Equipped with anti-district systems to overcome the limitations that emerged in the last conflicts, it starts on board the Vulcan rocket, also marking the definitive return to US independence from Russian space engines
It took almost ten years but now the Vulcan rocket produced by United Launch Alliance (ULA) has been united to the Falcon Vectors of Spacex vectors to launch the spatial missions of maximum priority for national security of the United States. The US Space Force (the US space forces), a body that launched the first National Security Space Launch (NSSL-106) mission, was communicated this, just using a volcan, today 12 August by the Space Launch Complex-41 of the Cape Canaveral base in Florida, during a useful launch window that started at two in the morning Italian time, 8 pm on 11 August. The mission carries a particular and very precious satellite, the Navigation Technology Satellite-3 (NTS-3), developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory and by the L3harris Technologies company, together with a useful load not yet disclosed. In total, the USA for this carrier, for the satellite and land systems capable of its government, spent about 250 million dollars. The aim is to study the successor system of the Navstar-Gps constellation, which in the last conflicts has shown that it can be disturbed by the armed forces of hostile countries. In addition, the event will formalize the end of the US dependence on the Russian manufacturing rocket engines, marking the return of two operational launch vehicles available for the missions “considered primary for the safety of the nation”. Colonel Jim Horne, director of the USSF-106 mission and head of the supplies of the Space Systems Command, of the space forces, whose last launch had occurred on July 30, 2024 with an Atlas V. The Vulcan rocket, whose name is Centaur VC4S, is equipped with four solid propulsors and has launched the USSF-106 directly in the geosynchronic orbit, marking one of the longest missions ever made by Ula. The Vulcan had obtained certification for the launch of NSSL missions last March after two evaluation flights deemed critical. The Space Force ordered 25 launch services for this carrier as part of the NSSL Phase 2 contract, and in April 2025 ULA had announced work orders for two launches in the field of phase 3 of this contract. USSF-106 differs from the two certification flights using four Booster rockets instead of two and filling the upper 100% fuel stadium, instead of 85% as previously. For reasons of military secret, the Space Force and Ula officials refused to comment on the nature of the other satellites that will be launched simultaneously with NTS-3, declaring: “Further details are not disclosed to the public”.
NTS-3, the first experimental satellite for the navigation of the Pentagon in 48 years
NTS-3 is the first experimental satellite for the navigation of the Pentagon in 48 years, from the launch of NTS-2 in 1977, as Joanna Hicks, senior aerospace engineer at the Spazia vehicle management, told journalists: “We believe the time has come to carry out an experiment in this area”, he explained, “once the satellite, the tests and the orbit tests should be required, Starting the collection of data “, he added, specifying that” the demonstration, lasting one year, will serve to carry out more than one hundred different experiments “. The satellite is equipped with an antenna made up of numerous elements (in jargon, phased-array), it is electronically adjustable and will transmit several advanced signals including the signal called “chimera”, designed to protect civil GPS users from the “spoofing” actions, or the transmissions aimed at disturbing the constellation by sending deceptive radio signals for receivers installed on the ships and aircraft, aircraft and vehicles terrestrials. NTS-3 includes new algorithms for a more reliable timing on the satellite and an integrated navigation receiver. The space vehicle and the related equipment were designed to be programmable even during the mission, so as not to have to plan everything before going into orbit and before identifying threats. If the satellite should have further useful life after completing the mission, it could be taken over by another SPACE force partner to perform further tests. The launch of this satellite was initially scheduled for 2022, but was delayed precisely pending a launch vehicle. In the meantime, the technicians who have created NTS-3 have also conducted further tests on the ground by adding more skills and further experimental signals than initially expected.
