The production milestone marks the close of a development arc that began at JNC 2023 in San Diego, where BAE first unveiled NavGuide as the designated successor to the Defense Advanced GPS Receiver. DAGR, which has powered both handheld and vehicle-integrated GPS for global defense forces for over two decades, used SAASM technology alongside dual-frequency encrypted signals to resist jamming and spoofing. More than 650,000 units were fielded internationally before production concluded. 

NavGuide transitions that installed base to M-Code — the military GPS signal purpose-built to defeat modern electronic warfare threats. The compact, lightweight receiver features an intuitive full-color user interface with waypoint navigation and a moving-map display for enhanced situational awareness. It also provides 9-line targeting capability, meets key military environmental requirements, and is compatible with existing FRPA and anti-jam electronic units. 

The integration story is central to the program’s value proposition. NavGuide is backwards compatible with existing DAGR installations and is designed for rapid integration into existing mounts and accessories without mission interruption — with an average installation time across more than 30 vehicle platforms of under two minutes, requiring no changes to existing cables, mounts, or vehicle software. 

NavGuide sits within a broader M-Code receiver portfolio BAE unveiled at JNC 2025 in Cincinnati. The company’s security-certified Common GPS Modules leverage the M-Code signal across a product line that scales from the world’s smallest and lowest-power M-Code GPS for SWaP-challenged applications to highly robust receivers with integrated anti-jam antenna electronics for exceptionally challenging environments. The full portfolio includes the ASR-M, DIGAR-300M, MPE-M, MicroGRAM-M, NavFire-M, NavStrike-M, NavStorm-M, and SABR-M alongside NavGuide.

BAE has delivered selective availability anti-spoofing modules to users in more than 45 countries and is now fielding M-Code GPS receivers in multiple formats for U.S. armed forces and allied nations. NavGuide is available to all U.S. service branches and to partner nations through foreign military sales. Production is based at BAE’s engineering and manufacturing facility in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 

“NavGuide is more than just a replacement for DAGR,” said Luke Bishop, director of Navigation and Sensor Systems at BAE Systems. “Built on the same trusted foundation for easy installation and transition, it delivers a more resilient, user-friendly M-Code GPS solution. Now in production, NavGuide gives warfighters the precise positioning data and situational-awareness tools they need to stay effective in modern, contested, multi-domain operations.”

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The module is designed for OEMs deploying products across regions where RTK networks, SBAS coverage, or reliable communications links are inconsistent or unavailable. Key additions over the base ZED-X20P include Galileo HAS for globally accessible PPP corrections, Moving Base functionality for relative positioning applications, and improved jamming and spoofing detection and mitigation — the latter verified at Jammertest 2025. The module retains compatibility with u-blox’s PointPerfect correction service.

Targeted applications include UAV mapping and navigation without continuous connectivity, marine operations such as dredging and seabed mapping, precision agriculture and construction in remote environments, and autonomous platforms requiring robust relative positioning. The ZED-X20P-01B maintains the established ZED form factor, offering a direct upgrade path for existing customers without hardware redesign.

“ZED-X20P-01B reflects our commitment to making high-precision positioning more scalable, resilient, and easier to deploy globally,” commented Andreas Thiel, CEO, u-blox.

Samples and evaluation kits are available in June. u-blox will demonstrate the module at XPONENTIAL 2026 in Detroit at booth 23023.

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This capability is increasingly critical as data centers and 5G virtualized Radio Access Networks build deeper dependencies on satellite-based timing.

The modules support automatic source selection and locking across GNSS, Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE), and Precision Time Protocol (PTP), switching between sources without disrupting timing continuity. That flexibility is central to the design intent: in infrastructure environments where timing failure cascades quickly into service degradation, the ability to transition seamlessly from GNSS to a secondary source — and hold position during that transition — is the operational requirement the module is built around.

When GNSS signal is lost, onboard Oven Controlled Crystal Oscillators maintain holdover for up to eight hours depending on variant. The MD-990-0011-BA01 provides four hours of holdover performance; the MD-990-0011-BC01 extends that to eight. Both integrate a SyncE synthesizer with dual independent Digital Phase-Locked Loop channels, a temperature sensor, EEPROM for board configuration, and a low-jitter oscillator in a single plug-in form factor.

Developed in collaboration with Intel, the modules are designed for compatibility with Intel Xeon 6 SoC-powered server platforms, supporting OEMs and ODMs building next-generation infrastructure for distributed workloads and real-time applications. Both variants are available now in production quantities through Microchip direct sales and authorized distributors.

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The four-year contract, which began March 31, 2026, will advance GNSS radio occultation (GNSS-RO), polarimetric radio occultation (GNSS-PRO), and reflectometry (GNSS-R) capabilities. 

As the largest commercial provider of GNSS-RO data, PlanetiQ currently operates a global constellation of satellites equipped with advanced receivers capable of capturing high signal-to-noise-ratio GNSS-RO and GNSS-PRO measurements. GNSS-PRO has demonstrated strong efficacy for measuring precipitation, a key capability for improving severe weather forecasting. 

The STRATFI award extends that foundation in two directions. PlanetiQ will refine data-assimilation techniques to integrate GNSS polarimetric radio occultation data into numerical weather models, which improves the characterization of precipitation. The next-generation receiver will also add GNSS-R capabilities, supporting new applications such as ocean surface wind measurement, sea state characterization, and soil moisture monitoring over land. Data delivered will support Air Force applications including AI model training, data assimilation, and performance evaluation.

“This award is a big indication from the U.S. government that our technology matters and they are willing to put $15 million toward it,” said Chris McCormick, PlanetiQ chairman and founder. CEO Ira Scharf added that combining the three measurement types in a single platform would unlock “a more complete picture of the atmosphere and Earth’s surface.”

The Air Force contract builds on a string of government data agreements. In September 2025, NOAA awarded PlanetiQ a $24.3 million contract under the Commercial Data Program’s Radio Occultation Data Buy 2 — the agency’s single largest commercial satellite weather data purchase. Under that agreement, PlanetiQ delivers 7,000 GNSS-RO profiles per day, including 500 enhanced high-SNR profiles described as more than seven times higher in quality than profiles from other commercial providers, along with 2,500 low-latency Total Electron Content tracks daily. While NOAA is the procuring agency, the data is also used by NASA, the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy, and international government weather agencies. 

The STRATFI program is administered through AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Department of the Air Force and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory, which has awarded more than $7.24 billion in contracts since 2019 to accelerate technology transition to operational capability. 

PlanetiQ was founded in 2015 by McCormick, who previously led Broad Reach Engineering, a pioneer in GPS radio occultation sensors for missions including COSMIC, before its acquisition by Moog in 2012. 

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Formally designated the LN-351, the system incorporates fiber-optic inertial navigation paired with Military-code (M-code) GPS — an encrypted, military-specific signal providing enhanced resistance to jamming and spoofing. A capability called Blended Navigation Assurance validates GPS data integrity even when signals are under threat.

The software architecture allows operators to host third-party PNT applications without manufacturer involvement, enabling integration of complementary sensors and tracking of non-GPS satellite constellations. The design completed rigorous hardware and software testing to military specifications ahead of full-scale production.

“EGI-M enhances operational effectiveness and is built with the flexibility to defeat today’s threats and adapt to future mission demands,” said Ryan Arrington, vice president of navigation and cockpit systems at Northrop Grumman. Lt. Col. Chris Grover of the U.S. Air Force described the system as enabling mission execution “where we want to, with the capability we need, at the time of our choosing.”

Upon full production, military customers will receive a unified hardware and software navigation solution designed for seamless integration across platforms.

The delivery comes as GPS jamming and spoofing have emerged as routine features of modern conflict. Across Ukraine, the Middle East, and the Baltic region, documented interference has degraded navigation for both military and civilian operators, accelerating demand for M-code-capable and multi-constellation PNT solutions across allied air forces.

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The functionality will be available as a software option for the R&S SMBV100B and R&S SMW200A vector signal generators, giving device manufacturers a production-ready pathway to test and validate receiver compatibility with Pulsar signals ahead of the constellation’s commercial deployment.

Pulsar is designed to complement existing GNSS infrastructure — including GPS — by leveraging LEO orbital geometry to deliver stronger signals, improved accuracy, and enhanced resilience against jamming and spoofing. Where legacy GNSS constellations operate in medium Earth orbit at altitudes above 20,000 kilometers, LEO satellites orbit at roughly 500 to 2,000 kilometers, resulting in significantly stronger received signal power and reduced signal travel time. The tradeoff is that individual satellites pass overhead quickly, requiring a larger constellation to maintain continuous coverage — which Xona is building toward commercial scale.

The practical challenge Rohde & Schwarz is addressing is the test gap that precedes a new signal type’s deployment. Before device manufacturers can build and certify receivers that support Pulsar, they need the ability to simulate Pulsar signals in a lab environment — verifying receiver performance against known signal parameters without requiring an operational constellation overhead. Adding that simulation capability to established signal generator hardware provides an accessible, production-scalable route for validation.

“Navigation technology is entering a period of rapid evolution,” said Matt Hammond, North America Satellite Technology Manager at Rohde & Schwarz. “By adding Pulsar signal simulation to our signal generator portfolio, Rohde & Schwarz is preparing our customers for the next evolution of satellite navigation.”

“Test and measurement solutions play an important role in enabling device manufacturers to evaluate compatibility as new signals become available,” said Bryan Chan, co-founder and VP of Strategy at Xona Space Systems. “Rohde & Schwarz brings deep expertise in precision signal generation that helps make this possible.”

The R&S SMBV100B and R&S SMW200A will join Pulsar’s verified ecosystem program, which recognizes devices and test solutions validated for compatibility with Pulsar signals. Rohde & Schwarz showcased its navigation test solutions at Space Symposium 2026 in Colorado Springs this week.

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Pulsar operates from low Earth orbit as a commercial alternative to GPS, designed to address the jamming, spoofing, and signal-strength vulnerabilities that have increasingly exposed legacy navigation infrastructure’s limitations in both military and civilian contexts.

The facility produces satellites whose signals are up to 100 times stronger than traditional GPS and accurate to two centimeters, operating in low Earth orbit 20 times closer to Earth than existing GPS infrastructure. Pulsar is designed to work with existing GPS devices — a design choice enabled by Xona’s decision to move from C-band to L-band frequencies after determining that most users lack compatible C-band equipment. “Compatibility with existing user equipment was critical to scaling,” said Brian Manning, Xona’s co-founder and CEO. 

The factory opening follows a $170 million Series C closed in late March, led by Mohari Ventures Natural Capital with participation from Craft Ventures, ICONIQ, Woven Capital, NGP Capital, Samsung Next, Hexagon, and other investors. “This factory is how we move from proof-of-concept to active global infrastructure,” Manning said. “We’ve already demonstrated how the technology works, now it’s about manufacturing and deploying our constellation faster than anyone thought possible.”

At full production, the company aims to manufacture more navigation satellites per week than the U.S. currently produces in a year, with a target of deploying the full 258-satellite constellation for the cost of a single GPS satellite on orbit today. 

The defense dimension was central to the opening remarks. “Anything that moves, anything that needs to know where it is, is a potential customer of ours — including the Department of Defense,” Manning said. “We’re not built as a defense contractor necessarily, but we are proud of the work that we do with the U.S. government and other governments.” The Space Force has already awarded Xona a Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) agreement combining $20 million in government funding with $30 million in private capital, as military interest in alternative PNT capabilities grows amid increasing reliance on GPS in contested environments. 

Manning also described Xona’s singular position in the regulatory landscape. The company is the first commercial operator approved by the FCC to broadcast on the GPS frequency spectrum alongside sovereign navigation systems. “We were sitting in rooms with China, Russia, Europe and Xona,” Manning told the San Francisco Business Journal. “It was an area that no commercial company has ever gone into.”

The broader commercial picture is one of infrastructure inadequacy meeting an autonomous-systems moment. “This new era of technology is largely here — cars driving themselves, robots, mobile devices, physical AI, wearables, autonomous farm tractors,” Manning said at the opening. “All of these things share one fundamental thing in common: to operate safely, to operate safely at scale, they simply need to know where they are.” “It’s ignoring the underlying challenge that the infrastructure was not built to do what everyone is trying to use it to do today,” he added. “That’s what we’re building — an entirely new infrastructure.” 

Rep. Kevin Mullin (D-CA) spoke at the ceremony, framing the facility in terms of national competitiveness. “The question to the United States is simple — will we lead this era of navigation, or will we follow?” Mullin said. “We’ve seen navigation disrupted in critical shipping lanes, driving gas prices up for everyone.”

Over a dozen commercial receiver partners are already tracking signals from Xona’s first production-class satellite, launched in June 2025. Six additional satellites are planned for a SpaceX rideshare mission in Q4, with broader deployment expected in 2027. Trimble — an investor and customer whose VP spoke at the ceremony — announced a collaboration with Xona in 2025 to integrate its correction services with Pulsar, targeting centimeter-precision positioning across construction, agriculture, and geospatial markets.

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ESA launched the first two Celeste in-orbit demonstration satellites — IOD-1 and IOD-2 — on March 28, marking the agency’s first step toward extending satellite navigation into low Earth orbit. u-blox, working under ESA’s Navigation Innovation and Support Program (NAVISP) Element 2, is conducting a technical evaluation of how LEO signals interact with and augment established GNSS constellations such as Galileo.

The Swiss positioning firm frames LEO not as a replacement for GNSS but as an additional layer — one characterized by higher signal strength and rapidly changing satellite geometry that could accelerate convergence and improve robustness in challenging signal environments. Early integration work is underway on u-blox’s X20 GNSS platform, examining how LEO signals across multiple frequency bands can be incorporated into future receivers.

The scope of the NAVISP project includes characterization of emerging LEO signal transmissions, analysis of LEO-GNSS measurement interactions, and evaluation of how dynamic satellite geometry affects positioning performance.

“Our work within the ESA NAVISP framework allows us to better understand how emerging signal sources can complement GNSS and contribute to robust and reliable positioning performance,” said Jani Käppi, Head of Technology Positioning at u-blox.

The full Celeste demonstration constellation will ultimately comprise 11 satellites testing innovative signals across various frequency bands. ESA’s 2025 Ministerial Council further endorsed a next phase — an LEO-PNT In-Orbit Preparatory phase — and incorporated Celeste as one of three pillars of its new European Resilience from Space initiative. 

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Issued through Army Contracting Command – Aberdeen Proving Ground via a C5 prototyping project, the awards carry a combined estimated value of up to $41 million over a 36-month period of performance. Both vendors will develop MOSA-compliant, modular, and upgradable solutions emphasizing non-radio frequency technologies to address GPS-denied and -degraded environments.

PM PNT’s Modernization product office launched the NorthStar effort in August 2023 with a virtual industry day and request for information that drew 27 vendor responses. Those responses, along with technical evaluations and white paper reviews, shaped the program’s tiered capability structure and drove the decision to split the award between multiple vendors.

“Awarding to multiple vendors encourages competition, speeds up implementation and integration of new technology to meet emerging threats, and reduces cost of engineering change proposals,” said Erik Scott, product manager for PNT Modernization.

Contract kickoffs with both vendors are scheduled for next month, with design reviews and a soldier touchpoint to follow.

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The signal was received at 10:38 CET on April 8, 2026, and verified by ESA teams at ESTEC as well as at GMV’s monitoring station in Lisbon.

The milestone marks successful commissioning of the spacecraft and opens the operational experimentation phase of a program designed to test whether a complementary low Earth orbit navigation layer can enhance Galileo’s accuracy, resilience, and security. Celeste IOD-1 and a second demonstrator, IOD-2, were launched March 28 aboard a Rocket Lab vehicle from Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand. The two satellites — built by separate European consortia, with GMV leading one and Thales Alenia Space the other — separated from the launch vehicle approximately one hour after liftoff. LEOP and commissioning activities for IOD-1 were conducted by an integrated GMV and Alén Space team from the mission control center in Tres Cantos.

Operating at altitudes between 500 and 560 km, the demonstrators will validate precise autonomous orbit determination without ground infrastructure dependence and will test navigation signal performance in L- and S-bands from LEO. The program’s rationale is multi-orbit resilience: by integrating a LEO constellation alongside Galileo’s medium Earth orbit architecture, Celeste aims to reduce vulnerability to interference and expand the envelope of advanced PNT services available to European users.

The IOD phase will comprise eleven satellites plus one in-orbit spare across both consortia. GMV holds prime contractor responsibility for six of the demonstrator satellites, covering system definition and design, space and ground segments, user segment, and operations. The two initial demonstrators are focused on securing registered frequency allocations and signal testing through the end of 2025. Eight larger follow-on satellites are under development, with subsequent launches targeting 2027 and the eventual fielding of a full operational fleet.

GMV was selected by ESA in 2024 to lead one of the two parallel Celeste development contracts.

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