Lockheed Martin delivers GPS III COps upgrade
Lockheed Martin has delivered the GPS III Contingency Operations (COps) software upgrade to the US Air Force's current GPS ground control system.
The upgrade will enable the air force to start commanding the new, next-generation GPS III satellites currently in production as they launch.
The first GPS III satellite launched in December 2018; the second GPS III shipped to Cape Canaveral in March for a July launch.
The GPS III COps programme allows the current ground system to fly the legacy constellation, as well as the new GPS III satellites, until the next generation Operational Control System (OCX) Block 1, still in development, is delivered.
The first GPS III space vehicle (GPS III SV01) launched in December 2018. Currently finishing up pre-operational on-orbit check-out, it is controlled by OCX Block 0 software installed at Lockheed Martin's GPS III Launch and Checkout Center. GPS III SV01 is expected to be ‘handed over’ to the COps OCS later this year after the legacy constellation is moved over to the updated ground control system.
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