Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design
u-blox Holding AG has announced that Microsoft Corporation selected its latest positioning engine, u-blox 5, for a new “GPS Locator” USB stick.
The “GPS Locator” USB stick will be bundled with the next release of MapPoint 2009, Microsoft’s business travel and map software package, expected to be on the shelves in August 2008.
By Glen Gibbons
IEC TruTrak Evolution GPS Receiver
L-3 Interstate Electronics Corporation (IEC), based in Anaheim, California, has announced its latest miniaturized GPS receiver, the TruTrak Evolution.
A single-board, L1/L2 24-channel secure GPS receiver, the TruTrak Evolution consists of a security module, radio frequency down converter and I/O logic. The receiver employs IEC’s latest key data processor (KDP II) SAASM chipset in the XFACTOR module to provide enhanced GPS security.
By Glen Gibbons
Fairfax, Virginia–based defense contractor ArgonST has selected the MTi-G GPS-aided Attitude & Heading Reference System (AHRS) from Xsens Technologies, of Enschede, The Netherlands, to help fill a U.S. government contract for a new generation of reference motion trackers for use on a variety of air and ground vehicles.
By Glen Gibbons
From the perspective of consumers, the yearlong rise in commodity prices — from oil and natural gas to corn and wheat — has clouded the economic outlook. But for producers, including many GNSS manufacturers and service providers, those clouds have silver linings.
Recent financial reports from companies active in agricultural and natural resource markets bear this out. GNSS products used to guide and control equipment are in heavy demand as are real-time differential correction services, particularly those using global satellite-based systems.
By Glen Gibbons
Continuum soaks up the rays in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.A sleek-looking solar car built by a University of Michigan team was first across the finish line early in the afternoon of July 22 after a long, hot 10-day 2,400-mile (4,000 km) race from Plano, Texas to Calgary, Alberta. And once again GPS and satellite-based differential corrections play a key role.
This year, 15 solar-powered cars built by students from universities in the U.S., Canada, and Germany completed the 2008 North American Solar challenge.
Michigan has won five out of nine NASC races, held every other year since 1990.
By Inside GNSS
IEC’s TruTrak Evolution GPS ReceiverAlliant Techsystems Inc. (ATK) has announced its successful demonstration of the capability to divert a 105-millimeter (105mm) artillery round using its existing 155mm Precision Guidance Kit (PGK) with minimal modification to the current design.
By Glen Gibbons
The Boeing Company will use its new “pulse line” process for assembling satellites to build GPS Block IIF satellites for the U.S. Air Force.
Constructed at the company’s facility in El Segundo, California, the new process is expected to shorten the time needed to build a space vehicle and will eventually be implemented on all Boeing satellite production lines.
For the Block IIFs the new process will reduce the travel distance of a space vehicle from 12,000 feet to 10,000 feet, according to John Duddy, director of GPS programs for Boeing.
By Glen Gibbons
Neo FreeRunner (GPS chip, lower left, #3)Okay, they’re really serious about open source.
Mobile device manufacturer Openmoko has announced that it will publish the schematics for the company’s Neo 1973 and Neo FreeRunner mobile phones, further opening its mobile platform to the development community.
u-blox AG, Switzerland, maker of the GPS chip — the u- ANTARIS 4 ATR0635 — used in the Neo FreeRunner, endorsed Openmokos publishing the complete schematics for the GPS chip in the Neo FreeRunner phones.
By Glen Gibbons
Standard deviation of code multipath for Galileo signals transmitted by GIOVE-B. The two thicker lines show the L1BC modulations: BOC(1,1), light green, and CBOC (dark green).Initial results from observations of the Galileo GIOVE-B satellite conducted by researchers at the European Space Agency (ESA) and Septentrio Satellite Navigation indicate that the multiplex binary offset carrier (MBOC) modulation outperforms the BOC(1,1) modulation on the L1 (data + pilot channels) frequency in mitigating the effects of multipath or reflected signals.
By Glen Gibbons
UPDATED SEPTEMBER 10 2008: With replacement parts currently being manufactured for faulty components that have delayed launch plans, Air Force GPS program managers hope to get the final two modernized Block IIR satellites on orbit by the end of the year.
A tentative launch date of November 7 has been targeted for the Block IIR-20(M), which will carry a payload that includes an experimental L5 signal. If all goes well, the final IIR launch would take place by December 31.
By Glen Gibbons
ST-NXP Wireless, a new company bringing together key wireless operations of STMicroelectronics and NXP, will begin operations August 2 following completion of a deal announced earlier this year.
Owning thousands of communication and multimedia patents, the new joint venture will bring key technologies for UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) and for the emerging TD-SCDMA standard, as well as other cellular, multimedia and connectivity capabilities — including WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, FM radio, USB, and UWB (ultra-wideband).
By Glen Gibbons
Iridium Satellite LLC graphicThe Boeing Company has received a three-year, $153.5-million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to continue its efforts to augment GPS for military applications by exploiting the Iridium low earth orbit (LEO) communications satellite system.
By Glen Gibbons
LV100 Compass
Hemisphere GPS recently introduced two new products: the LV100 GPS Compass Board, an OEM format based on the company’s Crescent Vector technology, and the Air IntelliFlow Dual Rate controller for aerial applications.
