For the second time in six months, SpaceX will deploy an American military satellite sitting in storage, waiting for the slot on the launch schedule of the United Launch Alliance.
The Space Systems Command, which oversees the Army Launch Program, announced on Monday that it was re -assigning the issuance of the global positioning system satellite from Ola’s Wilkan rocket to Space X’s Falcon 9. The satellite will be included in the designated GPS III SV -08 (Space Vehicle -08), around the world and in the solitelite fleet.
The Space Force booked a rocket in 2023 to launch the spacecraft, when Ola hoped to fly a military satellite on its new rocket by mid -2024. Wilkin rocket is now about to launch its first national security mission around the middle of this year, followed by The new launcher’s certificate of the Space Force ULA Last month
According to a press release, the “Launch Vehicle Trade” space force allows the GPS III SV-08 satellite to launch from Cape Canvar, Florida, just as in late May, according to a press release.
“The ability to sit on the ground”
After Wilkin is now cleansed for the launch of military missions, officials hope that the Flight of the Ula rocket can increase the cidise. Walkin launched two demonstration flights last year, and eventually wants to launch Wilkan twice every month. ULA engineers have finished their work for them. After the Space Force, the company’s Wilkin Becklag now stands on 89 missions Declaration of 19 additional launches last week Given Ula.
Last year, the Pentagon’s Chief Access Office of Space wrote a letter to the owners of AlaB (b (b (Boeing and Lockheed MartinTo measure Ula Wilkin rocket preparations, express concern about ULA’s ability.
“Currently there is a military satellite capacity, which is sitting on the ground due to delays in Volkin,” Frank Calville, chief of the Pentagon’s space acquisition, wrote in the letter.
Wilkin may eventually be in connection with the space force supply, but there are several military pay loads in the queue to launch on Wilkan before the GPS III SV-08, which was complete and in storage at its lock head Martin Factory in Colorado.
Colonel Jim Horn, senior Meetable Leader of the Launch Implementation, said in a statement that the rocket exchange shows the ability to launch the space force in three months, compared to a two -year general planning cycle. “It highlights another example of the ability to complete the high priority launches on the space force’s fast -time scale, which reflects the ability to respond to the emergence of emerging, as fast as allows the manufacture of space vehicles,” Horn said.