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Space

First GPS III Satellite Packed Up in Payload Fairing for Scheduled Dec. 18 Launch

By Vivienne Machi

Tuesday, December 11th, 2018

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First GPS III Satellite Packed Up in Payload Fairing for Scheduled Dec. 18 Launch

The U.S. Air Force's first Lockheed Martin-built GPS III satellite prepares for encapsulation before launch

The Air Force’s first GPS III space vehicle (SV01) last week has been enclosed within its payload fairing in anticipation of a mid-December launch date.“Vespucci,” as the satellite is known, was encapsulated within a SpaceX-made payload fairing Dec. 7 at Astrotech Space Operations in California, the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center said in a Dec. 10 release. The Lockheed Martin [LMT]-built space vehicle is scheduled to launch Dec. 18 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral…

Navy Leaders Downplay Looking At Foreign Navy Shipbuilding Amid Lawmaker Objections

The Navy’s top leaders this week seemed to downplay and back down on the service potentially using foreign shipyards to build U.S. Navy ships or buying foreign designed warships overseas […]

Army

Senate Defense Appropriators See ‘Risk’ With Army’s Reconciliation Plan To Fund Munitions Increase

The Senate’s top defense appropriators cited concern this week with the Army’s request to fund the majority of its large increase to munitions procurement in fiscal year 2027 through the […]

Army

Army Relooking At Its ‘Whole Aviation Transformation’ Plan, Acting Chief Tells Lawmakers

The Army is relooking at its “whole aviation transformation initiative,” the service’s acting chief of staff told lawmakers on Tuesday, to include its approach for future procurement of “enduring” platforms. […]

Army

Lawmakers Request DoD Briefing On Army’s Planned Cuts To Aviation Procurement

A bipartisan group of House lawmakers has sent a letter asking the Pentagon for a briefing on the potential industrial base impacts as a result of the Army’s planned cuts […]