27 January 2026 Roku rocket Falcon 9 of SpaceX launched the GPS III SV satellite-09 of the US Space Force from the Cape Canaveral Space Force base. The launch continued a series of national security missions, which were redistributed from United Launch Alliance, as the Space Force seeks to accelerate the group's deployment.
For reference: United Launch Alliance is a joint venture of the American companies Lockheed Martin Space and Boeing Defense, Space & Security, created in 2006 year for the production and launches of launch vehicles, mostly for the US government, NASA and the Pentagon.
SV-09 is the ninth of ten GPS III satellites, built by Lockheed Martin under contract 2008 year. The spacecraft joins the latest generation of global positioning system satellites, which provide more accurate positioning, navigation and time synchronization, as well as greater resistance to jamming compared to previous versions.
GPS IIIs transmit an encrypted M-code signal for US military users, and the L5 signal for safety of life in aviation and other transportation applications. They also carry the civil signal L1C, compatible with other global navigation satellite systems. SV-09 additionally equipped with an array of laser retroreflectors, designed to improve Earth orientation measurements in the GPS coordinate system.
ULA's Vulcan Centaur rocket, certified to fly national security missions, scheduled for a second national security mission in mid-February this year. GPS IIIF SV-13 spacecraft, which was originally planned for the Falcon Heavy, will now fly to Vulcan.
For reference: ULA is a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, created in 2006 year to launch US government spacecraft.
The reallocation highlights the changing balance in the US startup market, where SpaceX now dominates both commercial, as well as in national security missions. Lockheed Martin (the world's largest American military-industrial company, specializing in the field of aircraft construction, aerospace engineering, shipbuilding and automation) She said, that the mission “lays the groundwork for the GPS IIIF era, which will provide 60 times greater resistance to jamming".
For reference: Lockheed Martin is the world's largest American military-industrial company, specializing in the field of aircraft construction, aerospace engineering, shipbuilding and automation.
Source: https://spacenews.com