Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design
This is a very exciting and anxious time of year for boys and girls as they await the arrival of Santa Claus and his bag of toys. Fortunately, for those who need to know exactly when to expect this wonderful arrival, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) tracks Santa each year during the holiday season, using satellite systems and high-powered radars to deliver the Santa Tracker.
By Inside GNSS
UPDATE: According to SpaceX, the launch has been pushed back a second time. Initially the company had not selected a new launch date, but on Dec. 20 they stated that the new date was to be Dec. 22.
Here are some details from the SpaceX website published on Dec. 20:
SpaceX is now targeting December 22nd for launch of the United States Air Force’s first Global Positioning System III space vehicle (SV) from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. Weather is 80% favorable for the launch window which opens at 8:55 a.m. EST, 13:55 UTC.
For this mission, the satellite will be deployed to medium Earth orbit approximately 1 hour and 56 minutes after liftoff. Due to mission requirements, SpaceX will not attempt to land Falcon 9’s first stage after launch. You can watch the live launch webcast, starting about 15 minutes before liftoff.
By Inside GNSS
The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Standards (ATIS) sent a letter to multiple government officials at the end of last month asking them to “…mitigate the impacts of GPS vulnerability to the public.”
By Inside GNSS
During a discussion of PNT issues at a workshop on Dec. 11, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official mentioned that DHS was developing performance standards for GPS/GNSS receivers used in critical infrastructure.
By Inside GNSS
In addition to regularly expected updates for GPS systems and U.S. government activities, this week’s meeting of the National Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Advisory Board included discussions with industry representatives and officials from Europe.
By Inside GNSS
The National Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Advisory Board kicked off a two-day meeting in Redondo Beach, California this morning with James J. Miller, Executive Director, PNT Advisory Board, NASA Headquarters; John Stenbit, Chair, and Dr. Bradford Parkinson, 1st Vice-Chair, among those speaking at the opening of the sessions.
By Inside GNSS
The legal and privacy issues surrounding GPS investigations have come to the forefront around the globe in recent years. Recent court rulings in both Japan and the United States provide insights into the future. Here we summarize and examine a decision by the Japanese Supreme Court and relevant lower court’s decisions, as well compare the Japan decision and the mosaic theory from an earlier U.S. court decision.
By Ingo Baumann
The 2nd Space Operations Squadron took formal command of Architecture Evolution Plan 7.5, the largest GPS architectural change in operational history, after its successful installation at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado on Nov 16, 2018.
By Inside GNSS
Airgain Inc., with headquarters in San Diego and facilities around the globe, is offering Multimax FV 6-in-1 and 5-in-1 antennas.
The compact Multimax FV family is available in a range of configurations, supporting multi-constellation GNSS. The antennas also support up to dual MIMO LTE (including Band 14 for the FirstNet public safety network), 3×3 MIMO Wi-Fi or 2×2 MIMO Wi-Fi.
By Inside GNSS
Rockwell Collins has been selected by the U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (USAF AFLCMC) to provide its latest-generation Digital GPS Anti-Jam Receiver (DIGAR). With unsurpassed GPS threat protection levels, DIGAR receivers will bring highly-reliable navigation for U.S. Air National Guard and U.S. Air Force Reserve F-16 aircraft operating in contested, electromagnetic environments, according to Rockwell Collins. This will be the first combat fighter aircraft to be installed with the latest version of the receiver.
By Inside GNSS
UPDATED: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Nov. 15 unanimously approved waivers allowing the use of the Galileo E1 and E5 signals for non-federal purposes in the U.S. and denied the E6 signal waiver request. Approving the E6 waiver “could constrain our future spectrum management for non-Federal operations in the U.S.” the FCC wrote in the draft order document released ahead of the meeting.
By Dee Ann Divis
The Russian military jammed GPS signals during a major NATO military exercise in Norway between October 16 and November 7, according to multiple published reports this week. The military exercise involved thousands of U.S. and NATO troops, CNN reported, citing the Norwegian government.
By Stan Goff
The International Technical Symposium on Navigation and Timing (ITSNT) is an annual event organized by CNES (Centre national d’études spatiales) and ENAC (Ecole Nationale de l’Aviation Civile) for professionals and researchers working with or interested in navigation and timing technologies and their use. This year’s event is taking place this week, Nov. 13-16, in Toulouse, France, on the campus of ENAC.
By Inside GNSS
