Aerospace Testing InternationalAerospace Testing International
  • News
    • A-E
      • Acoustic & Vibration
      • Avionics
      • Data Acquisition
      • Defense
      • Drones & Air Taxis
      • Electric & Hybrid
      • EMC
      • Engine Testing
      • Environmental Testing
    • F-L
      • Fatigue Testing
      • Flight Testing
      • Helicopters & Rotorcraft
      • High Speed Imaging
      • Industry News
    • M-S
      • Materials Testing
      • NDT
      • Simulation & Training
      • Software
      • Space
      • Structural Testing
      • Supplier News
    • T-Z
      • Technology
      • Telemetry & Communications
      • Weapons Testing
      • Wind Tunnels
  • Features
  • Magazines
    • March 2025
    • Dec 2024/Jan 2025
    • Showcase 2025
    • September 2024
    • June 2024
    • Archive Issues
    • Subscribe Free!
  • Opinion
  • Webinars
  • Events
    • All Events
    • Aerospace Test & Development Show
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Suppliers
    • Supplier Spotlights
    • Press Releases
    • Technical Papers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job – It’s FREE!
    • Manage Jobs (Employers)
LinkedIn YouTube X (Twitter)
LinkedIn YouTube X (Twitter)
Subscribe to magazine Subscribe to email newsletter Media Pack
Aerospace Testing InternationalAerospace Testing International
  • News
      • Acoustic & Vibration
      • Avionics
      • Data Acquisition
      • Defense
      • Drones & Air Taxis
      • Electric & Hybrid
      • EMC
      • Engine Testing
      • Environmental Testing
      • Fatigue Testing
      • Flight Testing
      • Helicopters & Rotorcraft
      • High Speed Imaging
      • Industry News
      • Materials Testing
      • NDT
      • Simulation & Training
      • Software
      • Space
      • Structural Testing
      • Supplier News
      • Technology
      • Telemetry & Communications
      • Weapons Testing
      • Wind Tunnels
  • Features
  • Magazines
    1. March 2025
    2. Dec 2024/Jan 2025
    3. Showcase 2025
    4. September 2024
    5. June 2024
    6. March 2024
    7. Archive Issues
    8. Subscribe Free!
    Featured
    19th March 2025

    In this issue: March 2025

    Online Magazines By Ben Sampson
    Recent

    In this issue: March 2025

    19th March 2025
    contents and front cover of magazine

    In this issue: December / January 2025

    19th December 2024
    Showcase 2025

    In this issue – Showcase 2025

    6th November 2024
  • Opinion
  • Webinars
  • Events
    • All Events
    • Aerospace Test & Development Show
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Suppliers
    • Supplier Spotlights
    • Press Releases
    • Technical Papers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job – It’s FREE!
    • Manage Jobs (Employers)
LinkedIn YouTube X (Twitter)
Aerospace Testing InternationalAerospace Testing International
Avionics

Untested component delays GPS III

Anthony JamesBy Anthony James16th September 20162 Mins Read
Share LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

The first new GPS III satellite for the US Air Force, already over two years behind schedule, missed a revised delivery date in August and may struggle to meet a new December deadline. The cause of the delay is related to the lack of testing authentication for some of the electronic components.

Testing of the part, a ceramic capacitor, should have been completed by Lockheed Martin about five years ago, including evaluating how long it will operate without failing, said Colonel Steve Whitney, program manager for the Global Positioning Satellite program for the USAF in an emailed statement.

About 600 of these capacitors are on the first satellite, which has an overall cost of about US$529m. Capacitor problems in satellites two through seven, which are still under construction, have highlighted the importance of these components for the system and delayed the delivery of the satellite payloads.

GPS III satellites are supposed to provide increased navigational accuracy and a signal that will be compatible with the European satellite systems being developed now. The new GPS III standards will also have improved security against cyberattacks.

The capacitor that’s now being tested “is a critical part in a series of circuit cards that take higher-voltage power” from the system and reduce it for a particular subsystem, the Air Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center said in an email.

Lockheed spokesman Chip Eschenfelder said in an emailed statement that “during our rigorous navigation payload testing, we discovered a capacitor type on the payload that had not been properly qualified per the program’s approved parts control plan. Upon discovering the issue, we took immediate corrective action with the payload provider to qualify the capacitor.” Lockheed Martin “is responsible for maintaining oversight of its subcontractors,” he said.

Whitney’s statement said, “We asked Lockheed to go through the entire spacecraft design and verify that every single part and every single design element, every single qualification, was completed, and they are in the process of doing that.”

Share. Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Email
Previous ArticleFlight simulators: passe or the future?
Next Article Sukhoi PAK FA in testing
Anthony James

Related Posts

Avionics

US Air Force VENOM autonomy program readies for first flight

4th April 20254 Mins Read
Vertical Aerospace's VX4 eVTOL aircraft hovering
Avionics

Honeywell and NXP expand partnership on chips for avionics

15th January 20253 Mins Read
Reliable Robotics test aircraft
Avionics

NASA flight tests remotely piloted cargo aircraft

8th January 20253 Mins Read
Latest Posts

Astrolight raises €2.8m to build optical space communications network

22nd May 2025

Industry Adoption of 3D Optical Surface Gauges

21st May 2025

NDT: Robotics and software spur innovation

21st May 2025
Supplier Spotlights
Our Social Channels
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
Getting in Touch
  • Subscribe To Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Meet the Team
  • Media Pack
Related Topics
  • Aircraft Interiors
  • Business Jet Interiors
FREE WEEKLY NEWS EMAIL!

Get the 'best of the week' from this website direct to your inbox every Wednesday

© 2023 Mark Allen Group Ltd | All Rights Reserved
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.