WASHINGTON — The U. S. Space Force awarded Lockheed Martin a $105 million contract to support ground control operations for the next generation of GPS satellites, as the Pentagon moves to wind down a long-delayed replacement program led by RTX.
The April 8 award covers launch and on-orbit test support for GPS IIIF satellites through March 2030, using the existing Architecture Evolution Plan, or AEP, ground control system.
"This contract provides for the Architecture Evolution Plan operational control system to support launch, early orbit and disposal operations for Global Positioning System IIIF space vehicles," the Space Force said in a contract announcement.
