Payload Mission Data Units for GPS III contract won by L3Harris Technologies
NewsFebruary 24, 2021
MELBOURNE, Fla. L3Harris Technologies has received contracts totaling $137 million for four navigation payload Mission Data Units (MDU) for future GPS III Follow-on (GPS IIIF) satellites.
Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor for GPS III/IIIF, selected L3Harris in 2018 to design and build the first two fully-digital MDUs, the heart of the satellite’s navigation payload. According to officials, the MDU generates more powerful GPS signals and assures clock operations for GPS users.
The U.S. Space Force expects the first GPS IIIF satellite, which builds on GPS III adding new capabilities and technology, to be available for launch in 2026. The GPS IIIF MDU will be designed to provide improved capabilities over L3Harris’ 70-percent-digital MDU on the first ten GPS III satellites.
The first four GPS III satellites have launched and are now operational in the GPS constellation.
