GPS III
US Space Force / Lockheed Martin · Medium Earth orbit
The block that completed America's navigation constellation: the tenth and final GPS III satellite launched in April 2026, taking the active fleet to 32.
At a glance
- Phase
- orbital operations
- Operator
- US Space Force / Lockheed Martin
- Destination
- Medium Earth orbit
- Next milestone
- GPS IIIF production, 12 satellites under contract at Lockheed Martin
- Last verified
- 2026-08-08
Where it stands
Block complete; constellation at 32 active satellites.
The mission
The US Space Force completed the GPS III block on 21 April 2026 with the launch of the tenth satellite, stating the constellation now stands at 32 active spacecraft with added redundancy. Lockheed Martin, which builds the satellites in Denver, is under contract for 12 next-generation GPS IIIF spacecraft, and says GPS IIIF will add a Regional Military Protection signal with over 60 times the anti-jam capability of legacy vehicles for qualified military users.
Related
Sources
- Space Systems Command on the final GPS III launch · https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/Newsroom/Article-Display/Article/4465444/us-space-force-delivers-final-gps-iii-to-orbit-advancing-its-most-resilient-con
- Lockheed Martin on GPS III SV10 and IIIF · https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2026-04-21-Lockheed-Martin-Launches-GPS-III-Satellite,-Paving-the-Way-for-Next-Generation-GPS-IIIF-Spacecraft