A GPS 3 satellite. Photo: Lockheed Martin

[Via Satellite 09-22-2016] Lockheed Martin, prime contractor for the GPS 3 satellites, has received an order for two additional GPS 3 satellites from the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) through a contract option. The contract option procures long lead and production hardware to produce Space Vehicles (SVs) 9 and 10 for the next generation of GPS satellites. The Air Force expects the satellites to be available for launch in 2022.

Beginning with GPS 3 SV 11, the government plans to compete future purchases of GPS 3 satellites. This competition is intended to maintain the current technical baseline of GPS 3 and add additional hosted payloads to increase system accuracy, search and rescue capability, and universal S-band compatibility. Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Northrop Grumman are all competing for future GPS 3 satellite contracts.