Overview
- GPS III-8 is now set to fly on a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral no earlier than late April.
- Space Systems Command announced the provider change to maintain rapid delivery of advanced GPS capability as stated by Col. Ryan Hiserote.
- Military missions on Vulcan are paused following a Feb. 12 flight that revealed a solid rocket booster performance anomaly on the USSF-87 mission.
- ULA says Vulcan will not return to service until the root cause is identified and corrective actions are implemented.
- With the swap, Vulcan is reassigned to launch USSF-70 no earlier than summer 2028, and GPS spacecraft qualification on multiple rockets enabled the quick re-manifesting.