1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,000 2 00:00:14,630 --> 00:00:17,469 Welcome to Acquiring Minds , where we 3 00:00:17,469 --> 00:00:19,350 break down how space acquisition 4 00:00:19,350 --> 00:00:21,190 empowers today's war fighter . 5 00:00:23,709 --> 00:00:26,530 In the contested space domain , speed 6 00:00:26,530 --> 00:00:29,620 is security . What if you had to 7 00:00:29,620 --> 00:00:32,139 replace a vital GPS satellite , not in 8 00:00:32,139 --> 00:00:35,630 2 years , but right now . The ability 9 00:00:35,630 --> 00:00:37,500 to launch critical assets isn't 10 00:00:37,500 --> 00:00:39,222 measured in years , but in our 11 00:00:39,222 --> 00:00:42,729 readiness to respond to a crisis . This 12 00:00:42,729 --> 00:00:44,930 was the question faced by US Space 13 00:00:44,930 --> 00:00:48,400 Force Space Systems Command . The 14 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:50,360 answer was the rapid Response 15 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:53,200 Trailblazer , an initiative to see just 16 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:55,700 how fast a complex national security 17 00:00:55,700 --> 00:00:57,380 launch could be executed . 18 00:00:59,759 --> 00:01:01,926 Launch is a critical and complex phase 19 00:01:01,926 --> 00:01:04,160 of acquisition that begins well before 20 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:06,599 a rocket goes vertical . There are many 21 00:01:06,599 --> 00:01:08,488 things that need to happen before 22 00:01:08,488 --> 00:01:10,655 liftoff , many partners involved , and 23 00:01:10,655 --> 00:01:12,377 many moving parts that must be 24 00:01:12,377 --> 00:01:14,510 coordinated and synchronized between 25 00:01:14,510 --> 00:01:16,699 our launch team and industry partners 26 00:01:16,879 --> 00:01:18,990 that provide both the payload and the 27 00:01:18,990 --> 00:01:22,300 launch vehicle . The first 28 00:01:22,300 --> 00:01:24,940 trailblazer mission shaved years off a 29 00:01:24,940 --> 00:01:27,339 typical launch mission , pulling a GPS 30 00:01:27,339 --> 00:01:29,459 3 satellite out of storage and 31 00:01:29,459 --> 00:01:31,930 launching it just 5 months later in 32 00:01:31,930 --> 00:01:35,019 December 2024 . Building on those 33 00:01:35,019 --> 00:01:37,440 lessons , the team did it again , 34 00:01:37,739 --> 00:01:40,180 proving the next GPS launch could go 35 00:01:40,180 --> 00:01:42,500 even faster by leveraging a mature 36 00:01:42,500 --> 00:01:44,860 re-flight program , payload adapter 37 00:01:44,860 --> 00:01:47,019 availability , existing mission 38 00:01:47,019 --> 00:01:49,650 analyses and processes , and responsive 39 00:01:49,650 --> 00:01:53,099 launch site processing . On May 30th , 40 00:01:53,199 --> 00:01:56,889 2025 , GPS 3 SVO8 was 41 00:01:56,889 --> 00:01:59,129 launched in just over 3 months from 42 00:01:59,129 --> 00:02:02,370 prep to liftoff . This wasn't just 43 00:02:02,370 --> 00:02:04,529 about setting a record . It was a 44 00:02:04,529 --> 00:02:06,680 powerful demonstration of our ability 45 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:08,736 to respond quickly to an operational 46 00:02:08,736 --> 00:02:10,958 need , like , for example , an on-orbit 47 00:02:10,958 --> 00:02:13,210 failure , ensuring the GPS 48 00:02:13,210 --> 00:02:15,266 constellation remains robust for our 49 00:02:15,266 --> 00:02:17,369 military and the 6 billion civilian 50 00:02:17,369 --> 00:02:19,480 users who depend on it for everything 51 00:02:19,649 --> 00:02:22,330 from global commerce to 911 services . 52 00:02:23,029 --> 00:02:25,490 With hardware that's ready , we deliver 53 00:02:25,789 --> 00:02:29,610 at speed . Now , Space Systems Command 54 00:02:29,610 --> 00:02:31,554 is investing in the infrastructure 55 00:02:31,554 --> 00:02:33,610 needed to make this launch cadence a 56 00:02:33,610 --> 00:02:35,666 new standard , awarding contracts to 57 00:02:35,666 --> 00:02:38,050 expand commercial processing facilities 58 00:02:38,050 --> 00:02:40,050 at the nation's eastern and western 59 00:02:40,050 --> 00:02:42,800 launch ranges . By proving they can 60 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:45,399 compress a complex launch campaign into 61 00:02:45,399 --> 00:02:47,800 months instead of years , the Space 62 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:50,880 Force is sending a clear signal . Our 63 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:53,039 joint force will have the space-based 64 00:02:53,039 --> 00:02:55,940 assets it needs when it needs them most .