CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX sent a GPS satellite into space for the U.S. Space Force Thursday.
The Falcon 9 rocket carrying the satellite launched from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The GPS III-5 navigation satellite is part of a next-generation satellite constellation with state-of-the-art technology to provide a more secure communication signal for U.S. military forces, the Space Force says.
LIFTOFF! @SpaceX #Falcon9 #GPSIII @SpaceForceDoD @LockheedMartin @SLDelta45 @BrevardEOC @MyNews13 @MyNews13Weather SOUND UP! 🚀🛰 pic.twitter.com/ibVriQezOw
— Greg Pallone (@gpallone13) June 17, 2021
The satellite is nicknamed "Neil Armstrong" after the first man to walk on the Moon.
Once operational, the satellite will join 31 others in orbit.
The satellite will also provide a more secure communication signal for military forces on Earth.
"They are modern satellites that have three times greater accuracy, eight times improved anti-jamming," said Chip Eschenfelder of Lockheed Martin Space. "Just like us here walking around with our phones, GPS keeps us a lot safer."
And in the near future, the GPS system will be compatible with Europe's "Galileo" navigation system.
"So if you go behind a mountain or a building, and your GPS gets wonky, it's because you've lost direct line of sight with the three satellites you need to have for that, but then you'd be able to link off Galileo satellites too," Eschenfelder said.
The first stage of the booster landed successfully on the drone ship "Just Read the Instructions" which is out in the Atlantic.
It's the 20th launch from the Space Coast for 2021.
And for this GPS-III satellite, the first time a certified reused booster is sending up a national security payload.
The next Space Coast launch is scheduled for June 24.
Space X is sending up the Transporter-2, a ride-share mission with several small satellites for the government and private customers.