Lockheed Martin built and donated a special 1/3 scale GPS IIIF satellite mockup to the University of Colorado Boulder Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences.
The model was installed June 21-23, 2021 on the 4th floor overlook of the Aerospace Building.
The full-sized GPS IIIF is the upgraded follow-on for the third-generation global positioning system satellite. Designed and built by Lockheed Martin, the GPS III first launched in 2018. It is the most powerful GPS satellite created to date, with increased accuracy and anti-jamming capabilities. This new GPSIIIF is the follow-on design that incorporates a flexible technology architecture with a fully digital navigation system, accuracy-enhancing laser retroreflector array, regional military protection capability, and a search-and-rescue payload.
Smead Aerospace and Lockheed Martin are planning an official campus dedication ceremony for the model this fall