Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design
Bradford Parkinson, the original manager of the NAVSTAR GPS development program and a Stanford professor emeritus of aeronautics and astronautics, will receive the 2016 Marconi Prize at a November 2 banquet and award ceremony during the Stanford PNT Symposium. The $100,000 prize, given annually, recognizes major advances in the field that benefit humanity.
By Inside GNSS
Four global navigation satellite systems are scheduled to be fully operational orbiting Earth in the coming years: the NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS) from the United States, the GLObal NAvigation Satellite System (GLONASS) from Russia, the Compass/BeiDou-2 System (BDS) from China, and Galileo from Europe. A considerably high number of signals, coming from the satellites of those constellations, will share the radio electric spectrum.
By Inside GNSS
Japan’s regional and augmentation positioning system, the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS), is a project yet to be developed. While it will become a constellation of seven satellites covering the western Pacific area, only “Michibiki,” the first satellite launched in 2010 for technological validation , is now in orbit.
By Ingo Baumann
The submission phase for the European Satellite Navigation Competition 2016 is going into extra time. Companies, research institutes and individuals from anyplace in the world have the chance to submit, complete or improve their ideas until 09:00 am (CEST) Monday, 11 July 2016 at www.esnc.eu.
By Inside GNSS
In February 2011, Russia launched the first satellite of the GLONASS-K1 series, i.e., SVN (space vehicle number) 801 (R26), which in addition to the legacy frequency division multiple access (FDMA) signals, for the first time was enabled to transmit code division multiple access (CDMA) signals on the GLONASS L3 frequency (1202.025 MHz). Later in 2014, the GLONASS program added SVNs 802 (R17) of series K1 and 755 (R21) of series M, and in 2016, SVN 751 of series M, with the capability of transmitting CDMA L3 signals to the constellation.
By Inside GNSS
The U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and the Department of Transportation (DoT) released a Federal Register notice today (July 5, 2016) announcing a reduction of the Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS).
The planned reduction calls for the shutdown and decommissioning of 37 DGPS sites, leaving 46 operational sites available to users in coastal areas. Termination of the NDGPS broadcasts is scheduled to occur on August 5, 2016.
By Inside GNSS
The U.S. Army will soon release new contracts and a post-Milestone B solicitation as part of its shift to a system of systems approach for making sure warfighters have the position, navigation, and timing (PNT) information they need regardless of issues with getting the GPS signal.
The Assured PNT (APNT) approach incorporates multiple sensors and an open architecture into an integrated whole that is resilient and easy to update, explained Kevin Coggins, the direct reporting program manager for PNT.
By Dee Ann Divis
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is moving forward to establish a backup for the position, navigation, and timing (PNT) information provided by GPS. This month the agency assumed the lead in a yearlong effort to specifically define the requirements for an alternative source of timing information to and released a solicitation for research to help protect critical infrastructure from timing disruption or spoofing.
By Inside GNSS
Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James declared a critical Nunn-McCurdy breach on the GPS Next-Generation Operational Control System (OCX) today (June 30, 2016).
After a December 2015 Program “Deep Dive,” Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Frank Kendall placed the OCX program under significant Department of Defense (DoD) oversight with quarterly reviews.
By Inside GNSS
A white paper published by the Chinese government earlier this month outlining the action plan for the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) and a press conference featuring the director of the BDS management office provided new details on the progress for China’s GNSS program.
By Inside GNSS
The most recently launched GLONASS-M satellite, (GC#753), was set healthy on Monday (June 27, 2016).
The satellite, designed and built by Academician M.F. Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems, was put into orbit on May 29. It replaces an eight-year-old satellite (GC#723) in orbital plane 2, slot 11. GC#723 has been placed in reserve status.
By Inside GNSS
A new dispenser for a modified Ariane 5 rocket, capable of carrier four satellites into middle Earth orbit, has passed an extended test campaign and approved for launch, removing a final hurdle for accelerating development of the Galileo constellation.
In development since 2012, the new launcher design evolved from the Ariane 5 ES (Evolution Storable) that is used to carry European Space Agency (ESA) automatic transfer vehicle (ATV) supply spacecraft into low Earth orbit.
By Inside GNSS
The Senate approved defense authorization legislation last week before heading out for weekend campaigning. The measure contains a provision the White House said would further delay completion of the already overdue next-generation GPS control system (OCX) by 6 to 12 months.
Senators passed their version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 on June 16, defying the White House, which had said June 7 it would veto the bill.
By Inside GNSS
