Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design
In an Android developers’ blog post titled “Improving urban GPS accuracy for your app,” satnav expert and a principal engineer at Google Frank van Diggelen reports that the company has addressed “the last great unsolved GPS problem”: the wrong-side-of-the-street position error.
By Inside GNSS
On Monday, December 14, the EU’s Galileo program posted an official notice advising users that Galileo service was degraded on all satellites until further notice. Nominal service was then resumed about six hours later.
By Peter Gutierrez
As 2020 comes to a close, the Ligado Networks LLC’s (Ligado) mobile satellite services (MSS) project remains at a standstill. While actions in the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) proceedings in the case have stagnated, Congressional action, funds and filings have flowed.
By Dawn M.K. Zoldi (Colonel, USAF, Ret.)
The Space and Missile Systems Center’s (SMC) Production Corps gained Operational Acceptance of GPS Military-Code (M-Code) Early Use (MCEU) in November, and the first sale of M-code equipment to a U.S. ally abroad was made in September.
By Inside GNSS
The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) has been accepted as a component of the World Wide Radio Navigation System (WWRNS) for operation in the Indian Ocean Region by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
By Inside GNSS
China’s BeiDou satellite navigation system has passed an assessment of critical standardization work at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) reported, citing the Chinese civil aviation authority and China Satellite Navigation Office.
By Inside GNSS
The second of a two-part article explains how an initial system using existing Earth-GNSS constellations may be augmented with dedicated lunar orbiting satellites as well as lunar beacon ranging sources. A gradual deployment leads to a full autonomous lunar navigation system.
Alstom, a French rail rolling stock manufacturer, has integrated certified data fusion algorithms for fail-safe train localization, using position and speed of trains based on GNSS data coming from multiple constellations including Galileo.
By Inside GNSS
Ten companies active in positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) have formed the Open PNT Industry Alliance. The coalition seeks to fortify economic and national security by supporting government efforts to accelerate the implementation of backup PNT capabilities for critical infrastructure.
By Inside GNSS
Japan’s new Centimeter Level Augmentation Service (CLAS) now broadcasts a signal for nationwide open PPP-RTK service in Japan, providing centimeter positioning accuracy in a minute.
By Inside GNSS
The United States Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) uses Hexagon | NovAtel technologies, including reference receivers and signal generators, to provide the accuracy and integrity necessary to safely operate civil aircraft. Here’s a look at the updated technologies and how they enable GPS as a safety of life service for aviation.
The European GNSS Agency (GSA) has started testing the Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) feature in the Galileo signals.
By Inside GNSS
In 2018, when the UK’s post-Brexit involvement in Galileo was still a point of contention between London and Brussels, UK ministers set aside £92m to study the feasibility of building a sovereign satellite-navigation system. Almost immediately, the UK Space-Based Positioning Navigation and Timing Program (SBPP) became something of a political football, or soccer ball if you prefer. Critics and supporters chimed in vehemently at any piece of news. Why an independent UK PNT system might be necessary remains a reasonable first question for some observers.
By Peter Gutierrez
