Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design
Ice on the tower at Loran Station Dana (Indiana). Photo by Charles SchaafPresident Obama had a big day on October 28, signing 2010 bills for the departments of defense (DoD) and homeland security (DHS) that cut significant programs — eLoran, HIGPS, OCX — connected with the Global Positioning System.
By Inside GNSS
Combined Joint Task Force 76 helicopter carries troops and supplies over Eastern Afghanistan. Photo by Staff Sgt. Michael Casteel, U.S. ArmyU.S. Air Force officials are moving to reconfigure the GPS constellation to create a 27-satellite geometry that will improve the availability and accuracy of positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) capabilities for U.S. military forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Although the constellation currently has 30 operational space vehicles (SVs), not including the SVN49/PRN1 that has still not been set healthy, a number of the spacecraft are located nearby other satellites — effectively creating a 24-SV geometry. (See accompanying figure.)
By Inside GNSS
Trimble and the China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Co. Ltd. (CREEC), the third largest civil construction enterprise in the world, have signed a definitive agreement to form a 50/50 joint venture in China.
By Inside GNSS
XF102Hemisphere GPS has launched its XF102 DGPS receiver, the latest addition to the company’s XF-Series of differential GPS receivers for handheld mapping.
By Inside GNSS
A Topcon Euro 160T mobile control board connected to a laptop computer collects satellite positioning signals used to calculate the North American Eagle’s speed. Photo: Don TalendA team led by led by Seattle, Washington–area aerospace and computer experts is attempting to break the sound barrier to surpass the world land speed record of 763 miles per hour — and they’re using GNSS technology to help them do it.
By Inside GNSS
Galileo IOV ProtoFlight Model under AssemblyGalileo program managers appear to have bowed to the unavoidable and acknowledged that completing the European satellite navigation system will take longer and cost more than their revised estimates of 2014 and €3.4-billion ($5.04-billion), respectively
And, although a revised Galileo Open Service Signal-in-Space Interface Control Document (OS-SIS-ICD) will appear soon allowing manufacture and sale of Galileo equipment without a license, the ICD will still require a license for commercial use of the intellectual property contained in the document.
By Inside GNSS
The 2010 CERGAL symposium will take place in the Baltic city of Rostock, in northern Germany, next April 28-29.
This year, the Symposium on Certification of GNSS Systems and Services will concentrate on maritime and inland waterways applications and GNSS testing infrastructure.
In addition to those topics, papers are invited on GNSS system aspects and aviation, road, rail and other special applications. Abstracts are due on November 30, 2009.
By Inside GNSS
Q: Ever wonder why it is SO difficult to launch your spaceborne GNSS receiver?
A: I often wonder if most people, both inside and outside the aerospace community, really understand all the challenges that must be overcome prior to launching a spaceborne GNSS receiver.
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Sensor fusion is a predominant feature of modern navigation systems. To integrate navigation systems with other sensors, the spatial and temporal relationship of the sensor systems must be defined and calibrated.
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Since the dawn of humanity, the sky and stars have stimulated our imagination and curiosity. As our understanding about outer space increases, so does our passion and drive to explore beyond the reaches of our own planet — and to use space to understand our own planet.
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Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was the Global Positioning System.
Nor will the emerging GNSS system of systems arising from the regional and global infrastructures being put in place or modernized today: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Compass (Beidou-2), QZSS, GAGAN, IRNSS, EGNOS, WAAS, MSAS, and undoubtedly other acronyms yet to be born.
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Osmografo system on rescue dog (GMV photo)
The Spanish high-technology company GMV S.A. won three top prizes for its canine search and rescue positioning system at the sixth European Satellite Navigation competition awards ceremony held on October 21 in Munich, Germany.
DataGrid, Inc. has released the third generation of its programmable DGRx-GNSS receiver for OEM integrators as well as a high-sensitivity mode for DGRx-GNSS that allows the receiver to track the L1 and L2C codes transmitted by GPS and GLONASS satellites down to a signal level of only 15 dB-Hz.
By Inside GNSS
