B: Applications

China Launches 4th BeiDou Navigational Satellite

China Launches 4th BeiDou Navigational Satellite

A Compass/Beidou-2 geostationary satellite is lifted into space from China’s Xichang space center. (China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology photo)

[Reprinted with permission from NAVIBIZ, Issue Date: 2010-6-18]

At 23:53 on June 2, China successfully launched the 4th BeiDou navigational satellite into the pre-designated orbit with the "Long March 3C" carrier rocket at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, symbolizing that China has made another important step forward in building the BeiDou (COMPASS) Navigation Satellite System. The construction of COMPASS follows the principles of openness, independency, compatibility, and gradualness.

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By Inside GNSS
GNSS Simulators
July 27, 2010

GNSS Simulators

FIGURE 1: GNSS multi-channel signal simulator 10 years ago on its own (left) and with its ever-growing family (right)

For the complete story, including figures, graphs, and images, please download the PDF of the article, above.

In this article we describe the design and operation of a generic GNSS RF simulator. We also will look at the main types of GNSS RF simulators, their designs and specifics, their advantages and disadvantages.

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By Inside GNSS
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Help from Above

During flight testing, Boeing technical personnel have historically used a differential GPS (DGPS) system as the position truth reference for validating various production systems on the airplane. The majority of those tests occur on or near remote runways to capture specific environmental conditions.

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By Inside GNSS
Topcon Promotes O’Connor to Managing Executive Officer
July 22, 2010

Topcon Promotes O’Connor to Managing Executive Officer

Ray O’Connor, Topcon Positioning Systems

Topcon Corporation has announced the promotion of Ray O’Connor to managing executive officer for the company.  

O’Connor is president and CEO of Topcon Positioning Systems (TPS), based in Livermore, California, and chairman of the board of Topcon Europe Positioning. He will continue to fill these and other positions within the corporation while taking on additional managerial oversight of various corporate projects and initiatives.

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By Inside GNSS
Air Force Investigating Residuals in GPS IIF Signals
July 19, 2010

Air Force Investigating Residuals in GPS IIF Signals

GPS IIF-SV1 launch. United Launch Alliance photo

[Updated July 22, 2010] Air Force officials at the GPS Wing have confirmed that higher-the-expected range residuals detected by researchers at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) are appearing in signals transmitted by the first GPS IIF satellite, designated SVN/62/PRN25.

But the Air Force and Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems, which built the spacecraft, point out SVN62 is currently performing within specifications, and the signal phenomenon does not appear likely to have any significant effect on GPS positioning when the satellite is declared operational.

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By Inside GNSS
Lockheed Martin Unveils GPS Exhibit at the United Nations in Vienna
July 16, 2010

Lockheed Martin Unveils GPS Exhibit at the United Nations in Vienna

Rick Ambrose, Lockheed Martin vice-president and general manager, surveillance and navigation systems, introduces GPS Block III model for Permanent Space Exhibit at United Nations Committee on Pea, Vienna,

Lockheed Martin has opened a GPS exhibit as a part of the Permanent Space Exhibit of the United Nations Office at Vienna, Austria, to emphasize the importance of satellite navigation technology serving millions of citizens around the globe.

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By Inside GNSS
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Obama’s National Space Policy Authorizes Use of Foreign GNSS Services to Strengthen GPS
June 28, 2010

Obama’s National Space Policy Authorizes Use of Foreign GNSS Services to Strengthen GPS

A new U.S. National Space Policy announced today (June 28, 2010) by the White House says that foreign GNSS services may be used “to augment and strengthen the resiliency of GPS.”

In a document that underlines the Obama administration’s intention to rely more on international cooperation in space-related activities and “energize competitive domestic industries to participate in global markets,” the new policy reaffirms recent efforts “to engage with foreign GNSS providers to encourage compatibility and interoperability, promote transparency in civil service provision, and enable market access for U.S. industry.”

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By Inside GNSS
Lockheed Martin Team Completes Requirements Review for GPS IIIB Program
June 22, 2010

Lockheed Martin Team Completes Requirements Review for GPS IIIB Program

Lockheed Martin has announced successful completion of a key requirements review for the GPS IIIB satellite series under the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation GPS III Space Segment program.

Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Newtown, Pennsylvania, is working under a $3 billion development and production contract from the U.S. Air Force to produce up to 12 GPS IIIA satellites, with first launch projected for 2014. The contract includes a Capability Insertion Program (CIP) designed to mature technologies and perform rigorous systems engineering for the future IIIB and IIIC increments planned as follow-on procurements.

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By Inside GNSS
On the Air

On the Air

With the launch of the Delta IV rocket on May 27 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station the first satellite (space vehicle number 62 or SVN62) of the latest GPS generation Block IIF (F, for “follow-on”) was carried into earth orbit — a major step with roots in the past.

Eight years ago in August 2002 the United States decided in coordination with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-R) to transmit a new civil signal on a third frequency known as L5.

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By Inside GNSS
ITT Passes GPS III Nav Component CDR
June 15, 2010

ITT Passes GPS III Nav Component CDR

ITT Corporation has announced that it passed a key milestone last month with successful completion of the critical design review (CDR) for the Mission Data Unit (MDU) the company is developing as part of the navigation payload for the U.S. Air Force’s GPS III program.

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By Inside GNSS
DLR, Stanford Track First GPS IIF Signals; Tests Begin on L5
June 7, 2010

DLR, Stanford Track First GPS IIF Signals; Tests Begin on L5

GPS IIF SV1 Spectral Flux Density on L1. DLR figure

[Updated June 10] The U.S. Air Force announced today (June 10) that it has begun
testing the new operational L5 signal transmitted by the first GPS IIF satellite (space vehicle 1 or SV1 — designated SVN-62 in the overall GPS system), which was launched May 27.

On June 7, 2010, a team of experts from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and Stanford University in California reported results of their tracking of the first navigation signals from the satellite, the pseudorandom noise code 25 (PRN25) on L1 and L2 — C/A and P(Y).

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By Inside GNSS
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