Aerospace and Defense Archives - Page 39 of 60 - Inside GNSS - Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design

Officials Delay First GNSS Authorization Request; Light-Squared Tries to Leverage Issue

The U.S. stance on satellite navigation has long supported international cooperation and a degree of interoperability. In 2010 the Obama administration even adopted a space policy that said foreign satnav services could be used “to augment and strengthen the resiliency of GPS.”

That was easier in the abstract, however, when the only fully functional GNSS was GPS. Now, with other GNSS services coming online, American officials want to think things through again.

By Dee Ann Divis

July 15, 2015

10th GPS IIF Satellite on Its Way to Orbit

The U.S. Air Force and its mission partners successfully launched the 10th Boeing-built GPS IIF satellite aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V from Cape Canaveral Air Force Stations today (July 15, 2015).

The spacecraft is destined for plane C/slot 3 of the GPS constellation

The launch almost coincided with Friday’s 20th anniversary of the declaration of full operational capability (FOC) for the GPS constellation, which occurred on July 17, 1995.

Just two GPS IIF satellites remain to be launched — Atlas V rockets will be used to launch both.

By Inside GNSS

July 10, 2015

GPS Directorate Gains New Leader

Colonel Steve Whitney was sworn in Wednesday (July 8, 2015) as the director of the Global Positioning Systems (GPS) Directorate, Space and Missile Systems Center, Air Force Space Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California.

By Inside GNSS

June 29, 2015

Valérie Renaudin: Navigating a Life with GNSS

Valérie Renaudin’s Compass Points

Geomatics engineer Valérie Renaudin now directs a major research laboratory in Nantes, France, working on the future of personal navigation and intelligent transportation systems (ITS).

By Inside GNSS

Software-Defined GNSS Simulator: A Step Forward

A few studies (by universities and industry) have shown the feasibility of simulation of real-time digital intermediate frequency (IF) signals based on a graphics processor unit (GPU). And a couple of articles have also demonstrated use of a universal software radio peripheral (USRP)–based software-defined radio (SDR) as a simulator (in playback mode) in real test environments.

By Inside GNSS

First Position Fix with IRNSS

The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) is an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) initiative to build an independent satellite navigation system that provides precise position, velocity, and time (PVT) to users across the Indian region.

The primary objective of IRNSS is to achieve position accuracy of 20 meters (2σ) for dual-frequency users over India and the primary service area (a region extending to about 1,500 kilometers or 930 miles).

By Inside GNSS

May 20, 2015

Estimating the Short-Term Stability of In-Orbit GNSS Clocks

Global navigation satellite systems provide position, velocity, and time (PVT) solutions to users whose receivers calculate position based on one-way ranging from satellites. As is well-understood, a key step in the positioning process involves a determination of the difference between the time of signal transmission identified in the satellite’s broadcast navigation message and the time of its reception by user equipment.

By Inside GNSS

May 18, 2015

House Lawmakers Cut Civil GPS Funding across the Board

The House Appropriations Committee voted May 13 to cut the White House request for civil GPS funding and a number of other GPS-related program at the Dept. of Transportation.

By Inside GNSS

GAO Report, Senate Subcommittee Hearing Confront USAF on GPS III Programs

GPS III satellites and their new ground system, both years behind schedule and hundreds of millions of dollars over budget, still may not be on track despite corrective actions, Air Force Secretary Deborah L. James told a U.S. Senate hearing recently.

By Inside GNSS

May 14, 2015

USAF Draft RFP Would Re-Open Competition for GPS Satellite Launch Services

[Updated May 26, 2015] The U.S. Air Force released a draft request for proposal (RFP) yesterday (May 13, 2015) for GPS III Launch Services, including launch vehicle production, mission integration, and launch operations. The Space Exploration Technologies Corporation — better known as SpaceX and headed by Elon Musk — may well enter the competition.

By Inside GNSS

May 6, 2015

Lockheed Completes Integration of First GPS III Spacecraft

Lockheed Martin has finally been able to announce victory in its effort to complete integration of the first GPS Block III satellite.

Integration took place last month at the company’s GPS III Processing Facility near Denver, Colorado, bringing together the system module — which includes the navigation payload that performs the primary positioning, navigation, and timing mission — the functional bus containing the electronics that manage all satellite operations, and the propulsion core that enables the satellite to maneuver for operations on orbit.

By Inside GNSS

April 29, 2015

House Funding Bill Could Fuel Scrutiny of OCX, GPS Backup Options

The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) is considering legislation that would fully authorize the White House’s funding request for GPS and possibly add provisions aimed at evaluating the new, troubled GPS ground system and pushing the Pentagon to look at a global backup for GPS.

By Inside GNSS

April 21, 2015

FAA Awards New GPS WAAS Contract to Raytheon

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded a $103-million contract to the Raytheon Company to maintain the GPS Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS).

The company will develop a payload to be incorporated into a new geostationary satellite and two associated ground uplink stations to support the WAAS system within U.S. airspace. WAAS improves real-time GPS accuracy from 10 meters to about two meters by transmitting differential corrections as well as integrity messages and an additional ranging signal.

By Inside GNSS

Aerospace and Defense

Federal Cuts Expected in Civil GPS-Related Programs...

GPS Military Programs Well Supported, But FY16 Defense Bills Face...

Officials Delay First GNSS Authorization Request; Light-Squared Tries to Leverage Issue

10th GPS IIF Satellite on Its Way to Orbit

GPS Directorate Gains New Leader

Valérie Renaudin: Navigating a Life with GNSS

Software-Defined GNSS Simulator: A Step Forward

First Position Fix with IRNSS

Estimating the Short-Term Stability of In-Orbit GNSS Clocks

House Lawmakers Cut Civil GPS Funding across the Board

GAO Report, Senate Subcommittee Hearing Confront USAF on GPS III Programs

USAF Draft RFP Would Re-Open Competition for GPS Satellite Launch Services

Lockheed Completes Integration of First GPS III Spacecraft

House Funding Bill Could Fuel Scrutiny of OCX, GPS Backup Options

FAA Awards New GPS WAAS Contract to Raytheon