U.S. Space Force switches rockets for upcoming GPS satellite launch

The U.S. Space Force has swapped launch vehicles for upcoming GPS satellite missions to accelerate deployment and save costs. The next GPS satellite, GPS III Space Vehicle 09 (SV09), will now launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 instead of the originally planned United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan rocket. SV09 is in the final stages of pre-flight preparations and could launch within weeks. As part of the trade, ULA will now launch GPS III Follow-on (GPS IIIF) SV13, which was originally scheduled for a Falcon Heavy. The swap is intended to speed satellites into orbit, maintain government cost efficiency, and ensure timely delivery of capabilities to meet warfighter needs, according to a Space Force spokesperson. SV09 was initially assigned to ULA under the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 2 contract, announced in October 2023, which included 11 missions valued at $1.3 billion. SV13 was awarded to SpaceX as part of NSSL Phase 3 Lane 2 in April 2025. This is not the first time the Space Force has reshuffled GPS launch assignments. In May 2025, SpaceX launched GPS III SV08, which had originally been scheduled with ULA, while ULA took over SV11, initially planned for a Falcon Heavy. These adjustments demonstrate the Space Force’s ongoing strategy of flexible launch planning to meet operational timelines efficiently.