The single-feed stacked patch design supports simultaneous L1 and L5 reception without the complexity of multi-feed architectures. Dual-band operation reduces multipath interference, improving positioning reliability in complex RF environments. The antenna achieves peak gain of up to 1.5 dBi, approximately 50 percent efficiency across both bands, and an axial ratio of around 4 dB, providing stable right-hand circular polarization and consistent positioning performance. It is optimized for GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, and BeiDou.

Two variants are available. The passive GVLB208.A uses a pin-mount configuration compatible with standard PCB designs, with optimal performance on a 70 x 70 mm ground plane. The active AGVLB208.A adds onboard electronics and filtering and ships with a 1.13 mm micro-coax cable and I-PEX MHF I connector for direct integration with current multiband GNSS modules.

Target applications include UAVs, autonomous delivery robots, telematics, and fleet management — use cases where high-precision positioning is required but form factor constraints limit antenna options.

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The P8 sits at the top of the G5 tier structure, distinguished by Septentrio’s AIM+ Ultimate interference mitigation — a step above the AIM+ Premium protection on the P6 released at XPONENTIAL earlier this month. Beyond interference rejection, the module delivers situational awareness data combining spoofing indicators with power and frequency information that operators can use to help localize jamming sources.

The design also emphasizes integrity: the module is built to ensure truthful positioning and reporting, with automatic sensor switching during GNSS disruptions in heavily compromised environments. Secure communication with input and output authentication guards against unauthorized access and data interception.

The P8 shares the G5 family’s 23 x 16 mm footprint and 2.2-gram weight. It supports open-source autopilots PX4 and ArduPilot for drone integration, and an evaluation kit with direct autopilot connections is available through Septentrio’s RxTools interface. Septentrio began volume shipments of the broader G5 line last October.

Septentrio, part of Hexagon, is demonstrating the mosaic-G5 P8 at SOF Week in Tampa this week, booth 609.

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The release encompasses 72 products drawn from 15 GNSS RO receivers or receiver constellations, processed at four independent processing centers. Missions represented include COSMIC, CHAMP, GRACE, METOP, TanDEM-X, TerraSAR-X, and KOMPSAT, alongside commercial data providers Spire and PlanetIQ. Data from EUMETSAT’s ROM SAF, JPL, and UCAR are also included.

The standardization effort addresses a longstanding friction point in RO data use: independent retrieval and processing centers have historically produced outputs with differing variable sets, complicating multi-source analysis. The new version 2.0 products give those datasets a common structure across Level 1b through Level 2b processing — from calibrated phase and orbit data through high-resolution bending angle and refractivity profiles to temperature, pressure, and humidity retrievals.

Version 1.1 of the products remains available through the AWS Registry of Open Data. The algorithm was developed with support from NASA’s ACCESS 2019 program and the NASA Supplements for Open Science Support. Full documentation is available via the README and Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document on NASA Earthdata.

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The deal adds 44 antennas to Intuitive Machines’ space-to-ground network and brings in Goonhilly’s Lunar and Deep Space Communications, Commercial Satcom, and Defense and Security divisions.

The acquisition is aimed squarely at building an integrated, end-to-end network for communications, data transport, and position, navigation, and timing services across low Earth orbit, lunar, and cislunar environments. Goonhilly’s assets include the 32-meter GHY6 antenna and the cryogenically cooled 30-meter GHY3, with multiband support across X-, S-, and Ka-/Ku-band frequencies. Its strategic location in Cornwall expands Earth-viewing arc coverage for lunar and deep-space contact windows.

“Customers have been clear that they want a single, integrated, and resilient solution for their communications and PNT needs as they accelerate missions at an unprecedented pace,” said Steve Altemus, co-founder and CEO of Intuitive Machines.

The transaction follows Intuitive Machines’ January acquisition of Lanteris Space Systems (formerly Maxar Space Systems) for approximately $800 million and a subsequent $175 million strategic equity investment. The company reported record Q1 2026 revenue and raised its full-year guidance to $900 million–$1 billion, with a backlog of $1.1 billion. Intuitive Machines was also recently selected for the Air Force’s $1.8 billion Andromeda contract vehicle for space domain awareness.

Goonhilly will retain its UK identity and Cornwall base as a wholly owned subsidiary. The transaction requires approval under the UK National Security and Investment Act 2021 and from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, with close expected in Q3 2026.

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The award was issued by SpaceWERX, the innovation arm of the United States Space Force, and jointly funded by the Small Business Innovation Research program and the Commercial Space Office. 

TACFI awards are typically valued at around $2 million and usually require a private capital match. In this case, SpaceWERX provided the full $4 million, with no matching investment required from TrustPoint. CEO and founder Patrick Shannon described the award as a demand signal from the government for C-band GNSS from LEO. 

Under the contract, TrustPoint will design, deploy, and operate a fully integrated PNT system comprising four satellites and four ground stations, delivering a complete operational architecture including live trilateration across multiple space and ground assets. TrustPoint currently has three single satellites in orbit as early technology demonstrators; the four-satellite constellation funded by the TACFI will demonstrate the full operational capability. 

The technical approach centers on C-band rather than the L-band frequencies used by GPS. The combination of low-orbit satellites and higher-frequency transmissions is intended to improve resistance to interference. The system also incorporates a software-defined navigation architecture designed to adapt in contested or degraded environments, supporting both military and commercial users seeking resilient alternatives to GPS. 

Shannon emphasized that the demonstration is also intended to prove the capability can be deployed at a fraction of the cost of traditional systems, using microsat-class buses in the 10-kilogram range. “You can build a microsat-class bus in the 10 kilogram range and get the mission done and that lays the groundwork to build a lot of these in an affordable way,” he said, noting benefits for replenishment strategy and launch cadence. 

Initial system deployments are expected within 12 months, establishing a rapid deployment model designed to scale to larger constellations. 

The TACFI follows a series of earlier SpaceWERX awards to TrustPoint. Inside GNSS previously covered the company’s January 2026 ground-to-space time-transfer demonstration under the SpaceWERX AltPNT Challenge, as well as the $1.9 million Phase II SBIR award announced in February. The TACFI represents the largest single government contract TrustPoint has received to date and the first to fund a multi-satellite operational demonstration.

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Iridium is an existing owner of Aireon and will acquire the remaining 61% of equity interests for a purchase price of approximately $366.7 million from NAV CANADA, AirNav Ireland, ENAV, NATS, and Naviair. 

The purchase price will be paid in two equal installments, half at closing and the remainder one year later. Iridium will also assume approximately $155 million of Aireon debt as part of the transaction. The deal is targeted to close in early July. 

The Aireon system, certified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, currently tracks an average of 190,000 flights per day with 100% global coverage, with ANSPs covering more than 50% of global airspace relying on Aireon data. The system captures ADS-B signals broadcasting aircraft identity, position, altitude, speed, and heading in real time. 

Taking over Aireon would give Iridium full control of a business that includes GPS jamming and spoofing detection, alongside real-time and historical flight data. Iridium also boasts PNT capabilities designed to keep GPS-dependent systems functioning in contested environments, and its value-added manufacturers in aviation are already exploring ways to bring an additional layer of safety to the flight deck by using Iridium PNT in avionics to complement and protect GPS.

Iridium frames the acquisition as a defining step in its strategy to provide the foundational architecture for global aviation safety, consolidating space-based surveillance, safety communications, PNT, and operational data onto a single network. Among the next steps Iridium has indicated is the future introduction of space-based VHF communications. A space-based VHF initiative, aimed at relieving VHF congestion using satellite links, had been a project Iridium and Aireon had each been pursuing on parallel tracks. 

Iridium expects Aireon to add at least $100 million of consolidated annual service revenue and $30 million of OEBITDA. Aireon’s total revenue grew at a 10% compound annual growth rate over the past three years. The transaction also extends commercial partnerships with NAV CANADA and NATS through 2035 and beyond. 

Aireon will continue business-as-usual operations in the near term, with no planned changes to business strategy. 

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The module measures 23 mm by 16 mm and weighs 2.2 grams, continuing the mosaic family’s SWaP-constrained design philosophy. In addition to high-accuracy positioning, the module provides heading and pitch or heading and roll angles, suited to autonomous navigation applications. 

Single or dual antenna configurations are supported for GNSS heading, enabling orientation and motion control in autonomous machinery, robotics, and precision guidance systems. Users can tune the balance between accuracy and signal availability, and the module supports Galileo High Accuracy Service out of the box, providing decimeter-level positioning without additional configuration. 

On the resilience side, the mosaic-G5 P6 includes AIM+ Premium functionality with enhanced jamming and spoofing protection, offering narrow and wideband resilience and OSNMA authentication in demanding RF environments. 

The module is compatible with open-source autopilots PX4 and ArduPilot, as well as ROS, for integration into robotic and drone systems. The mosaic-go G5 P6 evaluation kit supports testing with direct autopilot connections, and the free RxTools user interface assists with setup and evaluation. 

“By extending the mosaic family with mosaic-G5 P6, we are bringing an all-in-one module offering accuracy, resilience, and flexibility for demanding industrial applications,” said Yasmine Hunter, product manager at Septentrio.

Septentrio is exhibiting at XPONENTIAL in Detroit through May 14 at booth #37030.

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The enclosure combines the Trimble PX-1 RTX with a Calian AC4990ECF full-band Accutenna 4 (AC4) antenna element in a single drop-in package. The Calian antenna incorporates the company’s eXtended Filtering (XF) technology, which applies tight filtering around GNSS bands — to -80 dB — to reject out-of-band interference from LTE, WiFi, Bluetooth, and Ligado signals. The XF+ variant isolates upper and lower band gain paths to prevent jamming saturation across both.

The PX-1 RTX itself combines Trimble’s CenterPoint RTX corrections with compact GNSS-inertial hardware, delivering real-time centimeter-level positioning and precise true heading. The system is designed to support tighter control during takeoff and landing in obstructed environments and to reduce reliance on magnetic sensors.

“Bypassing lengthy development cycles provides an edge in today’s highly dynamic UAV landscape,” said Joe Hutton, director of Applanix airborne products at Trimble. “Removing board-level integration challenges like RF interference and mechanical noise, and incorporating a high-performance, state-of-the-art GNSS antenna element from Calian, this drop-in positioning solution enables our customers to integrate real-time centimeter positioning into their products in weeks instead of months.”

The smart antenna enclosure option is expected to be available through Trimble Applanix sales channels in Q3 2026.

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Unveiled April 16, the receiver integrates a dual-constellation GNSS processor handling military satellite signals alongside Galileo Public Regulated Service and civilian GPS, an adaptive Controlled Radiation Pattern Antenna for anti-jamming, and a high-performance clock for timing holdover. Thales describes it as the most compact solution of its type currently on the market.

The CRPA enables the receiver to operate up to 30 times closer to a jamming source than a conventional GPS unit — a capability Thales says provides a decisive advantage in environments where jamming systems are now fielded routinely rather than by specialist units alone. The onboard clock sustains tactical radio synchronization for up to 48 hours following GNSS signal loss, compared with roughly 30 minutes in conventional equipment.

The system is assembled at Thales’s facility in Valence, France, and is available for testing in operational conditions. It falls within the company’s OMEGA-backed production ramp — a €55 million investment across Valence and Châtellerault announced last year, with mass production of TopStar-M receivers and TopShield anti-jamming systems slated to begin at Valence this year.

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The two-year effort falls under the Urgent Compass programme.

Team Elaris comprises QinetiQ, UrsaNav, Roke, and GMV — bringing together U.S. and European PNT expertise across deployable and fixed eLoran architectures. Work completed under the programme will inform future demonstration, production, and deployment packages. The contract extends QinetiQ’s existing engagement with the MoD on assured PNT, which also includes the Robust Global Navigation System programme — a separate component of the UK’s broader resilient PNT strategy.

The MoD framed the award around the growing threat of GNSS jamming and spoofing in battlefield environments, noting that a compromised satellite navigation signal can result in misdirected troop movements or incorrectly guided munitions. Urgent Compass is specifically designed to explore eLoran solutions that can be rapidly deployed to contested locations worldwide.

eLoran — a modernized, high-accuracy evolution of the Cold War-era Loran-C system — operates on low-frequency terrestrial signals that are significantly more difficult to jam or spoof than GNSS, and can provide independent timing and positioning when satellite access is denied or degraded.

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