Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design
EquationsWorking Papers explore the technical and scientific themes that underpin GNSS programs and applications. This regular column is coordinated by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Günter Hein, head of Europe’s Galileo Operations and Evolution.
By Inside GNSS
The past 15 years have witnessed tremendous developments of new and modernized satellite-based navigation (satnav) systems, including GNSSs, regional systems, and space-based augmentation systems (SBASs). These have been enabled by the original designs of GPS and GLONASS and, in turn, have stimulated the design of satnav signal structures with different characteristics from those pioneer systems.
By Inside GNSS
Abstracts are due on July 14 for next spring’s 2014 IEEE Aerospace Conference.
It will be held at the Yellowstone Conference Center in Big Sky, Montana from March 1 through 7.
Track 4 is of particular interest to readers of Inside GNSS. It covers Communication and Navigation Systems and Technologies. The track chairs are Phil Dafesh, The Aerospace Corporation and Shiley Tseng, a systems engineer and consultant on satellite and terrestrial high-performance networks.
By Inside GNSS
Specifically designed for those attending the 2013 Institute of Navigation GNSS conference, this four-day course will take place before that event on Friday, September 13; Saturday, September 14; Monday, September 16 and Tuesday, September 17 in Nashville, Tennessee.
It will be taught by Dr. John Betz, the MITRE Corporation.
This course requires a solid background in GPS and familiarity with basic signal processing techniques and engineering mathematics.
By Inside GNSS
Doctoral-level graduate students and early-career engineers, researchers and instructors from Japan and the rest of the world will meet at a weeklong summer seminar this August in Tokyo, sponsored by the Institute of Positioning, Navigation and Timing of Japan.
The summer school will take place in from August 19 through August 24 at the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology (TUMSAT). Classes wil be held in English.
The IRNSS-1A spacecraft. ISRO photoIndia’s Space Research Organization (ISRO) reports that its first Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System satellite (IRNSS-1A), has reached geosynchronous orbit and all subsystems are operating normally.
The spacecraft was launched July 1 on board a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C22, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. This is the twenty third consecutively successful mission of PSLV.
By Inside GNSS
Nikolay Testoyedov, Information Satellite Systems – Reshetnev CompanyRussia reportedly will launch two GLONASS-M satellites this summer to compensate for the loss of a trio of the nation’s GNSS spacecraft in a July 2 failure of a Proton launch with three GLONASS-Ms on board.
By Inside GNSS
A special commission conducting a criminal investigation into the failed attempt on Tuesday (July 2, 2013) to place three GLONASS satellites into orbit is looking at premature launch as a likely cause of the Proton-M rocket crash.
Citing an unnamed space industry source, the official RIA Novosti news agency said that the commission, headed by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, is also considering other possible scenarios surrounding the botched launch at the Baikonur space facility in Kazahkstan.
By Inside GNSS
The 2013 European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC) is about to close to new submissions of GNSS application ideas, but organizers have decided to extend the deadline until midnight on Sunday, July 7.
The ESNC prize pool is worth about €1 million, which includes cash prizes, business incubation, coaching, patent consulting, prototyping and marketing support, access to customers and user communities, and publicity.
By Inside GNSS
In a set of decisions that could potentially slow GPS modernization both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees this week slashed funding for the civil community’s contribution to the GPS system from the Fiscal Year 2014 (FY14) budget.
The House eliminated the entire amount of the White House budget request for $20 million, which is paid through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Senate cut a mere $5 million — 25 percent of what had been the requested.
By Inside GNSS
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has released an abbreviated fact sheet and a summary report on its evaluation of the risks to U.S. critical infrastructure from GPS disruptions.
The unsurprising “bottom line,” as the public summary put it: “U.S. critical infrastructure sectors are increasingly at risk from a growing dependency on GPS for positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services. Such dependencies are not always apparent.”
By Inside GNSS
Averna RP-5300 record & playback systemAverna announced today (June 27, 2013) that the European Space Agency (ESA) has selected the company’s record and playback solution for signal analysis and monitoring of Galileo satellites.
By Inside GNSS
The European GNSS Agency (GSA) has announced the award of an eight-year, €450 million (US$585.4 million) EGNOS Service Provision (ESP) contract to ESSP, the European Satellite Services Provider.
ESSP has provided EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service) services since 2009 under the current contract with the European Commission, which continues until the end of this year. The new contract will cover the period 2014-2021 (inclusive).
By Inside GNSS
