Lockheed Martin Global Positioning System (GPS) Satellites 50 Years Old

According to a statement issued by the company, the fleet of Global Positioning System (GPS) Block IIR satellites designed and built by Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has now accumulated 50 years of in-orbit operations.

GPS provides services such as situational awareness and precision weapon guidance for the military. It is also an information resource supporting a wide range of civil, scientific and commercial functions - from air traffic control to the Internet - with precision location and timing information.

GPS IIR satellites have been delivering navigation service to the U.S. military as well as civil users world-wide since the first successful launch of a GPS IIR satellite on July 23, 1997, according to Lockheed Martin.

There are currently 13 operational Block IIR satellites within the overall 28-spacecraft constellation, including the first modernized IIR satellite recently declared fully operational for GPS users around the globe following extensive on-orbit testing of the spacecraft's new military and civilian signals.