CONTINUOUSWAVE

The GPS III SV-08 launch is now scheduled for Friday, May 30, 2025, with a SPACE X FALCON 9 Block 5 rocket as the launch vehicle. This marks the second consecutive time that the original contractor, United Launch Alliance, was unable to provide their Vulcan rocket on-time, and Space X is taking over the mission.

The U.S. Space Force wants more rapid deployment of the already-built and awaiting-launch GPS III satellites. These newest satellites have improved resistance to signal jamming or spoofing attacks from hostile adversaries.

The launch window begins at 1:23 p.m. EDT at Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

The launch of GPS III SV-08 by SpaceX on Saturday, May 30, 2025 was successful. Liftoff was at 1:37 p.m. EDT. The mission achieved its two goals:

• the GPS satellite payload reached its intended initial orbit; and,
• the Falcon 9 booster stage B1092 was successfully recovered by autonomously landing on the drone ship “Shortfall of Gravitas” positioned in the Atlantic Ocean.

This launch marked the fifth national security mission this year for SpaceX; twelve more national security mission are scheduled for SpaceX in the remainder of this year. SpaceX is now the dominant provider of both commercial and national security space launches.

More details available from

https://spaceflightnow.com/2025/05/30/l ... canaveral/

The GPS III SV-08 spacecraft is also referred to as SVN 81 and Navstar 84 and USA-545, and is nicknamed Ms. Creola Katherine Johnson (in honor of the American mathematician whose groundbreaking calculations of orbital mechanics at NASA were instrumental to the success of early U.S. manned spaceflights). It's current status is "On-orbit commissioning."

The May 20. 2025 launch by Space X resulting in a successful insertion into low earth transfer orbit. The spacecraft has transitioned to its final orbit in SLOT 3D of the GPS constellation. The GPS III spacecraft raise their orbit by using their own propulsion engine, which is liquid apogee engine (also referred to as a chemical propulsion engine). Once at the final orbital height, the spacecraft deploys its solar arrays and antennas, and on-orbit commissioning begins.

Once integrated into the GPS constellation, GPS III SV-08 will be using PRN 21.