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Launch Success
Liftoff Time (GMT)
06:53:25
Tuesday April 21, 2026
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NASASpaceflight.com
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Originally planned to launch on a Falcon 9, GPS III SV10 was shifted to Vulcan when GPS III SV07, intended to launch on Vulcan, was moved to the Falcon 9 in mid-2024 following Vulcan readiness concerns. Following the USSF-87 anomaly, GPS III SV10 was moved back to Falcon 9 and USSF-70 was moved to Vulcan. This mission was the final planned landing on Just Read The Instructions, which will be dedicated to supporting Starship operations in the future.
GPS III (Global Positioning System) is the first evolution of the third generation of GPS satellites. The U.S. Air Force announced in May 2008 that a team led by Lockheed Martin had won the competition to build the next-generation Global Positioning System (Navstar) Space System program, known as GPS III. This program will improve position, navigation, and timing services for warfighter and civil users worldwide and provide advanced anti-jam capabilities yielding superior system security, accuracy, and reliability. When fully deployed, the GPS III constellation will feature a cross-linked command and control architecture, allowing the entire GPS constellation to be updated simultaneously from a single ground station. Additionally, a new spot beam capability for enhanced military (M-Code) coverage and increased resistance to hostile jamming will be incorporated. These enhancements will improve accuracy and ensure availability for military and civilian users worldwide.
Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin
Operator: United States Space Force
Medium Earth Orbit
1 Payload
4,352 kilograms


Agency
SpaceXPrice
$74.00 million
Rocket
Diameter: 3.7m
Height: 70m
Payload to Orbit
LEO: 22,000 kg
GTO: 8,300 kg
Liftoff Thrust
7,607 Kilonewtons
Fairing
Diameter: 5.2m
Height: 13m
Stages
2

Launching
Northeast
631st
Mission
48th
Mission of 2026
658th
Mission
48th
Mission of 2026
92nd
Orbital launch attempt