Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design
A variety of organizations are cooperating to assess and address GPS-related vulnerabilities in the country’s critical infrastructure (CI). From receiver testing opportunities to community briefings and workshops the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plus other civil agencies, industry groups and experts are working through options looking for the best way forward.
By Dee Ann Divis
Harris Corporation has been awarded three multi-award IDIQ contracts with ceilings totaling $1.5 billion to provide the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) with geospatial data services for up to 10 years.
Harris will create, manage and disseminate high-quality geospatial-intelligence (GEOINT) information for use by the U.S. intelligence community and military worldwide under contracts that cover all three areas of NGA’s JANUS program – geography, imagery and elevation.
By Inside GNSS
The Military Division of the Institute of Navigation (ION) will host the 2018 Joint Navigation Conference (JNC 2018) for the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security this summer in Long Beach, California. The theme of this year’s conference will be: Positioning, Navigation and Timing Technologies: The Foundation for Military Ops and Homeland Security.
By Inside GNSS
Atos recently announced the launch of ProUST univerSAS (Protection Unit for Satellite Testing), its lightweight, compact satellite power testing system designed to improve high-volume satellite production by increasing the speed and efficiency of testing, while maintaining the industry’s quality and safety standards.
ProUST univerSAS is the first product following Atos’ recent acquisition of Siemens Convergence Creators (CVC), resulting in reinforced capabilities in the space market. The product is the latest addition toAtos’ integrated suite of electrical satellite testing solutions – EGSE (Electrical Ground Support Equipment) – which ensures that satellites’ systems are in optimum condition in order to work flawlessly during their entire lifespan in-orbit.
The ProUST univerSAS is a compact and power-dense satellite power testing system, said to delivermore than 16kW of power in just 2HU (~10cm). It is unique in that it can test numerous power configurations (Solar Array Simulation, Battery Simulation and Load Simulation) in one single device.
New Space challenges require a new kind of equipment
This system supports manufacturers to meet today’s ambitious high-volume production loads and adapt from traditional, mostly manual assembly, towards a more efficient manufacturing process. Its light weight, compact size, versatility and portability enables manufacturers to save on space and costs and improve on efficiency for faster development and testing cycles, using one single device.
“The introduction of ProUST univerSAS marks a new era in satellite power test system design. We are bringing together unprecedented power handling capability and versatility with assembly-line efficiency for the space industry. The system’s mobility facilitates flexible deployment in state-of-the-art production facilities around the globe, making it a natural building block of today’s and tomorrow’s satellite manufacturing installations,”Hans-Martin Steiner, CTO Space & Avionics at Atos, said in a press release.
Atos is experienced in providing effective solutions to the space industry, including those used in ground mission and control centers. It is also a pioneer in the development of Earth Observation Data exploitation platforms and is fostering innovation with numerous R&D projects.
By Inside GNSS
The Industry Space Days (ISD) is a unique event which provides an excellent opportunity for the European space community to meet and discuss prospective business. Described as the largest space innovation B-to-B meeting event, it will be held on September 11-12, 2018 at the European Space Research and Technology Center (ESTEC) in Noordwijk, The Netherlands.
By Inside GNSS
The Australian government has launched a four-year plan to upgrade and densify its National Positioning Infrastructure (NPI) to improve position accuracy from coast to coast.
By Dee Ann Divis
The U.S. Coast Guard’s Navigation Center (NAVCEN), and its commander Captain Russell Holmes, received special honors at a ceremony where Holmes officially took his leave for New Orleans and a new post as officer in charge of marine inspection for the outer continental shelf.
By Dee Ann Divis
The Federal Aviation Administration’s Geosynchronous Earth Orbiting 5 Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) navigation payload, developed by Raytheon’s Intelligence, Information and Services business, is now operational and fully integrated into the WAAS network. The GEO 5 payload joins two others already on orbit in correcting GPS satellite signal ionospheric disturbances, timing issues, and minor orbit adjustments, giving users increased coverage, improved accuracy, and better reliability.
By Inside GNSS
Over at least half a dozen years the GPS III Follow On program has taken a number of dramatic turns only to wind up, in true soap opera fashion, with the same leading characters headed to the altar.
At the end of the latest episode, the field of suitors for the multi-billion-dollar GPS IIIF contract narrowed suddenly in April when two of the three corporate hopefuls abruptly left the field.
By Dee Ann Divis
Russia launched a Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket from the Plesetsk space center on Sunday to orbit a GLONASS-M satellite, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a press release this week.
By Inside GNSS
Just more than 60 years ago the U.S Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) launched what has become the longest remaining man-made object in space.
Launched in March 1958, Vanguard I, a component of the Vanguard Project, is a small aluminum sphere (16.5 centimeters in diameter) that was designed to partake in the International Geophysical Year (IGY) — a series of coordinated observations of various geophysical phenomena during solar maximum, spanning July 1957 through December 1958.
By Inside GNSS
Who knows what’s in store for this year’s 15th edition of the European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC), which is currently scouting for new business ideas through July 31, 2018. The innovation competition annually awards the best services, products, and business ideas using satellite navigation in everyday life.
By Stan Goff
The issue at hand is whether the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should allow a change in the use of frequencies close to those used by GPS. Virginia-based Ligado Networks wants to repurpose its satellite frequencies to also support ground-based telecom services. Testing done several years ago and expanded upon more recently has shown such a system could seriously interfere with GPS receivers.
Some three months after a meeting of the key federal agencies using and running the GPS program, they have yet to release a letter stating their recommendation on whether to allow the development of a potentially interfering telecommunication service.
By Dee Ann Divis
