#SpaceX Falcon 9 GPS III 🔴 Live Launch Commentary

Watch and discuss live as #SpaceX launches their twenty-first mission of 2018 and the last mission of the year. This launch will utilize a brand new booster that is going to be expended due to mission requirements.

GPS-3 (Global Positioning System) or Navstar-3 (Navigation System using Timing And Ranging) are the first evolution stage of the third generation of the GPS satellites.

The U.S. Air Force announced in May 2008 that a team led by Lockheed Martin has 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 the 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 contribute to improved accuracy and assured availability for military and civilian users worldwide.

Lockheed Martin's flight-proven A2100 bus will serve as the GPS III spacecraft platform. Unlike the GPS IIF satellite, the GPS III satellite feature an apogee propulsion system. The satellite will feature a LEROS-1C engine as an apogee propulsion system as well as 2 deployable solar arrays to generate power.

ITT, Clifton, N.J. will provide the navigation payload, and General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Gilbert, Ariz., will provide the Network Communications Element (NCE) which includes the UHF Crosslink and Tracking Telemetry & Command (TT&C) subsystems.

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[johnszurek]

I enjoy your broadcasts.
Merry Christmas!

[sebhio]

You are best ☺️next weather balloon please

[eyesontheworld_]

Great, thanks for your explanations, very interesting

[johnszurek]

Why do we see the milar fabric flop around on the side of the second stage.

[Papershields]

I still think there’s a bit of STS-27 in this mission. It’s too good of an opportunity to waste.

[numerobis]

what's the point of accelerating to 31.000Km/h if at the deployment moment the speed is at 18.000Km/h ?

[alabax]

Spendable, government requirement as usual