The U.S. Space Force is switching its launch service provider from United Launch Alliance to SpaceX for an upcoming Global Positioning System III national security space launch mission.
The service said Friday that a Falcon 9 rocket will lift off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida no earlier than late April to deliver the 10th and final GPS III space vehicle to orbit.
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Why Did the Space Force Pause Vulcan’s National Security Missions?
ULA’s Vulcan was scheduled to launch seven national security missions in 2026, but the rocket encountered an anomaly in a Space Force flight in February. Air and Space Forces Magazine reported that, during the USSF-87 mission, ULA observed an issue in one of the Vulcan’s four solid rocket motor boosters. Although the rocket delivered its payloads to orbit, the Space Force paused upcoming military launches on the Vulcan while an investigation into the anomaly is ongoing.
“With this change, we are answering the call for rapid delivery of advanced GPS capability while the Vulcan anomaly investigation continues,” USSF Col. Ryan Hiserote, commander of System Delta 80 and program director for the NSSL system, stated. “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.”
The Space Force still plans to use the ULA Vulcan rocket to launch the USSF-70 mission in 2028. USSF-70 will carry Northrop Grumman’s satellite refueling port Geosynchronous Auxiliary Support Tanker, or GAS-T.
What Is GPS III?
GPS III satellites are designed to enhance positioning, navigation and timing capabilities for military and civilian users. According to the Space Force, the Lockheed Martin-built satellites provide three times greater positional accuracy and up to eight times improved resistance to jamming compared to earlier GPS systems.
