Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design
U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, announced that he has placed a hold on the nomination of Mike O’Rielly to a third term as Federal Communications Commision (FCC) Commissioner until O’Rielly publicly commits to vote to overturn the current Ligado Order.
By Inside GNSS
Raytheon Missiles & Defense selected Orolia’s rugged time and frequency system to support its Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) radar program, an advanced air and missile defense system.
By Inside GNSS
The UK Ministry of Defence Equipment and Support office tasked Raytheon to develop a prototype system to exploit assured and resilient position navigation and timing information derived from GNSS, according to a statement.
By Inside GNSS
Hackers exposed another vulnerable chink in U.S. national infrastructure over the weekend, in an attack on GPS manufacturer Garmin that began late Thursday, July 23. Although the cybersecurity strike, apparently aimed at extorting a ransom, did not explicitly include the GPS signal, it disabled two large GPS user communities: general aviation (private pilots and some larger commercial flight operators) and fitness enthusiasts. Both found their Garmin devices and apps unresponsive.
By Inside GNSS
Britain has signed a £900 million ($1.135 billion) deal to buy a part share of satellite operator OneWeb, a low-Earth orbit constellation in-the-making, designed to provide global high-speed broadband services. There had been speculation that the government intended thereby to generate its own satellite-based navigation signals, as it has been shut out of Galileo security signals by its Brexit move. Some satnav experts quickly dashed that notion, but others demonstrated that it just may be possible.
By Inside GNSS
MEMS has moved into the high-end market, and the latest disruptor to take into account is silicon MEMS. That’s micro-electromechanical systems based in silicon chips, for short. Accelerometers with up to 100g range and 70µg bias in a very small form factor — 6 cubic centimeters — are exploding the horizons for inertial applications.
By Inside GNSS
After a successful launch on the afternoon of June 30, the third Lockheed Martin-built GPS III satellite now heads to orbit under its own propulsion. The satellite has separated from its rocket and is using onboard power to climb to its operational orbit, approximately 12,550 miles above the Earth.
By Inside GNSS
Five organizations representing thousands of companies and millions of Americans have launched a new coalition to protect end users of GPS, following the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) April 22 decision to permit Ligado Networks to operate a terrestrial wireless network using its satellite spectrum.
By Inside GNSS
The U.S. Department of Defense awarded a $1.7 million contract to Orolia Defense and Security for multiple BroadSim advanced GPS simulator systems for testing facilities and field test assets.
By Inside GNSS
A new magnetic anomaly navigation technique (MAGNAV), researched by the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), will get its wings tested aboard F-16 fightercraft this September. In an effort seeking alternatives to GPS and GNSS, MAGNAV sensors and software will be flown on Air Force Test Pilots School (AFTPS) F-16s over a test range adjacent to Edwards Air Force Base in Nevada.
By Inside GNSS
The U.S. Air Force updated the GPS Standard Positioning System (SPS) Performance Standard (PS) in mid-April, 2020, the first new Performance Standard document since 2008. It includes mention of and pre-Initial Operating Capability (IOC) performance standards for the new civil GPS signals L2C and L5 for the first time. In another new feature, the document mentions “expanded capabilities which allow the total size of operational constellation to grow beyond the previous maximum of 32 Navstar satellites” for “more robust constellation availability to enhance the overall SPS SIS performance.”
By Inside GNSS
The Federal Communications Commission ignored a technical standard defining radio-frequency interference. The five commissioners licensed powerful terrestrial broadcast next to the satellite band, exposing national defense and critical infrastructure to harm.
The Federal Communications Commission should really consider updating its motto. “Firm, fast, flexible, and fair” has a bit of an old-fashioned ring. As mottos go, it fails to keep up with the times.
By Alan Cameron
