...Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to research the development of a small satellite navigation payload to augment the current Global Positioning System (GPS) program. The GPS NAVSAT (Navigation Satellite) program seeks to provide affordable capabilities to aid end-users located in tough-to-reach environments. The goal of the 18-month initial study is to identify innovative ways to increase affordability and sustainment of the GPS program through payload weight reduction, size and power. The GPS NAVSAT will maintain similar performance capability to the existing GPS system, but will aid GPS end-users in signal-constrained environments, located in urban or mountainous terrain. Work on GPS NAVSAT, which begins this month, will be performed in Clifton, N.J., and in Bloomfield, N.J.

For nearly 40 years, Exelis payloads and payload components have been on board every GPS satellite with more than 500 years of on-orbit life without a single mission-related failure due to Exelis equipment. GPS technology has changed the world by increasing productivity, safety and effectiveness across a variety of industries to include farming, construction, mining, surveying and supply chain management. It is found in everything from cell phones to shipping containers, Air Traffic Management, communications networks, banking systems, financial markets, power grids, military assets and much more.