For the 2nd time in 6 months, SpaceX will release a United States military satellite that was being in storage, waiting on a slot on United Launch Alliance’s launch schedule.

Area Systems Command, which supervises the armed force’s launch program, revealed Monday that it is reassigning the launch of a Global Positioning System satellite from ULA’s Vulcan rocket to SpaceX’s Falcon 9. This satellite, designated GPS III SV-08 (Space Vehicle-08), will sign up with the Space Force’s fleet of navigation satellites beaming positioning and timing signals for military and civilian users around the globe.

The Space Force reserved the Vulcan rocket to introduce this spacecraft in 2023, when ULA wanted to start flying military satellites on its brand-new rocket by mid-2024. The Vulcan rocket is now set up to introduce its very first nationwide security objective around the middle of this year, following the Space Force’s accreditation of ULA’s brand-new launcher last month.

The “launch vehicle trade” permits the Space Force to introduce the GPS III SV-08 satellite from Cape Canaveral, Florida, as quickly as completion of May, according to a news release.

“Capability resting on the ground”

With Vulcan now cleared to introduce military objectives, authorities are enthusiastic ULA can increase the rocket’s flight cadence. Vulcan released on 2 presentation flights in 2015, and ULA ultimately wishes to introduce Vulcan two times monthly. ULA engineers have their work cut out for them. The business’s Vulcan stockpile now stands at 89 objectives, following the Space Force’s statement recently of 19 extra launches granted to ULA.

In 2015, the Pentagon’s primary acquisition authorities for area composed a letter to ULA’s owners—Boeing and Lockheed Martin— revealing issue about ULA’s capability to scale the production of the Vulcan rocket.

“Currently there is military satellite capability sitting on the ground due to Vulcan delays,” Frank Calvelli, the Pentagon’s chief of area acquisition, composed in the letter.

Vulcan might lastly be on the cusp of providing for the Space Force, however there are numerous military payloads in the line to release on Vulcan before GPS III SV-08, which was total and in storage at its Lockheed Martin factory in Colorado.

Col. Jim Horne, senior materiel leader of launch execution, stated in a declaration that the rocket swap showcases the Space Force’s capability to introduce in 3 months from call-up, compared to the normal preparation cycle of 2 years. “It highlights another instance of the Space Force’s ability to complete high-priority launches on a rapid timescale, which demonstrates the capability to respond to emergent constellation needs as rapidly as Space Vehicle readiness allows,” Horne stated.