What Happened
Last year, just before the Fourth of July holiday, the US Space Force officially took ownership of a new operating system for the GPS navigation network, raising hopes that one of the military's most troubled space programs might finally bear fruit.
Why It Matters
The GPS Next-Generation Operational Control System, or OCX, is designed for command and control of the military's constellation of more than 30 GPS satellites.
Key Details
- It consists of software to handle new signals and jam-resistant capabilities of the latest generation of GPS satellites, GPS III, which started launching in 2018.
- The ground segment also includes two master control stations and upgrades to ground monitoring stations around the world, among other hardware elements.
- RTX Corporation, formerly known as Raytheon, won a Pentagon contract in 2010 to develop and deliver the control system.
- The program was supposed to be complete in 2016 at a cost of $3.7 billion.
Background Context
Last year, just before the Fourth of July holiday, the US Space Force officially took ownership of a new operating system for the GPS navigation network, raising hopes that one of the military's most troubled space programs might finally bear fruit. The GPS Next-Generation Operational Control System, or OCX, is designed for command and control of the military's constellation of more than 30 GPS satellites. It consists of software to handle new signals and jam-resistant capabilities of the latest generation of GPS satellites, GPS III, which started launching in 2018. The ground segment also includes two master control stations and upgrades to ground monitoring stations around the world, among
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Source: Ars Technica – All content – Original Link
Source: Ars Technica – All content
