The U.S. Space Force has terminated its Resilient GPS program, an experimental effort to bolster the nation’s primary satellite navigation network with a layer of smaller, lower-cost spacecraft.
Space Systems Command confirmed this week, in a story first reported by Space News, that funding for the next phase of the initiative was omitted from the fiscal year 2026 budget request. Officials said the service will instead use data from early design phases to inform future decisions regarding satellite architecture.
The program, commonly known as R-GPS, was designed to address growing threats of signal jamming and spoofing by adversaries. As Location Business News reported, the initiative aimed to deploy a fleet of roughly 20 small satellites to augment the existing 31-satellite GPS constellation. These smaller units were intended to provide a “proliferated” layer of protection, making the global positioning signal more difficult for enemies to disrupt during a conflict.
The cancellation follows significant skepticism from the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, which previously turned down a $77 million funding request for the project. Lawmakers questioned whether the small satellites would provide meaningful resilience compared to alternative technologies, such as ground-based backups. The program was estimated to cost approximately $1 billion over five years, with individual satellites projected to cost between $50 million and $80 million each.
Several aerospace firms that were developing prototypes under the “Quick Start” acquisition authority will see their work on the project end. Contractors including Astranis, L3Harris and Sierra Space had reached early design milestones for the “Lite Evolving Augmented Proliferation” satellites before the pivot. While these designs will not move toward on-orbit demonstrations, the Space Force intends to integrate the technical lessons learned into its broader modernization strategy.
Despite the end of R-GPS, the military remains focused on hardening its global positioning, navigation and timing capabilities. The service will continue its primary modernization efforts, including the deployment of advanced GPS III and IIIF satellites built by Lockheed Martin LMT 0.00%↑. Future efforts are expected to prioritize jam-resistant “M-code” technology and alternative navigation signals to ensure reliable data access for both military and civilian users.
In other U.S. Space Force GPS news:
- The Space Force has reassigned its upcoming GPS III Space Vehicle 09 satellite from a United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket to a SpaceX Falcon 9 booster to speed its launch. The swap could allow the navigation satellite to reach orbit within weeks as pre-flight preparations wrap up, reflecting ongoing adjustments in launch planning to maintain GPS constellation modernization. As part of the change, ULA will instead launch the GPS III Follow-on SV13 satellite, originally scheduled aboard a Falcon Heavy, on a Vulcan vehicle, officials said.
