Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design
Improvements to GPS performance are often incremental, achieved by squeezing better performance out of existing systems with clever tweaks, smarter analysis and sharper receivers. Then again, every once in a while, there’s a huge leap in the capabilities of the system itself—an advance so big that it makes you appreciate all over again the elegant wizardry of satellite navigation.
By Dee Ann Divis
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is considering a contract for research and development of celestial-aided navigation technologies. The primary focus is to develop a Star Tracker that can reliably perform celestial sightings for sensor altitudes between 30,000 feet and 80,000 feet. The goal is to reduce the risks to guidance, navigation and control in GPS-denied environments, especially for operations over feature-poor terrain such as desert, water, snow and ice where existing terrain-aided methods may not be used for position, navigation, and timing (PNT) updates.
By Inside GNSS
NovAtel® Expands GPS Anti-Jam Portfolio with the GAJT®-410ML
NovAtel announced today an addition to their GPS Anti-Jam Technology (GAJT®) portfolio, the GAJT-410ML. Designed specifically for rapid integration into space-constrained military land applications, this easy-to-use system protects GPS-based navigation and precise timing receivers, including M-Code, from both intentional and accidental interference.
By Inside GNSS
In testimony and reports U.S. military officials have been stressing for some time that the GPS constellation is a top target on the hit list of America’s space adversaries.
By Dee Ann Divis
All the heavy-hitters showed up in late March for the 2019 Munich Satellite Navigation Summit, from the U.S. government’s GPS crew to BeiDou, GLONASS and Galileo, flanked by up-and-coming regional players, including Japan, India and new kid on the block Korea.
By Peter Gutierrez
China’s stated goal is to have its BeiDou global navigation satellite system completed sometime in 2020, and the country made big advances toward that goal last weekend when it launched a 20th satellite late on Saturday.
By Stan Goff
Efforts in the realm of electric propulsion have been both steady and cutting-edge. Past, present, and future projects are discussed along with both realized and potential mission benefits arising from this recent technology.
Electric Propulsion (EP) is a class of space propulsion, which makes use of electrical power to accelerate a propellant by different possible electrical and/or magnetic means. The use of electrical power enhances the propulsive performances of the EP thrusters compared with conventional chemical thrusters. Unlike chemical systems, electric propulsion requires very little mass to accelerate a spacecraft.
By Günter W. Hein
The city of Madrid is one of the first utilizing Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) in conjunction with enhanced positioning services, in order to improve public transport services in the Spanish capital.
By Stan Goff
The Copernicus Masters 2019 competition is now open for submissions. This international competition awards prizes to innovative solutions, developments and ideas for business and society that use Copernicus data.
By Stan Goff
The $2 billion lawsuit filed by Harbinger Capital Partners against Apollo Global Management over whether Apollo knew about GPS interference issues has been stayed yet again—again at the request of Ligado Networks, the current holder of the frequencies involved.
By Dee Ann Divis
New York City reportedly had its government wireless network knocked out on April 6 when the GPS week number in signal’s message rolled over—that is when the system, as planned, reset its week counter back to zero.
By Dee Ann Divis
GNSS spoofing is more wide spread than previously believed and being used to not only misdirect satellite navigation users but to deny GNSS service altogether, according to a new report by the Center for Advanced Defense Studies, a non-profit that analyzes transnational security issues.
By Dee Ann Divis
As part of the development of a National Spectrum Strategy, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is asking for feedback on future spectrum needs in rural America and, more importantly for the GNSS community, on what spectrum needs to be protected.
By Dee Ann Divis
