GPS III Space Vehicle No. 1 departs from Buckley AFB

The GPS III satellite is designed to evolve to incorporate new technology and changing mission needs. The satellite was shipped from Buckley AFB to Cape Canaveral, Florida, where it is scheduled to launch later this year.

Airman 1st Class Alexander Herman, a loadmaster assigned to the 4th Airlift Squadron, secures the very first GPS III satellite, SV-01, affectionately dubbed “Vespucci” in honor of Amerigo Vespucci, the Italian explorer for whom the Americas were named, onto a C-17 Globemaster III in preparation for takeoff from Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado, Aug. 20, 2018.