Astranis has completed a critical demonstration for the U.S. Space Force’s Resilient GPS (R-GPS) program, showcasing its ability to transmit core GPS waveforms using software-defined radio hardware. Conducted ahead of schedule and within budget, the demonstration highlights Astranis’ ability to adapt its flight-heritage high-orbit satellite hardware to meet new resilience requirements for the Space Force.

The test took place at Astranis’ headquarters in San Francisco, California, using a flight-like software-defined radio and positioning, navigation and timing algorithms provided by Xona Space Systems, a partner and subcontractor for the R-GPS program. Astranis transmitted a GPS Course Acquisition (C/A) navigation signal through its resilient GPS payload and demonstrated signal acquisition and recovery of Legacy Navigation messages with an off-the-shelf GPS receiver. According to Astranis, this validated that its resilient GPS design, Nexus, complies with GPS specifications “out of the box,” ensuring compatibility with existing user equipment without requiring costly upgrades.

Astranis was selected in September 2024 as one of four contractors to design next-generation resilient GPS satellites under the Space Force’s initiative. The company received its Authority to Proceed on Sept. 19, 2024, and has since exceeded program objectives ahead of schedule. The R-GPS program aims to augment the existing GPS constellation with smaller, cost-effective satellites to enhance resilience against threats such as jamming or spoofing.

Astranis is advancing its satellite design in preparation for the Space Force’s goal of launching the first eight R-GPS satellites by 2028. The company’s approach leverages its MicroGEO satellite design and software-defined radio technology to deliver resilient capabilities while maintaining compatibility with legacy equipment.