Lockheed Martin [LMT] has finished assembling the second Global Positioning System (GPS) III satellite for the U.S. Air Force and plans to begin environmental testing of the navigation spacecraft in summer 2017, the company announced June 26.
The testing, which will take place at a company plant near Denver, is designed to ensure the satellite can withstand the harsh conditions of launch and space. The satellite is slated to be available for launch in 2018.
Eight more GPS IIIs are in various stages of production, including the third satellite, whose navigation payload was delivered by Harris Corp. [HRS] in May.
The first GPS III satellite completed its final factory functional qualification testing in February and is in storage awaiting its expected launch in 2018.
GPS III satellites are designed to replenish the GPS constellation and provide more accurate signals, be more resistant to jamming and last longer than existing spacecraft.
In May 2016, the Air Force awarded contracts to Boeing [BA], Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman [NOC] to study the feasibility of producing the 11th GPS III satellite and beyond.
Those studies are expected to wrap up in summer 2017 and lead to the completion of an acquisition strategy, including a decision on whether a competition will be held, Air Force officials told reporters in May.