Air Force Space Command’s Space and Missile Systems Center plans to issue the final request for proposals for the next generation Global Positioning System satellite on April 19. Boeing and Lockheed Martin teams have been vying for GPS Block III. By year’s end, SMC expects to select a single contractor team to proceed with development.
As the Space Force makes plans for two on-orbit refueling and maneuver demonstrations in 2027—and closely watches similar government and commercial endeavors—the service official overseeing the effort say he want to take these capabilities from demo to operations in short order.