Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design
Experts at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) are analyzing signals from Japan’s first quasi-zenith satellite, Michibiki, which began transmissions (including the first transmission from space of the new civil signal, L1C) on October 26, according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
By Inside GNSS
Compass G4 satellite and Long March rocket on Xichang launch pad displays new Beidou logo.[UPDATED Oct. 31, 2010) China has launched its fourth Compass/Beidou-2 satellite this year, shortly after midnight today (November 1, 2010, local time) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province.
This is the sixth satellite in the second-generation Beidou constellation. The spacecraft will join three other GEOs, a middle Earth orbiting spacecraft, and an inclined geosynchronous orbiting (IGSO) satellite.
By Inside GNSS
At European Space Policy Conference: From left, Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA Director General, Mercedes Bresso, President of the European Committee of the Regions, Vittori Prodi, Member of the European Parliament. ESA photo – S. Corvaja, 2010Amid continuing debate over how to handle budgetary shortfalls in building a European GNSS, the European Space Agency (ESA) signed a €194 million ($270.5 million) contract on October 25 with Spaceopal to provide space- and ground-based services to operate the Galileo constellation once it has been fully deployed.
By Inside GNSS
Prague Congress CentreThe workshop on GNSS Applications for Human Benefit and Development is sponsored by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and the International Astronautical Federation (IAF).
It is the 20th joint UN-IAF workshop and will be held at the Prague Congress Centre (PCC) in Prague, Czech Republic just before the 61st International Astronautical Congress that runs from September 27-October 1. Participants at either event are welcome at the other.
By Inside GNSS
Anthony Russo, director of the U.S. National Coordination Office (NCO) for Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) The United States brought a strong message that it is pursuing a new direction in GNSS relations with China in presentations at the 2010 NaviForum in Shanghai last week.
By Inside GNSS
GLONASS-M satellite. Figure/photo, JSC “Academician M.F. Reshetnev “Information Satellite Systems”A Proton-M carrier rocket successfully launched three GLONASS-M satellites into orbit early this morning (September 2, 2010, Moscow time) from the Baiknour space center in Kazakhstan. Another launch on November 30 will send three more M-type satellites into orbit, and the first GLONASS-K is scheduled to go up on December 25.
The imminent completion of a full constellation by the end of the year is accompanied by a vigorous policy initiative to promote Russia’s revitalized GNSS.
By Inside GNSS
SVN62 launch (ULA)The U.S. Air Force declared the first GPS Block IIF satellite (SVN62) operational today (August 27, 2010), changing the spacecraft’s navigation signal status to healthy at about 10:10 a.m. (EDT or 4:10 a.m. UTC).
Launched May 28, the satellite became the responsibility of the USAF 50th Space Wing on August 26,
By Inside GNSS
High-precision users of GNSS are used to solving for carrier phase integer ambiguities, but the recent publication of a GPS technical document has fixed a different kind of phase ambiguity — a linguistic one
By Inside GNSS
Artist’s rendering of GPS III satellite. Lockheed Martin imageMore than two years into a multi-billion-dollar contract, the Lockheed Martin team developing the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation GPS Block III satellites continues to defy the physics of large aerospace programs by successfully completing the program’s Critical Design Review (CDR) phase last week — two months ahead of the baseline schedule.
By Inside GNSS
The GPS Wing has authorized publication of three technical documents with updated specifications for the U.S. Global Positioning System, including the next-generation GPS Block IIIA satellites now in development, the L5 radio link, and the new L1 civil signal (L1C) that will be available with the GPS III spacecraft.
By Inside GNSS
Officials from the Air Space Space and Missile Systems Center’s GPS Wing announced today (August 10) that the first GPS IIF satellite (SVN-62) arrived on-station August 1. This indicates that the satellite is in its designated orbital position and ready for its final phase of on-orbit checkout and testing, to be completed before September. The satellite will then be cleared to serve navigation and timing users as part of the operational GPS constellation.
By Inside GNSS
Passive Hydrogen Maser (PHM) flight model on GIOVE-B (ESA photo) SELEX Galileo, an Edinburgh, Scotland company, has signed a €30 million contract with with Surrey Satellite Technology LTD (SSTL) to supply PHM atomic clocks for all 14 Galileo FOC (full operational capability) satellites.
The PHM-Passive Hydrogen Maser- clock is the most stable for space
applications and has been tested successfully in GIOVE-B, the Galileo
system’s second validation satellite, which was launched in 2008.
Fifth Beidou-2 satellite launched. Xinhua/Du Cai photo[Updated August 1, 2010] China’s state news agency has reported that the fifth Compass (Beidou-2) satellite — the system’s first inclined geostationary orbit (IGSO) spacecraft — was launched successfully at 5:30 a.m. Sunday (August 1 — local time) from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern Sichuan Province
This was the third Compass satellite put into orbit this year, following launches in June and January 2010.
By Inside GNSS
