GPS Upgrades Stall as Vulcan Glitches Drive Space Force Toward SpaceX
TL;DR
The Space Force has paused further launches on ULA’s Vulcan rocket while investigators probe a February 2026 booster anomaly—the second such issue after a 2024 carbon‑composite insulator defect—pushing GPS satellite launches toward SpaceX’s Falcon 9. The investigation is expected to last months as officials seek root cause and corrective actions. Meanwhile, GPS modernization continues: 26 of 31 satellites carry the M-code signal and 19 broadcast the higher‑power L5 civil signal, underscoring the value of having multiple launch providers to maintain global coverage amid rising interference and jamming threats.
- ULA isn’t making the Space Force’s GPS interference problem any easier Ars Technica
- Space Force pauses national security launches on Vulcan Breaking Defense
- Space Force halts Vulcan missions pending investigation into solid rocket issue SpaceNews
- Space Force Pauses Vulcan Missions amid Anomaly Investigation Air & Space Forces Magazine
- Booster Resurfaces As Vulcan Centaur Issue; Rocket Use For NSSL Halted During Space Force Investigation Defense Daily
Want the full story? Read the original reporting
Read on Ars Technica