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Space

Final GPS III Satellite To Launch On Monday With Optical Cross Link Demonstration Payload

Frank Wolfe

Friday, April 17th, 2026

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Final GPS III Satellite To Launch On Monday With Optical Cross Link Demonstration Payload

Pictured is a SpaceX photo of a Falcon 9 rocket lifting off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla. on Jan. 27th for the GPS III-9 mission.

On Monday, a SpaceX Falcon 9 is to carry the last GPS III satellite by Lockheed Martin [LMT] into orbit with an optical cross link payload designed to increase the durability of the constellation of 32 active GPS satellites. The GPS III-8 mission's optical cross link is a "demonstration payload that we're doing to test out the optical cross link capability with ground," Fang Qian, Lockheed Martin's vice president of GPS, said on Friday in a virtual forum with reporters,…

Congress

With $1.5 Trillion Request, Army, Air Force, Navy’s Unfunded Lists Focus Solely On MILCON Projects

With the Trump administration’s push to massively increase defense spending to $1.5 trillion in fiscal year 2027, the Army, Air Force and Navy have eschewed submitting large unfunded priorities lists […]

Unmanned Systems

Bipartisan House Bill Would Give National Guard To Counter-Drone Authorities

Seeking to close gaps that may arise between state and local law enforcers in different jurisdictions, a bipartisan contingent of House members this week introduced a bill that would allow […]

Congress

Munitions Fired Represent Most of $25 Billion Spent By Pentagon on Iran War So Far

Munitions fired in the two-month old “Operation Epic Fury” against Iran represent most of the $25 billion cost the Pentagon has incurred thus far in the conflict, the acting Defense […]

Congress

Slotkin: Pentagon Should Use Anthropic’s Mythos To Spot Cyber Security Gaps

The Pentagon should be using Anthropic‘s recently announced Mythos artificial intelligence model to spot gaps in cyber security, Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) said on Tuesda. “I think the thing that […]