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sleepyzalophus t1_iy6y8io wrote

Reply to comment by WinteryToast22 in Space Force orders three GPS satellites for $744 million by Corbulo2526

You’re close, but a couple of clarification points: We’re not going to launch IIIFs before the rest of the IIIs. At least no discussions to do so yet, but we have discussed pushing SVs 11 and 12 (the first two IIIFs) to launch right after SV10. The first two IIIFs are largely the same as the IIIs anyway. The primary constraining factor to our SVs on the ground is the shelf life of the batteries. It’s better now that we’ve switched to Li instead of NiH2, but still are a life cycle concern if they are in extended cold storage instead of regular charging/discharging as designed.

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WinteryToast22 t1_iy6zu6p wrote

I thought we were putting up a IIIF in January ahead of the next III?

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sleepyzalophus t1_iy709jq wrote

Nope. GPS III SV06 is scheduled to launch January 18th. The first IIIF doesn’t even start assembly until August 2023. We’re building the IIIF non-flight test bed now. SV11 (the first IIIF) will finish testing right around the same time GPS III SV10 is launching.

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