Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design
In its first GLONASS-M launch in more than a year, Russia lifted a satellite into orbit yesterday (3:21 a.m. Moscow time, February 7, 2016) from the Pletsetsk Cosmodrome, after being postponed from December.
GLONASS-M #51 (GLONASS constellation designation #751) will replace a 10-year-old satellite (GC#714) that ceased operations last October in slot 17, orbital plane 3 of the constellation.
By Inside GNSS
The 12th and final GPS Block IIF satellite lifts off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. United Launch Alliance photoThe U.S. Air Force and its mission partners successfully launched the 12th Boeing-built GPS IIF satellite aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) from Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, at 8:38 a.m. EST today (February 5, 2016).
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) said yesterday (February 2, 2016) that the recent decommissioning of a GPS satellite led to difficulties for listeners receiving digital radio signals.
In a response to the reported issues, the BBC said: "The outages were caused by a rogue GPS satellite (SVN23), which was taken out of service in the evening of 26 January."
By Inside GNSS
Lockheed Martin announced today (February 3, 2016) that the first GPS III satellite successfully completed system-level Thermal Vacuum (TVAC) testing on December 23, validating the design of the entire assembled satellite.
TVAC is a rigorous test designed to prove a satellite’s integrity and operational capabilities by subjecting it to prolonged cycles of simulated space temperature extremes in a special depressurized chamber.
Ran Chengqi, director of the China Satellite Navigation Office[Updated February 5, 2016] China successfully completed its first BeiDou launch of the year, lifting a new-generation satellite into orbit yesterday (February 1, 2016) and adding to its 17 operational spacecraft in the nation’s GNSS constellation.
The fifth of the new series, the middle-Earth-orbiting (MEO) satellite will join its four predecessors in testing inter-satellite crosslinks and a new navigation payload that will set the framework and technical standards for global coverage, according to the Xinhua state news agency.
By Inside GNSS
First GPS III satellite in acoustic testing last fall. Lockheed Martin photoHarris Corporation has announced that it will offer an all-digital navigation payload for GPS Block III space vehicles (SV) 11 and beyond.
By Inside GNSS
The fourth IEEE international conference on Ubiquitous Positioning, Indoor Navigation and Location-Based Services (UPINLBS 2016) will take place on November 3 – 4, 2016 in Shanghai, China.
UPINLBS 2016 will feature technical papers and presentations on a variety of topics such as:
By Inside GNSS
Baudis conference center, ToulouseThe 5th Toulouse Space Show will take place June 28 – 30, 2016 at the Pierre Baudis Congress Centre in Toulouse, France.
Online registration is available.
The trade show / B2B forum is entirely focused on the space supply chain, space applications and space infrastructures. The event program includes an international exhibition, conference and prearranged B2B meetings, with technical parallel sessions and networking events.
By Inside GNSS
The Hague, The NetherlandsThe second Unmanned Systems Expo (TUSExpo) will take place February 2 – 4, 2016 at the World Forum in The Hague, The Netherlands.
Online registration is available.
The TUSExpo will include a conference, trade exhibition, business platform and matchmaking program, with the aim of bringing together European and global companies from the entire Unmanned Systems supply chain with customers and end-users.
By Inside GNSS
Less than a month after Europe switched off most of its Loran transmitters, a problem with GPS satellite timing signal triggered alarms across the continent and caused an unknown number of outages, including the disruption of some features of critical infrastructure.
By Inside GNSS
U.S. Senator John McCainIf approved, legislation halting the use of a Russian rocket engine could force delays in the launch of U.S. military satellites, including, potentially, GPS III spacecraft planned for launch beginning next year.
The bill, introduced this week by Sen. John McCain R-Arizona, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-California, would ban the use of Russian RD-180 rocket engines for the evolved expendable launch vehicle program (EELV).
By Inside GNSS
A couple of GPS anomalies struck yesterday (January 26, 2016), one systemic and the other delaying launch of the final Block IIF satellite.
By Inside GNSS
ESA’s Johann-Dietrich WörnerESA renewed its New Year’s tradition, briefing the news media on January 15 at the European Space Agency headquarters in Paris, with the agency’s new director general, Johann-Dietrich Wörner, presiding for the first time..
The contrast with his predecessor, the well-liked Jean-Jacques Dordain, is clear but not stark. Wörner is a bit more whimsical than Dordain, but not too much. His presentation features a few more cartoons, he makes a few more jokes, and there is a picture of the Star Trek (Next Generation) crew to make us chuckle.
By Inside GNSS
