Lockheed Martin Delivers 3rd GPS III To US Space Force In Cape Canaveral

The US Space Force for the first time took delivery of the latest next generation GPS III satellite at the premier launch site of Cape Canaveral in the state of Florida, the manufacturer Lockheed Martin said in a press release on Monday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th February, 2020) , The US Space Force for the first time took delivery of the latest next generation GPS III satellite at the premier launch site of Cape Canaveral in the state of Florida, the manufacturer Lockheed Martin said in a press release on Monday.

Although a first for the newly created Space Force, the delivery marked the third GPS III delivered by Lockheed Martin for an eventual 32-satellite network with three times greater accuracy and up to eight times improved anti-jamming capabilities of the existing global positioning system, the release said.

"The satellite's evolutionary modular design will allow new 'GPS IIIF' capabilities to start being added at the 11th satellite. These will include a fully digital navigation payload, a Regional Military Protection capability, an accuracy-enhancing Laser Retroreflector Array, and a Search and Rescue payload," the release said.

The present GPS system consists of 31 satellites launched since 1997 and now providing service to more than 4 billion military and civilian users, the release added.

The new satellite will be launched in April, according to the release.