Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design
GSA Executive Director Rodrigo da Costa speaks to Inside GNSS about the transition into a new European Space Program Agency, EUSPA, and the new responsibilities that will bring to his staff.
By Peter Gutierrez
The European Commission awarded two contracts for 12 satellites — 6 satellites each — for a total of EUR €1.47 billion to ThalesAleniaSpace (Italy) and Airbus Defence & Space (Germany) following an “open competition.”
By Inside GNSS
TeleOrbit GmbH of Nuremberg, Germany, announced that it has implemented testing capability for Galileo’s Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) aboard the company’s GNSS Receiver with Open Software Interface (GOOSE).
By Inside GNSS
The European GNSS Agency (GSA) released a new Galileo Open Service Signal in Space Interface Control Document (OS SIS ICD), the second issue of this document geared towards GNSS receiver manufacturers. Although the modified signals are not yet broadcast by Galileo satellites, the ICD will allow GNSS receiver manufacturers to prepare for the improved signals, set for debut in 2023.
By Inside GNSS
Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) of Guildford, UK, shipped the last of the Galileo navigation payloads under its manufacture at the end of November 2020, the European Space Agency (ESA) stated. As a consequence of Brexit, the UK will no longer participate actively in Galileo.
By Inside GNSS
The European Union’s Enhanced Navigation in Space (ENSPACE project), coordinated by Qascom, announced significant progress in the development of a software GNSS solution that supports Galileo and is especially aimed at the rapidly growing small satellite market sector.
By Inside GNSS
According to a statement on the UK Government’s official website, as of January 1 the United Kingdom will cease participation in the European Galileo and European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service(EGNOS) programs. British citizens and other private users are not affected, apparently: “devices that currently use Galileo and EGNOS, such as smart phones, will continue to be able to do so.”
By Inside GNSS
Pursuant to the 6-hour Galileo system outage on December 14, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) issued an update stating that the “service incident,” while still under investigation, “is confirmed to be related to an abnormal behaviour of a ground atomic clock in the time determination function of the system.”
By Inside GNSS
On Monday, December 14, the EU’s Galileo program posted an official notice advising users that Galileo service was degraded on all satellites until further notice. Nominal service was then resumed about six hours later.
By Peter Gutierrez
The second of a two-part article explains how an initial system using existing Earth-GNSS constellations may be augmented with dedicated lunar orbiting satellites as well as lunar beacon ranging sources. A gradual deployment leads to a full autonomous lunar navigation system.
Alstom, a French rail rolling stock manufacturer, has integrated certified data fusion algorithms for fail-safe train localization, using position and speed of trains based on GNSS data coming from multiple constellations including Galileo.
By Inside GNSS
The European GNSS Agency (GSA) has started testing the Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) feature in the Galileo signals.
By Inside GNSS
In 2018, when the UK’s post-Brexit involvement in Galileo was still a point of contention between London and Brussels, UK ministers set aside £92m to study the feasibility of building a sovereign satellite-navigation system. Almost immediately, the UK Space-Based Positioning Navigation and Timing Program (SBPP) became something of a political football, or soccer ball if you prefer. Critics and supporters chimed in vehemently at any piece of news. Why an independent UK PNT system might be necessary remains a reasonable first question for some observers.
By Peter Gutierrez
