SpaceX launched the final GPS III satellite, SV10, for the U.S. Space Force from Cape Canaveral at 2:53 a.m. EDT on April 21. The GPS III series provides roughly three times the positional accuracy and eight times the jam resistance of previous generations. SV10 was reassigned from ULA's Vulcan Centaur to SpaceX's Falcon 9 after Vulcan experienced solid rocket booster issues. The Falcon 9 first stage landed on the droneship Just Read the Instructions, and the upper stage will deploy SV10 to medium-Earth orbit about 90 minutes after liftoff.
SpaceX Launches Final GPS III Satellite for U.S. Space Force — Falcon 9 Booster Returns to Droneship
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches the GPS III SV10 satellite for the U.S. Space Force from Florida on April 21, 2026. | Credit: SpaceX
SpaceX successfully launched the final GPS III satellite for the U.S. Space Force in the early hours of Tuesday, April 21. A Falcon 9 rocket carrying GPS III SV10 lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 2:53 a.m. EDT (0653 GMT).
What Launched
GPS III SV10 (Space Vehicle 10) is the 10th and concluding spacecraft in the advanced GPS III series. According to the Space Force, GPS III satellites provide roughly a three-fold improvement in positional accuracy and an eight-fold increase in resistance to jamming compared with earlier GPS versions — capabilities that the service says enhance the effectiveness of weapon systems and operations across theaters.
Why the Rocket Swap Happened
SV10 had been scheduled to fly on United Launch Alliance's new Vulcan Centaur, but the Space Force moved the mission to SpaceX's Falcon 9 after Vulcan experienced issues with its solid rocket boosters (SRBs). Under the swap, Vulcan Centaur will instead carry the national security payload USSF-70, a mission now expected to launch no earlier than summer 2028.
The Falcon 9's first stage rests on the deck of a ship at sea shortly after launching the GPS III SV10 satellite on April 21, 2026. | Credit: SpaceX
Booster Recovery and Droneship Role
The Falcon 9 first stage successfully returned about 8.5 minutes after liftoff, touching down gently on the SpaceX droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean. This marked the seventh flight and landing for that particular booster. SpaceX also noted that this was the final Falcon-class recovery the droneship will support before it pivots to support Starship operations.
Upper Stage and Deployment
The Falcon 9 upper stage continued toward medium-Earth orbit (MEO) and is scheduled to deploy GPS III SV10 approximately 90 minutes after liftoff, where it will join and complete the GPS III constellation.
"These advanced features enable the constellation to provide an across-the-board boost in effectiveness and lethality to weapon systems in every theater," Space Force officials said in a statement issued after the SV09 launch and reiterated for the GPS III program.
Editor's note: This story was updated at 1:15 a.m. ET on April 20 with a revised target launch date of April 21, and updated again at 3:04 a.m. ET on April 21 to report the successful launch and booster landing.
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