the Space Force’s ability to compress traditional two-year planning cycles into a matter of months. “This launch showcases our capability to respond to emergent constellation needs as rapidly as spacecraft readiness allows,” he said.
The Vulcan rocket, developed by ULA, recently achieved certification to fly National Security Space Launch (NSSL) missions. However, ongoing development challenges and a backlog of NSSL Phase 2 missions from the 2020 contract have prompted mission reassignment decisions. While ULA remains a key launch provider—handling approximately 60% of the NSSL missions—executives acknowledge the fluid nature of mission assignments.
“It’s not unusual,” ULA CEO Tory Bruno said during a media roundtable. “Occasionally a mission is reassigned from us to them and from them to us. These satellites have specific and evolving uses, and the government makes the right calls based on readiness and manifest availability.”
Looking ahead, Lockheed Martin continues work on the next-generation GPS III Follow-On (GPS 3F) satellites, which promise dramatically improved anti-jamming capabilities—up to 60 times more than the previous generation. The first of those satellites, GPS 3F SV-11, is scheduled to launch in 2027, with several others already under assembly at Lockheed’s Waterton, Colorado facility.
“We’re planning for an eventful 2025,” said Musawwir, “clearing out the barn and making way for the next wave of precision navigation technology.”
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