Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design
Under Secretary of Defense Frank Kendall, U.S. Air Force photo/Michael J. PausicA decision on cancelling at least some of the modernized GPS ground control system contract could be made within a matter of months and certainly before President Obama leaves office, the Pentagon’s senior acquisition official said today (February 23, 2016).
By Inside GNSS
With a stopgap fix under contract and a bump-up in next year’s budget request on the table the Air Force appears intent on sticking with its plan to continue work on a new GPS ground system despite dismay over repeated delays.
The White House has asked for $393.3 million for the Next Generation Operational Control System (OCX) for fiscal year 2017 (FY17). Though that number is a 12 percent increase over the $350.2 million approved for FY16, it is effectively a placeholder and may grow.
By Inside GNSS
ENAC’s third international technical symposium on navigation and timing will take place on November 15 and 16, 2016 at the French Civil Aviation University in Toulouse, France. The university is at 7 Avenue Edouard Belin in the city’s “Complexe Scientifique de Rangueil. “
The event features presentations by world experts on GNSS and round tables to facilitate discussion between the audience and the speakers.
By Inside GNSS
The Saint Louis Cathedral, New Orleans, LouisianaAUVSI’s Unmanned Systems conference and trade show is now XPONENTIAL.
XPONENTIAL 2016 will take place at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A. from May 2 – 5, 2016.
By Inside GNSS
On Wednesday, February 24, 2016, Inside GNSS, Inside Unmanned Systems, and u-Blox AG presented a free 90-minute web seminar continuing our exploration of GNSS positioning, navigation, and guidance for UAVs.
By Inside GNSS
u-blox modulesThalwil, Switzerland–based u-blox has announced the upcoming release of a new firmware, FW 3.01, for its u-blox M8 multi-GNSS platform.
u-blox M8 FW 3.01 will now also support Galileo in addition to GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou. It can track up to three constellations concurrently and makes use of all satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) signals and Japan’s Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) at the same time, according to the company.
By Inside GNSS
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) said yesterday (February 2, 2016) that the recent decommissioning of a GPS satellite led to difficulties for listeners receiving digital radio signals.
In a response to the reported issues, the BBC said: "The outages were caused by a rogue GPS satellite (SVN23), which was taken out of service in the evening of 26 January."
By Inside GNSS
Lockheed Martin announced today (February 3, 2016) that the first GPS III satellite successfully completed system-level Thermal Vacuum (TVAC) testing on December 23, validating the design of the entire assembled satellite.
TVAC is a rigorous test designed to prove a satellite’s integrity and operational capabilities by subjecting it to prolonged cycles of simulated space temperature extremes in a special depressurized chamber.
First GPS III satellite in acoustic testing last fall. Lockheed Martin photoHarris Corporation has announced that it will offer an all-digital navigation payload for GPS Block III space vehicles (SV) 11 and beyond.
By Inside GNSS
U.S. Senator John McCainIf approved, legislation halting the use of a Russian rocket engine could force delays in the launch of U.S. military satellites, including, potentially, GPS III spacecraft planned for launch beginning next year.
The bill, introduced this week by Sen. John McCain R-Arizona, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-California, would ban the use of Russian RD-180 rocket engines for the evolved expendable launch vehicle program (EELV).
By Inside GNSS
A couple of GPS anomalies struck yesterday (January 26, 2016), one systemic and the other delaying launch of the final Block IIF satellite.
By Inside GNSS
SBAS and RNSS: The Unsung Heroes of GNSS
Okay, if I had wanted to pander to GNSS fans, I might have called this, “Making Great Greater.”
But there are only so many superlatives that can be lathered on this remarkable technology before simple praise turns into hagiography.
So, it’s time once more to give a little love to those unsung heroes of GNSS: the augmentations and regional navigation satellite systems.
By Inside GNSS
Swift Navigation’s Piksi GPS receiverHaving started out with a crowd source–funded launch through Kickstarter followed by two rounds of more conventional venture capital backing — $2.6 million in 2014 and another $11 million last December — San Francisco, California–based Swift Navigation is going after a low-cost, high-precision market such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with its Piksi GPS receiver platform.
By Inside GNSS
