Sierra Space has accomplished a key development milestone for the company’s Resilient GPS (R-GPS) program, marked by the successful completion of Systems Requirements Review (SRR). The SRR completion comes after the program’s kickoff in September and is a notable moment for Sierra Space’s national security program, with the ultimate goal of benefiting civilians and military operations through the protection of U.S. satellites.
GPS technology relies on satellite infrastructure and supports everything from ride-share and food delivery apps for civilians to critical navigation for military and defense operations. The increasing sophistication of adversarial threats, however, such as jamming and spoofing, necessitates advancements in GPS resilience.
The U.S. Space Force’s (USSF) R-GPS program plans to address these challenges by integrating proliferated small satellites into the existing GPS architecture. Sierra Space’s expertise in small satellite technology and rapid deployment provides a competitive edge in achieving this goal.
Sierra Space’s strategic engagement in the R-GPS program underscores its commitment to delivering high-impact, innovative satellite solutions for defense applications. By leveraging its expertise in small satellite technology, rapid deployment capabilities, and advanced signal processing, Sierra Space aims to play a pivotal role in strengthening U.S. national security.
Sierra Space’s strategic engagement in the R-GPS program underscores its commitment to delivering high-impact, innovative satellite solutions for defense applications. By leveraging its expertise in small satellite technology, rapid deployment capabilities, and advanced signal processing, Sierra Space aims to play a pivotal role in strengthening U.S. national security.
Sierra Space’s strategic engagement in the R-GPS program underscores its commitment to delivering high-impact, innovative satellite solutions for defense applications. By leveraging its expertise in small satellite technology, rapid deployment capabilities, and advanced signal processing, Sierra Space aims to play a pivotal role in strengthening U.S. national security.
Sierra Space announced in September a “Quick Start” R-GPS contract awarded by the U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command to produce design concepts for smaller, more cost-effective GPS satellites. Sierra Space was selected for this initial award due to the company’s innovative and integrated commercial concepts.
The R-GPS program has been expedited under “Quick Start” authority granted by Congress under Section 229 of the National Defense Authorization Act. This authority allows for rapid response to emerging threats or technologies, enabling the U.S. Space Force to initiate new programs more swiftly.
“The successful Systems Requirements Review of our R-GPS program is a proof point for Sierra Space technology and a notable commercial milestone with our DoD customers,” said Erik Daehler, Vice President of Defense, Satellites & Spacecraft Systems at Sierra Space. “We are focused on efficiency and speed of development to outpace adversaries. The quick turnaround of two months from R-GPS program launch to this next step of development is exactly the speed at which commercial space companies should be moving. We look forward to the next phase of our R-GPS program and getting our satellite technology into orbit.”
“GPS is vital for everything from financial markets to civilian navigation,” said Lt. Col. Justin Deifel, head of the U.S. Space Force’s R-GPS program. “It’s a utility – like water or electricity — and we need to make sure it’s resilient for civilians and warfighters alike, so they have access to GPS when they need it most.”
