A new U.S. government report highlights mixed progress in the modernization of the Global Positioning System (GPS), citing advancements in satellite and ground equipment upgrades alongside persistent delays in some areas. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, released Sept. 9, reveals that the Space Force is grappling with technical hurdles in next-generation GPS satellites and ground systems. These challenges have eroded schedule margins, potentially pushing back the delivery of 24 M-code-capable satellites crucial for military operations through the 2030s. M-code, a more secure and jam-resistant signal, is central to the modernization efforts. The ground control segment known as OCX, while achieving some key testing milestones, still requires further evaluation before military acceptance. The projected acceptance date is now set for December 2025. The report also flags risks in the development of user equipment, including microchips and cards that process M-code signals. Although the first increment of user equipment is approaching final tests, newly discovered deficiencies threaten to disrupt the timeline. The Department of Defense is additionally working to address potential shortages of GPS chips and cards. Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor for the next-generation GPS IIIF satellites, is tackling manufacturing difficulties with a crucial component, the Linearized Traveling Wave Tube Amplifier, the report says. This component is essential for enabling a high-powered, steerable M-code signal. To mitigate these challenges, Lockheed Martin has subcontracted the construction of amplifiers from the third GPS IIIF satellite onward. The OCX program, led by Raytheon, completed a qualification test for Blocks 1 and 2 in December 2023. However, several test events remain before the system can be accepted for operational use. The related OCX Block 3F program has made progress in software development, but ongoing delays with earlier blocks have complicated efforts. This annual assessment — mandated by Congress in the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act — requires GAO to evaluate the cost, schedule, and performance of GPS acquisition programs. The report underscores the complexity and ongoing challenges in modernizing this critical global navigation infrastructure.

Satellite communications company OneWeb unveiled a new positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) service amid global concerns about GPS vulnerability to jamming and interference in critical sectors such as defense, aviation and emergency services. The service, called Astra, aims to ensure uninterrupted communications for OneWeb’s satellite broadband customers, even when GPS or other global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals are unavailable or compromised.  The system utilizes a software-defined outdoor receiver capable of accessing PNT signals from both GNSS and alternative PNT broadcast services such as Iridium satellites. Upon identifying an alternative PNT source, Astra generates an output signal compatible with the standard GPS L1 interface, the company said. The service offers different versions for the U.S. government and for allied governments. Kevin Steen, President and CEO of Eutelsat America Corp. and OneWeb Technologies, said Astra is a “game-changer for defense users operating in difficult environments.” 

great news, but I hope the future is brighter if they decide to make it free, coz some software went downhill after set to free. btw, news page is here; https://www.clarku.edu/centers/geospatial-analytics/2024/08/27/announcement-terrset-liberagis/

Superb news. "The word liberagis in Esperanto means liberated, set free." -well said.