Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design
Racelogic Ltd., of Buckingham, United Kingdom, has introduced LabSat, a one-box system designed to record and replay real-world GPS data for use in designing and validating GPS products.
By Glen Gibbons
CSR imageMerger plans recently announced by CSR (Cambridge Silicon Radio) plc and SiRF Technology Inc. connote more than the evolving fortunes and common future of a Cambridge, UK–based Bluetooth and WiFi provider and a San Jose, California GPS manufacturer.
It reaffirms the emergence of mobile phone handsets as a dominant location platform, the convergence of wireless communications and positioning at the chip level, and the trend toward absorption by semiconductor manufacturers of independent GPS technology providers who offer only single-frequency solutions.
By Glen Gibbons
The last of three GLONASS satellites launched December 25 began broadcasting a healthy navigation signal today (February 12), according to the Russian Space Agency’s Information-Analytical Center, bringing Russia’s operational GNSS constellation to 20 spacecraft.
One satellite, space vehicle number (SVN) 701 launched more than five years ago, has been off-line and in “maintenance” status for the last month. Another spacecraft, SVN 722, is transmitting only in the GLONASS L1 band.
By Glen Gibbons
Raytheon Corporation executive William Lynn received an overwhelming vote of approval today (February 11, 2009) from the U.S. Senate to become the U.S. deputy secretary of defense. The 93 to 4 vote — with only four Republicans in opposition — did not reflect the considerable controversy surrounding Lynn’s nomination by President Obama.
By Glen Gibbons
GSG-L1Pendulum Instruments, of Stockholm, Sweden, has acquired the GSG-L1, a single-channel, single-frequency (L1) GPS signal generator, from Naviva, a Space Systems Finland (SSF) business unit.
The GSG-L1, which is designed for production test or R&D purposes, will be available for delivery in March. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
By Glen Gibbons
Broadcom Corporation has announced a combined GPS/FM/Bluetooth device — the BCM2075 — designed to provide location based services (LBS) and advanced multimedia in a single chip.
By Glen Gibbons
RF Micro Devices (RFMD), which last year announced plans to exit the GPS solutions business in order to focus on core semiconductor component opportunities, hasn’t abandoned the GNSS marketplace completely.
By Glen Gibbons
A 2008 version of the Federal Radionavigation Plan (FRP) has been published by the U.S. government, providing the latest documentation of the policy and plans for radionavigation systems used for positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) applications.
By Inside GNSS
EZ-Guide 500 VRATrimble has introduced a series of new products targeting the agriculture market where the company has been doing particularly well in recent years. These include an integrated display for manual or automated machine operation, a variable rate application (VRA) option for the company’s lightbar guidance system, and two new differential GPS receivers.
Trimble has introduced a series of new products targeting the agriculture market where the company has been doing particularly well in recent years. These include an integrated display for manual or automated machine operation, a variable rate application (VRA) option for the company’s lightbar guidance system, and two new differential GPS receivers.
The AgGPS FmX integrated display can operate as either a stand-alone manual guidance system or as part of an automated guidance, implement control or steering system. The FmX touch screen display is 12.1 inches, approximately 35 percent larger than the industry standard 10.4-inch screen, yet the display requires no more space in the cab than its predecessor, the AgGPS FieldManager, according to the company.
By Glen Gibbons
An official with China’s main space program contractor told China Central Television (CCTV) on January 18 that the country will complete a 30+ satellite Compass (Beidou) constellation by 2015.
By Glen Gibbons
NavX-NCSBlaupunkt GmbH, a leading automotive electronics manufacturer, has selected the NavX-NCS multiconstellation, multifrequency GNSS simulator from IfEN GmbH as the GPS reference for production testing of its car navigation systems.
The NavX-NCS RF constellation simulator supports all present and planned Galileo and GPS frequencies (E1/L1, L2C, E5AB/L5, E6) in one box, now including the composite binary offset carrier (CBOC) signal structure for the Galileo Open Service on E1.
By Glen Gibbons
The European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded Thales Alenia Space Italia (TAS-Italia) two contracts for development of Galileo ground station receiver equipment.
One contract is for Galileo In-Orbit Validation Element (GIOVE) phase A/B ground station receivers capable of tracking the multiplex binary offset carrier (MBOC) signal that is common to both the Galileo Open Service (OS) and the new GPS L1 civil signal, which will be transmitted beginning with the GPS III generation of satellites.
By Glen Gibbons
Edward M. MorrisEdward M. Morris, formerly executive director for the U.S. Office of Space Commercialization, Department of Commerce, has joined ITT Space Systems Division (SSD) as executive director of strategic business development.
In his new position, Morris will be responsible for strategic program and business development of GPS navigation systems and additional space-related capabilities.
By Glen Gibbons
