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SpaceX launched GPS III for the US Space Force. This is the second latest generation GPS satellite launched this year for the US military. The first was brought into orbit in June and became the third GPS III launched by SpaceX. Such satellites provide the United States with improved GPS navigation capabilities, including advanced anti-jamming technology.
SpaceX used a brand new Falcon 9 first stage for this launch and successfully returned this booster using a guided landing on its unmanned barge in the Atlantic Ocean. The company also confirmed that the payload was deployed as intended and then flew to the deployment point where the GPS spacecraft was positioned in its final orbit.
Launched from the Cape Canaveral Cosmodrome in Florida, the mission was the second attempt to deliver this payload after the launch was canceled in September due to an early start of two engines, which caused an automatic shutdown two seconds before the take off. SpaceX looked into the problem and found that this was due to the ingestion of a coating material used to protect the engine components in the production process in the fuel lines.
SpaceX also postponed the launch of the Crew-1 manned mission for NASA for this reason, today’s launch should be further confirmation that the historic flight of the current ISS crew, consisting of three American astronauts and one Japanese, will take place as scheduled on November 14, and there will be no further delays.
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