GPS III Space Segment

Abstract

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a space based navigation system that fills validated Joint Service requirements for worldwide, accurate, common grid three dimensional positioning/navigation for military aircraft, ships, and ground personnel. The consistent accuracy, unaffected by location or weather and available in real time, significantly improves effectiveness of reconnaissance, weapons delivery, mine countermeasures and rapid deployment for all services. GPS must comply with Title 10 United States Code (USC) 2281 which requires that the Secretary of Defense ensures that continued sustainment and operations of GPS for military and civilian purposes and 51 USC sec 50112 which requires that GPS complies with certain standards and facilitates international cooperation. The system is composed of three segments: user equipment (funded under PE 0305164F), space (funded under this PE and PE 0305165F) and a control network (funded under PE 0305165F and PE 0603423F). The satellites broadcast high accuracy data using precisely synchronized signals which are received and processed by user equipment installed in military platforms. This equipment computes the platform position and velocity and provides steering vectors to target locations or navigation waypoints. The control segment provides daily updates to the navigation messages broadcast from the satellites to maintain system precision in three dimensions to 16 meters spherical error probable worldwide. Additionally, GPS supports the Unites States Nuclear Detonation (NUDET) Detection System (NDS) mission and provides strategic and tactical support to the following Department of Defense (DoD) missions: Joint Operations by providing capabilities for Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT); Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence; Special Operations; Military Operations in Urban Terrain; Defense-Wide Mission Support; Air Mobility; and Space Launch Orbital Support. GPS III is the next generation Space Vehicle (SV) to join the GPS constellation. GPS III SVs will deliver significant enhancements, including a new civil (L1C) Galileo-compatible signal, enhanced anti-jam power, and affordable on-ramps to provide full warfighter capabilities (e.g., better signal maintainability (Digital Waveform Generator (DWG), Unified S-Band (USB), near-real time Command and Control) and the civil search and rescue payload (SAR/GPS). RDT&E, AF PE 0305265F funds GPS III and will support research, development, test and evaluation of GPS III SVs 01-02, and risk-reducing simulators through a structured systems engineering approach that matures and delivers space vehicles for launch. Space Modernization Initiatives (SMI), formerly known as Capability Insertion Program (CIP), includes capability maturation and risk reduction efforts to affordably develop follow-on performance parameters including the engineering and development for full GPS III warfighter capabilities. For example, as a part of reducing the cost to orbit, SMI includes dual launch initiatives to support 2 (two) SVs launching on 1 (one) launch vehicle. These initiatives develop and refine satellite integration/launch/on-orbit operations concepts, requirements, interfaces, integrated schedule, and design trades. A GPS III SV-09+ delta Preliminary Design Review (dPDR) will produce radiation hardness assessments, a preliminary dual launch annex to the GPS III - Atlas V Interface Control Document (ICD), a dual-band, dual-launch Telemetry Tracking and Control (TT&C) design, and preliminary updates to the ground segment ICDs. Additionally the program includes engineering studies and analyses, trade studies, system development, test and evaluation efforts, integrated logistics support products, on-orbit support, and mission operations supporting civil applications that protect U.S. military and allies' use of GPS. SAR/GPS is an approved secondary payload on GPS III beginning with SV 09. SAR/GPS will fill a validated National Search and Rescue Committee requirement to provide enduring, space-based distress alerting capability to detect, locate, and relay distress alerts to fulfill its responsibilities under international agreements for Search and Rescue. GPS III SVs 03-08 are in the Production and Deployment Phase. GPS III SVs 09+ are utilizing RDT&E funds for risk reduction towards an approved delta Critical Design Review (dCDR) in FY14. This program is a Budget Activity 7 - Operational System Development because it supports operational systems (GPS).

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2014
• Source ID: 0305265F_7_3600_PB_2014
• Change Summary Explanation: FY12: -$6.057M for SBIR; -$4.198M decrease due to higher Air Force priorities.
• Service Agency Name: Air Force

Entities

Organizations

• United States Air Force

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Human Systems
• Space
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Air Force
• Artificial Satellites
• Command And Control
• Deployment
• Engineering
• Global Positioning Systems
• Logistics
• Military Operations
• Military Personnel
• Navigation
• Program Management
• Satellite Buses
• Satellite Constellations
• Search And Rescue
• Spacecraft
• Systems Engineering
• Test And Evaluation

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering.
• Naval Mine Countermeasure Systems Development.

Technology Areas

• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Space
• Space - Satellites