 |
| The US Space Force launched the fourth GPS III satellite |
The U.S. Space Forces and SMC launched GPS III IV satellites from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida using SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets.
The satellite is expected to be operational within a few months and will be powered by 31 Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites.
The new generation of GPS III satellites provides users with advanced features.
The satellite is three times as accurate as its predecessor, and its ability to resist jamming has increased eight times.
When turned on, it will be the 23rd satellite in the GPS constellation that provides more powerful GPS signals for military users to help prevent interference and deception.
However, military users are not the only ones using the new generation of GPS satellites.
Lockheed Martin said the GPS III satellites also include a new civilian L1C signal that may improve compatibility with the European Galileo constellation.
Lockheed Martin's future GPS III satellite has advanced features and more people are using GPS every day.
With the addition of new features, continued investment in GPS can ensure that GPS remains the "gold standard" for GPS, navigation and timing systems around the world.
The GPS III program continues to make strides in modernizing the US Space Forces' GPS constellation while maintaining the gold standard for location, navigation, and timing.
In addition to military applications, the economic benefits of GPS in the United States are estimated at more than $ 300 billion annually and have reached $ 1.4 trillion since its inception.
This new satellite is the fourth GPS satellite to be launched in the past three years. The 23rd satellite with a new M-code signal is the safest and hardest satellite to disable the GPS constellation.
The US military plans to launch 10 new Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites to replace the old satellites on the existing network.