Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design
Working Papers explore the technical and scientific themes that underpin GNSS programs and applications. This regular column is coordinated by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Günter Hein, head of Europe’s Galileo Operations and Evolution.
By Inside GNSS
The GPS program is setting a new space-system standard for cyberdefense, and now the federal government is creating a framework to help operators of critical infrastructure that largely rely on GPS to do the same.
The need to raise the bar is clear. Malicious coders, often backed by hostile nation-states or criminal organizations, are using automated tools to continuously probe for weaknesses:
By Dee Ann Divis
Due to the huge success of GPS in both military and civil applications, several other GNSSs have been developed, built, and operated in the last few decades. GNSS, regional, and augmentation systems are comprise a growing family that also includes GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, and Japan’s Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS). New members, such as the Global Indian Navigation System (GINS), are preparing to join in next decade.
By Inside GNSS
NovAtel Inc. has announced the NovAtel CORRECT positioning technology, which combines data from multiple GNSS satellite constellations with corrections from a variety of sources, to deliver the best position solution possible.
Designed for NovAtel’s OEM6 receivers, CORRECT capabilities can be implemented in three ways, with correction data delivered via satellite or Internet, depending on the requirements of the application: precise point positioning (PPP), TERRASTAR, or real-time kinematic (RTK).
By Inside GNSS
A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on intelligent transportation system (ITS) technologies released today (November 1, 2013) identified concerns about GPS accuracy and relative positioning that could limit its use in vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) systems.
However, U.S. Department of Transportation (DoT) officials responding to the GAO study expressed confidence that the quality of GPS receivers in today’s automobiles will be sufficient to support V2V safety applications.
By Inside GNSS
The GPS program appears well positioned to weather another round of budget cuts, although some contractors that support the program may not be so fortunate.
“I would expect GPS will be relatively protected (with) continued investment and modernization of the satellite constellation.” said Robert Levinson, a senior defense analyst for Bloomberg Government during an October 28 briefing.
“GPS is in fairly good shape,” confirmed an expert familiar with the Air Force’s budget.
By Inside GNSS
This webinar took place on November 13, 2013.
Webinar Presentation Slides
Autonomy, but at what price?
By Inside GNSS
Hemisphere GNSS has launched the Eclipse P306 and P307 multi-frequency GPS, GLONASS, and BeiDou modules, the first products to incorporate the company’s new SX4 ASIC.
With 372 channels, the modules can simultaneously track code and carrier phase signals on up to 89 satellites, are are Galileo- and QZSS-ready, and can be configured to address several diverse applications through software, according to the company.
By Inside GNSS
JAVAD GNSS has introduced the Triumph-LS, a complete real-time kinematic survey system including an 864-channel receiver capable of receiving and processing all available GNSS signals, antenna, radio modem, controller, and collapsible pole. The receiver is based on JAVAD GNSS’s new Triumph 2 chip.
Trimble has introduced its BD930 module as part of its GNSS OEM portfolio.
This small module features triple-frequency support for GPS and GLONASS plus dual-frequency support for BeiDou and Galileo constellations. Capable of receiving a wide range of commercially available GNSS signals, the 220-channel BD930 takes advantage of all available signals to provide reliable RTK centimeter-level positioning.
Spirent Communications has unveiled a new system for recording real-world GNSS RF signals and replaying them in the lab.
“Record and Replay” is popular as a more rigorous — and, crucially, repeatable — approach to GPS and GNSS testing than using live signals in real time, where satellite positions and atmospheric conditions are constantly changing.
By Inside GNSS
Air Force officials should get more cost and user information and determine how many GPS satellites they will support before making decisions about revamping the navigation system, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has told Congress.
Although an Air Force report about program options was “a good starting point, more information on key cost drivers and cost estimates, and broader input from stakeholders would help guide future investment decisions,” the GAO wrote in an assessment of the defense agency’s analysis.
By Inside GNSS
BeiDou-2 Is Born
The year before the main release, China surprised the global community when it published just a test version of the promised ICD for the BeiDou-2 B1 open signal. In this document, the modulation scheme for the signal was confirmed and the pseudorandom code generator for the ranging signal was described.
