The Lockheed Martin Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) IIIA, Space Vehicle 08 (SV-08), prepares to be loaded to a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III from Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado, for transportation to Florida, April 1, 2025. The space vehicle was successfully transferred on April 2, 2025, through a coordinated effort between Lockheed Martin, the U.S. Space Force’s Space Operations Command, and USAF’s Air Mobility Command. (U.S. Space Force Photo by Senior Airman Joshua Hollis)

The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command and Space Operations Command are preparing to launch the National Security Space Launch GPS III-7 mission, designated Space Vehicle 08, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The launch is planned to take place from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, no earlier than late May 2025.

This mission follows the successful Rapid Response Trailblazer launch in December 2024 and represents another accelerated effort. It involves a coordinated operation across multiple Space Force organizations to retrieve a GPS III satellite from storage, integrate it with the launch vehicle, and prepare it for launch on a compressed timeline.

The GPS III satellite is equipped with M-Code technology, which offers three times greater accuracy and eight times more resistance to jamming compared to earlier systems. This capability aims to enhance Precision, Navigation, and Timing services for the Joint Force, ensuring modernized support for military operations.

This effort builds on lessons learned from the previous Rapid Response Trailblazer mission and demonstrates the Space Force’s ability to reduce standard launch preparation timelines. While such preparations typically require up to 24 months, this mission is set to be completed within three months.

Mission Delta 31 of Space Operations Command is overseeing pre-launch processing in collaboration with Lockheed Martin in Colorado. On April 2, 2025, the satellite was transported to Florida aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III and is now undergoing final preparations for launch. Col. Andrew Menschner, commander of Mission Delta 31, emphasized the teamwork involved in rapidly deploying an M-Code-capable satellite and advancing traditional launch timelines.

Key aspects of this mission include space vehicle-to-launch vehicle integration, satellite control preparation, and expedited contracting efforts.

The satellite is named in honor of Katherine Johnson, whose mathematical contributions were pivotal to early U.S. spaceflight missions. Once operational, it will enhance communication capabilities critical to national security and align with the Secretary of Defense’s strategic objectives by supporting military readiness with anti-jamming technology.