SMC Saves $53M Reusing SpaceX Boosters For GPS III

Breaking Defense: In advance of SpaceX’s planned launch of the fourth GPS III satellite on Tuesday, Space Force officials today revealed that the launch of the fifth bird next July for the first time will rely on a used Falcon 9 booster.

A contract modification signed at the beginning of this month with SpaceX allows for reuse of boosters for both GPS-SV05 and -SV06, Walt Lauderdale, SMC’s Falcon Systems and Operations Division chief, told reporters today. The changes, wrung out in a package deal across SpaceX’s four launch contracts for GPS III, is saving the Space Force a cool $52.7 million.

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