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Harris Delivers Fifth GPS III Payload

By Adrienne Harebottle | June 6, 2018
GPS III satellites in production at Lockheed Martin's GPS III Processing Facility near Denver

GPS III satellites in production flow at Lockheed Martin’s GPS III Processing Facility near Denver. Photo Credit: Harris Corporation

Harris Corporation has provided Lockheed Martin with its fifth of 10 advanced navigation payloads contracted for the U.S. Air Force GPS III satellite program.

The GPS III navigation payload features a Mission Data Unit (MDU) with a 70-percent digital design that links atomic clocks, radiation-hardened computers and powerful transmitters, enabling signals three times more accurate than those on current GPS satellites. The payload also boosts satellite signal power, increases jamming resistance by eight times and helps extend the satellite’s lifespan.

Lockheed Martin successfully integrated the navigation payload into the fifth GPS III space vehicle (GPS III SV05). Harris is committed to delivering three more payloads by the first quarter of calendar year 2019 for GPS III SV06 and GPS III SV08.

Four navigation payloads have already been fully integrated on GPS III SV01-SV04. In September 2017, the Air Force declared the first GPS III satellite available for launch with lift off expected later in 2018. In December 2017, GPS III SV02 completed thermal vacuum testing and is expected to be declared available for launch this summer. GPS III SV03 and SV04 are expected to undergo environmental testing this year.