Oct 06, 2015 (SPX)

Los Angeles AFB CA - The Air Force released a final Request for Proposal (RFP) for Global Positioning System (GPS) III Launch Services, Sept. 30. Launch services include launch vehicle production, mission integration and launch operations for a GPS III mission scheduled to launch in 2018. Proposals are due back to the Air Force no later than Nov. 16 in accordance with the solicitation instructions.

After evaluating proposals through a competitive, best-value source selection process, the Air Force will award a firm-fixed price contract that will provide the government with a total launch solution for the GPS III satellite. The Air Force's acquisition strategy for this solicitation achieves a balance between mission success, meeting operational needs, lowering launch costs, and reintroducing competition for National Security Space missions.

"Through this competitive solicitation for GPS III launch services, we hope to reintroduce competition in order to promote innovation and reduce cost to the taxpayer while maintaining our steadfast laser focus on mission assurance and assured access to space," said Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves, Space and Missile Systems Center commander and Air Force Program Executive Officer for Space.

This will be a standalone contract for one GPS III launch. GPS III is the next generation of GPS satellites that will introduce new capabilities to meet the higher demands of both military and civilian users.

GPS III is expected to provide improved anti-jamming capabilities as well as improved accuracy for precision navigation and timing. It will incorporate the common L1C signal which is compatible with the European Space Agency's Galileo global navigation satellite system and compliment current services with the addition of new civil and military signals.

This is the first of nine competitive launch services planned in the FY 2016 President's Budget Request under the current Phase 1A procurement strategy, which covers awards with FY 2015-2017 funding. The next solicitation for launch services will be for a second GPS III mission.

The Phase 1A procurement strategy reintroduces competition for national security space launch services. Under the previous Phase 1 strategy, United Launch Alliance (ULA) was the only certified launch provider. In 2013, ULA was awarded a sole-source contract for launch services as part of an Air Force "block buy" of 36 rocket cores that resulted in significant savings for the government through FY 2017.

In May, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) was certified for EELV launches resulting in two launch service providers that are qualified to design, produce, qualify, and deliver a launch capability and provide the mission assurance support required to deliver national security space satellites to orbit.

"With the recent certification of SpaceX, we now have multiple launch service providers that can service critical NSS missions. Reintroducing competition into EELV will ultimately save taxpayer dollars and increase assured access to space. " said Dr. Claire Leon, director of SMC's Launch Enterprise Directorate.

"As part of this reintroduction of competition, we've been working with our industry partners to develop and finalize this RFP," said Dr. Leon. "Their feedback has been critical to developing the criteria for this source selection and how we are innovating government processes to better match commercial processes as directed by OSD's Better Buying Power 3.0. This is an exciting time in NSS launch acquisitions."

The Air Force Space Command's Space and Missile Systems Center, located at the Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., is the U.S. Air Force's center of excellence for acquiring and developing military space systems. Its portfolio includes the Global Positioning System, military satellite communications, defense meteorological satellites, space launch and range systems, satellite control networks, space based infrared systems and space situational awareness capabilities.

31 January 2014 airforce-technology.com

Lockheed Martin has turned on power to the bus and network communications equipment payload of the US Air Force's (USAF) second next-generation Global Positioning System III (GPS III) satellite.

Accomplished at the company's Denver-area GPS III Processing Facility (GPF), the successful powering on of the satellite, designated GPS III Space Vehicle 2 (SV-02), represents a major production milestone and demonstrates the satellite's mechanical integration, validates its interfaces, and paves the way for electrical and integrated hardware-software testing.

Lockheed Martin Navigation Systems mission area vice-president Mark Stewart said, ''The GPS III SV-02 bus power on is a significant milestone, positioning SV-02 in line with the Air Force's first GPS III space vehicle, SV-01, in our GPF, where both satellites are progressing through sequential integration and test work stations specifically designed for efficient and affordable satellite production.''

The GPF had received the SV-02's propulsion core module, featuring the integrated propulsion subsystem that enables the satellite to immediately manoeuvre on orbit after launch, and also conduct repositioning manoeuvres throughout its mission life, in November 2013.

"The first GPS III satellite is currently in the integration and test flow leading to delivery flight-ready to the air force."

Powered on in February 2013, the first GPS III satellite (SV-01) is currently in the integration and test flow leading to delivery flight-ready to the air force.

Lockheed is currently under contract for production of the first six GPS III satellites (SV 01-06).

The GPS III is a family of next-generation satellites designed to replace USAF's existing GPS constellation, which provides location and time information in all weather conditions, while enhancing capability to address the emerging requirements of military, commercial and civilian users worldwide.

Capable of delivering enhanced accuracy, navigation and timing services, and anti-jamming power, the satellites feature enhancements that extend its service life by 25% than the GPS block, and carry a new L1C civil signal, which ensures interoperability with other international global navigation satellite systems.

Sep 09, 2013  (SPX)

Aurora CO - Raytheon received Interim Authorization to Test (IATT) security certification for the Global Positioning System Next Generation Operational Control System (GPS OCX) Launch and Checkout System (LCS) four months ahead of schedule. Raytheon received a one-year certification with no liens, meaning the government does not require any changes.

The LCS IATT certification enables Raytheon to move to the next stage of testing the Launch and Checkout System in preparation for launch of the first GPS III satellite.

"Successful IATT certification ahead of our original schedule demonstrates not only that Raytheon meets the U.S. Air Force's high standards for information assurance as we develop this critical national system, but also the efficient efforts of our government partners," said Matthew Gilligan, Raytheon's GPS OCX program manager and a vice president in Raytheon's Intelligence, Information and Services business.

"Typically IATT certification is given for six-month increments; the LCS one-year accreditation speaks to the quality of the information assurance design and threat protection."

The Interim Authorization to Test not only includes the LCS, but also Lockheed Martin's GPS III satellite support systems, including the Exercise and Rehearsal Training Tool and Upload Generation Tool.

Raytheon's OCX and the Lockheed Martin-built GPS III satellites are critical elements of the U.S. Air Force's effort to modernize the GPS enterprise while improving capabilities to meet the evolving demands of military, commercial and civilian users worldwide. OCX is being developed in two "blocks" using a commercial best practice iterative software development process.

There are seven iterations in Block 1 and one in Block 2. LCS is the fifth Iteration of Block 1, and it successfully completed Critical Design Review in June 2013.

The first GPS III satellite is in production at Lockheed Martin and expected to be delivered to the U.S. Air Force "flight-ready" in mid-2014. GPS III satellites are expected to deliver three times better accuracy, provide up to eight times more powerful anti-jamming capabilities, and include enhancements that extend spacecraft life 25 percent further than the prior GPS block.

The GPS III also will carry a new civil signal designed to be interoperable with other international global navigation satellite systems, enhancing civilian user connectivity.