Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design
A favorable GAO ruling discounted Congressional allegations that the FCC skipped a key legal step before granting Ligado’s controversial application. This positions the broadband company closer to its target and to ongoing interference with GPS signals.
By Dawn M.K. Zoldi (Colonel, USAF, Ret.)
The new GPS Military-Code (M-Code) Early Use (MCEU) hardware and software upgrade successfully took place on July 27 at the GPS Operational Control System (OCS) at the Master Control Station at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado and Alternate Master Control Stations at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
By Inside GNSS
Microchip Technology’s new time and frequency server with an embedded M-Code GPS receiver gives protection to military communication systems, radar and networks from the threats associated with intentional GPS jamming and spoofing, as well as cybersecurity risks to critical infrastructure.
By Inside GNSS
U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, announced that he has placed a hold on the nomination of Mike O’Rielly to a third term as Federal Communications Commision (FCC) Commissioner until O’Rielly publicly commits to vote to overturn the current Ligado Order.
By Inside GNSS
Raytheon Missiles & Defense selected Orolia’s rugged time and frequency system to support its Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) radar program, an advanced air and missile defense system.
By Inside GNSS
The UK Ministry of Defence Equipment and Support office tasked Raytheon to develop a prototype system to exploit assured and resilient position navigation and timing information derived from GNSS, according to a statement.
By Inside GNSS
Hackers exposed another vulnerable chink in U.S. national infrastructure over the weekend, in an attack on GPS manufacturer Garmin that began late Thursday, July 23. Although the cybersecurity strike, apparently aimed at extorting a ransom, did not explicitly include the GPS signal, it disabled two large GPS user communities: general aviation (private pilots and some larger commercial flight operators) and fitness enthusiasts. Both found their Garmin devices and apps unresponsive.
By Inside GNSS
After a successful launch on the afternoon of June 30, the third Lockheed Martin-built GPS III satellite now heads to orbit under its own propulsion. The satellite has separated from its rocket and is using onboard power to climb to its operational orbit, approximately 12,550 miles above the Earth.
By Inside GNSS
Five organizations representing thousands of companies and millions of Americans have launched a new coalition to protect end users of GPS, following the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) April 22 decision to permit Ligado Networks to operate a terrestrial wireless network using its satellite spectrum.
By Inside GNSS
Microchip Technology Inc. has released a software update for its BlueSky GNSS Firewall product, providing a higher level of resiliency against GPS vulnerabilities for systems dependent on GPS signal reception. Such critical infrastructure systems include power utilities, financial services, mobile networks and transportation, all relying on GPS-delivered timing to ensure ongoing operations.
By Inside GNSS
The U.S. Department of Defense awarded a $1.7 million contract to Orolia Defense and Security for multiple BroadSim advanced GPS simulator systems for testing facilities and field test assets.
By Inside GNSS
Swift Navigation has completed a 6,600-mile cross-country drive test measuring the efficacy of its Skylark cloud corrections service and demonstrating nationwide lane-level GNSS correction coverage at the accuracy, reliability and availability levels required by its customers.
By Inside GNSS
A group of Stanford Ph.D. and Masters graduates, with work experience among them at SpaceX, Ford Motor Systems, Blue Origin, Booz Allen Hamilton and other firms, has launched a start-up to start up a low-Earth orbit successor to GPS and other GNSS. The existing services, they say, are not up to the challenges of autonomy. They founded Xona Space Systems to supplant the venerable satnav systems.
By Inside GNSS
