Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design
With the first two Galileo in-orbit validation (IOV) spacecraft working well, the European Space Agency (ESA) has decided to end the mission of its pioneering GIOVE-A satellite that had long exceeded it original purpose and design life.
Meanwhile, with the next Galileo launch approaching, ESA has expanded its Radio Navigation Laboratory (RNL) to meet the testing needs of Europe’s GNSS program.
By Inside GNSS
Would-be operators of the European satellite-based augmentation system have until July 16 to submit requests to be able to compete for an eight-year contract through 2021.
By Inside GNSS
Time is short — the European Satellite Navigation Competition, aka Galileo Masters — is seeking the best GPS and GNSS applications ideas for this year’s contest. The deadline has been extended one week to Sunday, July 8.
By Inside GNSS
The Geo-Information Society of South Africa will hold its 2012 conference and exhibition, GISSA Ukubuzana*, on October 2, 3 and 4 at the Emperors Palace Convention Centre, Jones Road, Kempton Park in Gauteng. A free shuttle bus is available every 20 minutes from Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo (ORTIA) airport to the convention center.
The theme is "An African Dialogue: Geomatics for Infrastructure Development and Service Delivery."The keynote speaker will be Dean Angelides, ESRI’s corporate director for international operations.
By Inside GNSS
A seven day workshop on GNSS and Positioning for the Future will be held at a Jutland (North Sea) resort in Denmark from August 27 through September 2, 2012. It is open all those with an interest in satellite positioning and navigation but limited to the first 50 registered participants.
The workshop will cover GNSS basics, new satellite navigation systems, arctic navigation, intelligent transportation systems and environmental monitoring, with lectures by international experts in those fields. The program and full list of lecturers are available on the event website.
By Inside GNSS
Spirent Communications has announced the launch of its new eight-channel GSS6300M Multi-GNSS simulator designed for integration, verification, and production testing where a quick and accurate functional test is needed.
The platform supports simulation of signals from individual or combined GPS/SBAS, GLONASS, and Galileo constellations with up to 24 channels are supported with 8 channels of simulation per constellation.
The Royal Institute of Navigation will hold a new navigator seminar and networking opportunity at the University of Nottingham on June 14, 2012 for new navigators, engineers, scientists and surveyors who are seeking careers in the industry.
Masters and doctoral level students will present on navigation and positioning topics, advanced undergraduates and postdocs will be in attendance. A number of industry and government representatives will exhibit or attend to listen to new research and meet the new talent.
By Inside GNSS
As Desi Arnaz often said to Lucille Ball during an “I Love Lucy” episode on TV, “You’ve got some ’splaining to do.”
I refer, of course, to the untoward and unexpected initiative by the British Ministry of Defense (MoD) to patent the technical innovations that underlie the planned next generation of civil GNSS signals.
By Dee Ann Divis
Return to main Washington View article: "USPTO Nears Approval of Troubling British Patent on New GPS Civil Signal"
By Dee Ann Divis
A number of GNSS experts from the United States, Denmark, Norway and China will lead a weeklong workshop on the future of satellite-based positioning technologies from August 27 through September 2 at the Slettestrand Holiday Center in North Jutland, Denmark.
The topics range from GNSS basics and Intelligent Transportation Systems to new GNSSes, new receivers and indoor navigation as well as environmental monitoring and arctic navigation. The event is organized by Stanford and Aalborg universities.
By Inside GNSS
Q: How do GNSS-derived heights differ from other height systems?
A: Height estimation using GNSS always seems to be trickier than horizontal coordinate estimation.
Why?
On the one hand, the GNSS technique has error sources that are more critical in the vertical direction. Height estimates are weaker because of a combination of satellite geometry, the presence of strong correlations to other parameters, such as atmospheric delays, and the antenna phase center model applied during data analysis.
By Inside GNSS
Working Papers explore the technical and scientific themes that underpin GNSS programs and applications. This regular column is coordinated by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Günter Hein, head of Europe’s Galileo Operations and Evolution.
By Inside GNSS
