The ground system for the next generation of GPS satellites is being designed to automate various functions, which is especially important to the U.S. Air Force as it considers scaling back its corps of satellite operators.

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Mike Gruss is the chief content and strategy officer at SpaceNews. From 2013 to 2016 he was a senior reporter at SpaceNews covering military space. Previously, he was editor in chief of Sightline Media Group and worked as a reporter and columnist for...