Rapid Response for Space Security The U.S. Space Force has announced a pivotal shift in its launch schedule, tapping SpaceX to deliver the final satellite in the Global Positioning System (GPS) III series. The GPS III SV-10 mission is now slated to lift off on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, no later than the end of April, as confirmed by Space Systems Command (SSC).
This change comes in the wake of the Space Force’s late February decision to ground United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) heavy-lift Vulcan-Centaur rocket under the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program. Persistent issues identified with the nozzles on Vulcan’s solid rocket boosters necessitated the decisive action.
„Answering the Call”: Space Force’s Commitment Colonel Ryan Hiserote, commander of SSC’s System Delta 80 and NSSL system program director, underscored the significance of the decision. “With this change, we are answering the call for rapid delivery of advanced GPS capability while the Vulcan anomaly investigation continues. We are once again demonstrating our team’s flexibility and are fully committed to leverage all options available for responsive and reliable launch for the Nation,” Hiserote stated.
ULA was unable to provide a comment by publication time regarding these developments.
Vulcan’s Delayed Path: A Future Role, Despite Hurdles While this represents another setback for the long-troubled Vulcan rocket, the Space Force has not yet abandoned its potential as an NSSL launch provider. According to today’s announcement, Vulcan is now slated to launch the USSF-70 mission, with its blast-off not expected any earlier than the summer of 2028.
USSF-70 Mission: Pioneering On-Orbit Refueling The USSF-70 mission will carry Northrop Grumman’s Rapid On-orbit Space Technology Evaluation Ring (ROOSTER)-5, also known as the Geosynchronous Auxiliary Support Tanker (GAS-T). This innovative payload is designed to function as a refueling station for satellites operating in geosynchronous Earth orbit. Equipped with enough hydrazine to refuel multiple spacecraft, the Space Force anticipates that GAS-T will dock with and refuel Redwire’s Mako spacecraft, which is being co-launched on the mission as part of the Space Force’s Tetra-6 demonstration. This mission underscores the ambitious drive to develop critical capabilities for sustaining long-term space operations.
