[Satellite TODAY Insider 01-16-12] The Pentagon has awarded Lockheed Martin a $238 million contract to produce the third and fourth satellites in the next-generation Global Positioning System (GPS) constellation, GPS 3, for the U.S. Air Force, the company announced Jan. 13.

   The Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin an initial contract to design, develop and build the first two GPS 3 satellites in May 2008. The new contract includes options for up to 10 additional spacecraft and puts Lockheed Martin on contract to deliver four GPS 3 space vehicles. The first of those four is scheduled to launch in 2014. The Air Force has plans to build up to 32 GPS 3 satellites.

   Lockheed Martin Surveillance and Navigation System Vice President Mark Valerio said the government’s acquisition of the next two GPS 3 satellites at one time would allow his company to maximize efficiencies in the satellite manufacturing process.

   “The government has mapped an extremely sensible acquisition strategy for GPS 3 and we are focusing on executing the program to deliver these much needed capabilities to billions of users around the word,” Valerio said in a statement. “As we produce more GPS 3 satellites, we aim to continually reduce the cost and cycle time of each space vehicle to ensure we deliver the greatest value to the Air Force.”

   Lockheed Martin also said it received the core structure for the first GPS 3 satellite at its Stennis, Miss., facility in August, and is now integrating the space vehicle’s flight propulsion subsystem. The integrated core propulsion module will be shipped to Lockheed Martin’s GPS Processing Facility (GPF) in summer 2012 and will then undergo final assembly, integration and test in order to meet its planned 2014 launch, the company said.

   “We are focused on delivering world-class space-based PNT capabilities to our users around the world,” U.S. Air Force Global Positioning Systems Director Col. Bernie Gruber said in a statement. “As the need for more capability increases, GPS 3 will allow us to affordably sustain and modernize the constellation by providing increased capabilities incrementally to better meet current and future needs.”

   The GPS 3 program aims to replace aging GPS satellites and improve capability to meet evolving needs of military, commercial and civilian users.