The Navigation Technology Satellites are satellite demonstrations of new technologies related to satellite navigation, especially for next-generation GPS satellites.

List of satellites

NameSATCATLaunch date (UTC)Launch vehicleLaunch siteOrbital apsisInclinationPeriod (min)Status
NTS-1 (Timation 3)736914 July 1974Atlas-F/PTSVandenberg, SLC-3WSuccess
NTS-2 (Timation 4)1009123 June 1977Atlas-F/SGS-1Vandenberg, SLC-3WSuccess
NTS-36516013 August 2025 00:56 UTCVulcan Centaur VC4SCape Canaveral, SLC-41Success

Navigation Technology Satellite-1 (NTS-1)

Navigation Technology Satellite-1 (NTS-1), also known as Timation-3 or P73-3, was a US Navy satellite launched on July 14, 1974, from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, using an Atlas F/PTS rocket. It was a pivotal part of the TIMATION program, a precursor to the modern Global Positioning System (GPS), aimed at testing technologies for precise time-based navigation.

Navigation Technology Satellite-2 (NTS-2)

NTS-2 before launch

Navigation Technology Satellite-2 (NTS-2), also known as Timation-4 or P76-4, was a US Navy technology-demonstration satellite launched on June 23, 1977, from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, using an Atlas F/SGS-1 rocket. It was the second satellite in the Navigation Technology Satellite series, marking a critical step in the development of the modern Global Positioning System.

Navigation Technology Satellite-3 (NTS-3)

NTS-3 during testing
Launch of USSF-106, carrying NTS-3

Navigation Technology Satellite-3 (NTS-3) is a satellite to demonstrate new technologies related to satellite navigation. NTS-3 will demonstrate resilient positioning, navigation, and timing in a multi-layer space architecture.

NTS-3 is based on the Northrop Grumman ESPAStar-D satellite bus. The satellite was launched on a Vulcan Centaur VC4S rocket as part of USSF-106 mission from SLC-41 at Cape Canaveral on 13 August 2025 at 00:56 UTC.

See also

External links

  • Media related to Navigation Technology Satellite at Wikimedia Commons