The next generation Global Position System, known as GPS III, has successfully completed its first major flight software integration milestone at prime contractor Lockheed Martin‘s [LMT] software integration laboratory in Newtown, Pa., the company recently said.
The test event successfully integrated the initial flight software builds and flight-like computer processors for the satellite bus On-Board Computer (OBC), the Navigation Payload Mission Data Unit (MDU) and the Communications Payload Thin Communications Unit (TCU). The successful test demonstrated the ability to communicate among the GPS III satellite bus, network communications and navigation elements, and is a key step in reducing risk for the program’s flight software development.
Engineers will now work to fully qualify the flight software before integration on the GPS Non-Flight Satellite Testbed (GNST), which will serve as the program’s ground pathfinder and vehicle demonstrator for the first complete GPS III satellite. The entire GPS III development and production sequence will utilize the GNST to provide space vehicle design level validation; early verification of ground, support, and test equipment; and early confirmation and rehearsal of transportation operations.
The program successfully completed its Critical Design Review (CDR) in August and is proceeding steadily in the manufacturing phase, according to Lockheed Martin. Having completed more than 50 percent of Manufacturing Readiness Reviews, the team is on track to deliver the first GPS IIIA spacecraft as planned in 2014.
GPS III is expected to improve position, navigation and timing services and provide advanced anti-jam capabilities yielding superior system security, accuracy and reliability. The first in a planned three increments, GPS IIIA will deliver signals three times more accurate than current GPS spacecraft and provide three times more power for military users, while also enhancing the spacecraft’s design life and adding a new civil signal designed to be interoperable with international global navigation satellite systems.