The U.S. Space Force has announced a significant change to its launch plans, transferring the GPS III SV-08 satellite launch mission from United Launch Alliance (ULA) to SpaceX. This move represents a substantial shift in the military’s approach to managing its satellite launch contractors.
The GPS III SV-08 will be the eighth satellite in the advanced GPS III constellation. These sophisticated satellites offer centimeter-level positioning accuracy and enhanced anti-jamming capabilities, providing critically improving the global positioning system. According to the announcement, SpaceX will launch the satellite as early as late May using a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Base in Florida.
Jim Horne, head of launch execution at Space Systems Command, explained that this reassignment is primarily designed to address ULA’s growing backlog of launch missions. This isn’t the only mission being shuffled – the GPS III-7 mission has also been moved from ULA’s Vulcan rocket to SpaceX’s Falcon 9.
The Space Force is making additional adjustments to maintain a balance between contractors. The GPS III.F-1 mission, which was originally assigned to SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket, will now be transferred to ULA.
While ULA’s Vulcan rocket is certified under the National Security Space Launch Program (NSSL), it has accumulated a substantial backlog of military launch missions since being awarded part of the NSSL Phase 2 contract in 2020. These strategic changes are intended to increase the NSSL program’s flexibility, dramatically reducing the standard launch window from 24 months to just 3 months.
