Astranis has been selected as a prime contractor for the US Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command’s (SSC) new Resilient GPS (R-GPS) program. Astranis is one of four awarded an agreement to produce design concepts for R-GPS’ Lite Evolving Augmented Proliferation program.
The R-GPS program was created by Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall to build and launch small, low-cost PNT (positioning, navigation, and timing) satellites to bolster the existing GPS fleet. The R-GPS satellites will include the latest GPS signals, including M-Code, for assured performance even in contested regions. USSF has asked contractors to prepare the first eight R-GPS satellites for launch by 2028, a fast turnaround that shows the importance of developing this new capability for America’s warfighters.
Astranis will serve as a prime contractor for an $8 million concept development effort for the R-GPS program, given its experience as a manufacturer and operator of low-cost, high-orbit satellites. The Astranis R-GPS spacecraft design leverages the company’s existing MicroGEO satellite design, with PNT algorithms from Xona Space Systems, a premiere commercial company fielding a full GNSS system. Xona’s algorithms will be implemented in software on the Astranis Octane Software-Defined Radio hardware.
Astranis will work through this phase of the program to advance its R-GPS design ahead of the USSF’s plans to build and launch a proliferated fleet of more than 20 small GPS satellites.