GPS

The GNSS Merry Go Round

The whole GNSS world should have a warm spot in its heart for centripetal forces.

After all, a centripetal force — in this case, gravity — is what keeps planets in rotation around our Sun and satellites, around the Earth.

Centrifugal force, of course, is what throws us off a merry-go-round or carousel. Centripetal force is what keeps us on board.

For those on a merry-go-round, the centripetal force is not gravity, but rather the tensile strength of our arms pulling us toward the center of rotation, at right angles to the motion of our seats.

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By Inside GNSS

More Than Money Worries

Navigation users may benefit from GPS modernization sooner than expected thanks to an apparent shift in the schedule of the modernized GPS ground control segment still under development.

The change means that full operational implementation of the new signals will come earlier in the delayed modernization of the operational control Segment (OCS).

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By Dee Ann Divis
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January 22, 2013

AFRL Selects Surrey Satellite US to Evaluate Small Satellite Approach to GPS

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has selected Surrey Satellite Technology US LLC (SST-US), of Englewood, Colorado, to investigate cost reduction and augmentation of the current GPS constellation through the application of a small satellite approach.

AFRL has contracted with SST-US to identify and analyze how small satellites can improve aspects of GPS system performance, such as accuracy, coverage, and robustness at costs far below those of past procurements.

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By Inside GNSS

2013 Geospatial World Forum

The 2013 Geospatial World Forum and industry exhibition will be held at the Beurs – World Trade Center in the international port city of Rotterdam on May 13-16.

This year’s theme is "Monetizing Geospatial Value and Practices." The keynote speakers are Chris Gibson, vice president of Trimble and Mark Reichardt, president and CEO of the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC).

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By Inside GNSS
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January 17, 2013

UK Drops Patent Efforts on GPS, GNSS Signal Design

Philip Dunne, UK Defense Minister for Equipment, Support, and Technology. Wikimedia Commons photo

The United States and United Kingdom announced today (January 17, 2013) that the British government would end its efforts to obtain patent or intellectual property (IP) rights related to GPS.

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By Inside GNSS
January 13, 2013

GPS Directorate Has Selected Command Successor

Col. William “Bill” Cooley

The U.S. Air Force appears to have identified a future leader of the GPS Directorate.

At a time yet to be determined, Col. William T. "Bill" Cooley will take up the role of Senior Materiel Leader at the Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition office for developing and producing GPS satellites, ground systems, and military user equipment.

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By Inside GNSS
January 12, 2013

GPS, Founders Garner More Awards

Brad Parkinson accepts Eduard-Rhein Foundation award in Munich, Germany. (Photo, SbphotodesigN – München)

The Global Positioning System and its founders continue to collect honors for the world’s original GNSS enterprise.

Last month, the Space and Missiles Systems Center (SMC) at Los Angeles Air Force Base accepted the donation of the Dr. Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy from Brad Parkinson, the original director of the GPS Joint Program Office (JPO) established in 1973.

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By Inside GNSS
January 8, 2013

Receiver standards? January 22 webinar discusses why, what and how

Do we need performance specs for GNSS user equipment design? For a long time, the signal-in-space interface guidelines provided enough technical guidance. But times have changed.

Over the past two years, the effort by LightSquared to persuade the FCC to allow it to operate high-powered terrestrial transmitters in frequencies adjacent to GPS focused attention on potential vulnerabilities of GNSS user equipment.

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By Inside GNSS
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