GPS World

Author: GPS World Staff

  • Galileo 9 and 10 now broadcasting navigation messages

    News from the European Space Agency

    Europe’s ninth and tenth Galileo satellites have started broadcasting working navigation messages. The two satellites were launched together on Sept. 11, 2015.

    Once safely in orbit and their systems activated, their navigation payloads and search and rescue transponders were subjected to a rigorous process of in-orbit testing, to ensure their performance reached the necessary specifications to become part of the Galileo system.

    Radio-frequency measurements of the Galileo signals were made from ESA’s Redu centre in Belgium. The site boasts a 20 m-diameter dish to analyze their signal shape in high resolution.

    Along with assessing that the satellites themselves were functioning as planned, the test campaign also confirmed they could mesh properly with the worldwide Galileo ground network.

    The testing was coordinated from the Galileo Control Centres in Oberpfaffenhofen in Germany – performing the command and control of the satellites — and Fucino in Italy — overseeing the provision of navigation messages to users.

    Source: GPS world staff
    An artist’s depiction of four Galileo satellites sending navigation signals. (ESA)

    “This is the first recurrent launch of Galileo Full Operational Capability satellites from an in-orbit test point of view,” comments Christian Lezy, supervising the measurement campaign in Redu.

    “All tests were conducted in a seamless manner in parallel with the ongoing routine operations of the rest of the fleet.”

    The operations team, successfully led by SpaceOpal GmbH, completed the testing campaign few days ahead of schedule, with the satellites beginning to broadcast valid navigation signals on Jan. 29.

    The following two Galileos — satellites 11 and 12, launched on Dec. 17, 2015 — are undergoing their own in-orbit test campaign. Once their initial Launch and Early Operations Phase was completed at the Toulouse facility of France’s CNES space agency, both spacecraft were handed over to the Oberpfaffenhofen centre during the Christmas period.

    Platform commissioning and drift stop and fine positioning maneuvers have also been completed, placing both satellites into their final working orbits, while their payload activation is proceeding according to schedule.

    Galileo satellites 13 and 14 have completed all pre-flight testing at ESA’s ESTEC test centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, and have been put into storage ahead of their launch. Production of the remaining 12 satellites is continuing around the clock at OHB’s facility in Bremen, Germany.

    The complete Galileo constellation will be made up of 24 satellites across three orbital planes, with two ‘active spare’ satellites per orbital plane, ready to plug any gap in service should an operational Galileo malfunction.

    At the moment the satellites are transmitting navigation signals for technical validation purposes, being employed by Galileo engineers as well as the rest of the satnav industry to prepare Galileo-compatible products and services.

    The current status of the overall Galileo constellation can be checked at the European Commission’s European GNSS Service Centre website.

  • Launch of last GPS IIF satellite shifts to Friday

    The U.S. Air Force plans to launch the 12th — and final — satellite in the Block IIF series of modernized GPS spacecraft this week. Originally scheduled to launch Feb. 3, the launch has been moved to Friday, Feb. 5. According to United Launch Alliance (ULA), the cause for the schedule slip was “concerns over the integrity of electrical connectors on the Atlas V booster.”

    The Air Force has produced 12 IIF satellites, featuring new clocks, new civil and military signals, and other upgrades for enhanced accuracy and robustness. Currently, 31 GPS satellites are in operational service, including 11 Block IIF satellites and 20 spacecraft from previous generations.

    The Air Force Second Space Operations Squadron (2SOPS) indicates that IIF-12 (SVN-70/PRN-32) will replace SVN-41/PRN-14 in the F plane, slot F1. SVN-41 will be re-phased from the F1 location to a newly defined F7 node (GLAN = 45°) once SVN-70 is set healthy.

    Meanwhile, SVN-23/PRN-32 (IIA-10) will be taken out of the operational constellation before IIF-12’s launch and sent to Launch, Anomaly, Resolution, and Disposal Operations (LADO).

    “SVN-23, launched on Nov. 26, 1990, has been an ‘Iron Bird’ workhorse in the E-plane and has successfully served the world’s GPS users for over 25 years,” said Rick Hamilton, CGSIC Executive Secretariat, in an email. “This is over 18 years past its designed service life, having operationally outlasted (and, in many cases, outperformed) its peers on-orbit due to the diligent efforts of the men and women of the U.S. Air Force.”

    PRN-04 is tentatively scheduled for assignment to the first of the new generation of GPS-III satellites, available for launch sometime in 2017.

    Date/Site/Launch Time: Wednesday, Feb. 03, 2016, from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The 19-minute launch window opens at 8:38 a.m. EST, and a ULA webcast will start at 8:18 a.m. EST.

    Rocket/Payload: A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 will launch the GPS IIF-12 mission for the U.S. Air Force.

    Launch Updates: To keep up to speed with updates to the launch countdown, dial the ULA launch hotline at 1-877-852-4321 or join the conversation at www.facebook.com/ulalaunch, twitter.com/ulalaunch and instagram.com/ulalaunch; hashtags #GPSIIF12 and #AtlasV.

    Source: GPS world staff
    The Air Force’s twelfth Global Positioning System (GPS) IIF satellite is encapsulated inside an Atlas V 4-meter payload fairing. (Photo: ULA)

  • Air Force determines cause of GPS timing issue

    On Jan. 26 at 12:49 a.m. MST, the 2nd Space Operations Squadron (2 SOPS) at the 50th Space Wing, Schriever Air Force Base, Colo., verified users were experiencing GPS timing issues. Further investigation revealed an issue in the GPS ground software that only affected the time on legacy L-band signals. This change occurred when the oldest vehicle, SVN 23, was removed from the constellation.

    While the core navigation systems were working normally, the coordinated universal time timing signal was off by 13 microseconds, which exceeded the design specifications. The issue was resolved at 6:10 a.m. MST; however, global users may have experienced GPS timing issues for several hours.

    U.S. Strategic Command’s Commercial Integration Cell, operating out of the Joint Space Operations Center, effectively served as the portal to determine the scope of commercial user impacts. Additionally, the Joint Space Operations Center at Vandenberg AFB has not received any reports of issues with GPS-aided munitions, and has determined that the timing error is not attributable to any type of outside interference such as jamming or spoofing.

    Operator procedures were modified to preclude a repeat of this issue until the ground system software is corrected, and the 50th Space Wing will conduct an Operational Review Board to review procedures and impacts on users. Commercial and Civil users who experienced impacts can contact the U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center at (703) 313-5900.

  • DJI propulsion system aimed at industry, aerial imaging

    UAV company DJI is offering its first tuned propulsion system designed for all-weather use in industrial applications and filmmaking.

    The E2000 propulsion system has the power to handle add-ons such as computing devices and advanced imaging equipment. It uses a combination of 6010 motors, 1240S/X field-oriented control (FOC) electronic speed control (ESCs), and 2170 propellers to carry payloads of 1800–2500 grams (g) per axis, with a maximum thrust of up to 5100 g/rotor (50V, sea level).

    The 6010 motor’s bearings are fully sealed to prevent flu

    ids such as salt water from causing corrosion. A special surface coating applied to the stator also greatly improves its ability to withstand rusting.

    To more effectively dissipate heat generated under intensive industrial use, the 6010 motor features an integrated centrifugal cooling system that effectively cools the motor while keeping dust and micro particles out. The 1240S FOC ESC is equipped with a silica thermal pad and heat sink for maximum heat transfer and dissipation.

    The E2000 is available in Standard and Pro versions to meet the demands of professional and industry users. Both the 6010 Standard and Pro motor bearings are fully sealed to prevent fluids like rain, pesticide, and salt spray from entering and causing corrosion. A special surface coating applied to the stator also greatly improves its ability to withstand rusting.

    The same effective weather sealing has also been applied to the external 1240S ESC found with the E2000 Standard. The E2000 Standard has an IP56 rating.

  • Topcon offers ES-50, an entry-level total station plus EDM

    The Topcon ES-50 total station.
    The Topcon ES-50 total station.

    Topcon Positioning Group has released the latest addition to its ES total station series, the ES-50. Featuring advanced reflectorless capabilities, the new ES-50 is designed to provide an entry-level total station option with a fast and powerful electronic distance meter (EDM).

    “With the functionality of many high-end robotic total stations, our ES series is known to be full-featured and ready to tackle modern job sites,” said Ray Kerwin, director of global surveying products. “The ES-50 incorporates all those time-honored expectations, along with a reflectorless EDM of up to 350 meters, and 4,000 meters with the use of a prism.”

    The ES-50 offers 2- and 5-arc second accuracies for distance measurements in projects such as land surveying, topography and as-built, construction and layout, or foundation and exterior job sites.

    Additional features include a battery life of up to 15 hours, dual-axis compensation, a waterproof design and a laser pointer.

  • Septentrio reference station receivers now shipping to UNAVCO

    Septentrio reference station receivers now shipping to UNAVCO

    Septentrio has started shipments to UNAVCO of its all new multi-frequency PolaRx5 reference receiver. This follows the 2015 announcement by UNAVCO that Septentrio was selected at the Geodesy Advancing Geosciences EarthScope (GAGE) Facility preferred vendor for next-generation GNSS reference station products.

    The Septentrio PolaRx5 GNSS receiver.
    The Septentrio PolaRx5 GNSS receiver.

    The PolaRx5 incorporates Septentrio’s most advanced multi-frequency GNSS engine, with support for all major satellite signals including GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou, as well as the regional QZSS and IRNSS satellite systems.

    According to the UNAVCO GNSS Receiver Preferred Vendor RFP Evaluation Report, Septentrio consistently ranks highest in many areas of measurement quality and interference mitigation of the instruments tested. Moreover, the PolaRx5 offers low power consumption for its multi-constellation, multi-frequency GNSS reference receiver, operating on less than 2 Watts when receiving GPS and GLONASS satellite signals.

    “At UNAVCO, we are excited about the selection of the PolaRx5 for enhancement of the EarthScope Plate Boundary Observatory, the international standard for geodetic networks,” said M. Meghan Miller, president of UNAVCO. “We will work with Septentrio to modernize UNAVCO GPS networks, and explore the science innovation and broader applications that are possible in the rapidly evolving GNSS era.”

    UNAVCO is a non-profit university-governed consortium that facilitates geosciences research and education using geodesy. UNAVCO operates the GAGE Facility for the National Science Foundation with additional core support from NASA. The GAGE Facility includes more than 2,000 continuously operating GPS/GNSS reference stations around the world.

    UNAVCO-supported networks include EarthScope’s Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO), the Continuously Operating Caribbean GPS Observational Network (COCONet), the Trans-Boundary Land and Atmosphere Long-Term Observational and Collaboration Network (TLALOCNet) and the Polar Earth Observational Network (POLENet).

    Septentrio’s close cooperation with UNAVCO continues a tradition of partnering with leading scientific institutions and agencies that require high-performance GNSS technology in challenging environments. Septentrio partners include the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European GNSS Agency (GSA).

    “These deliveries mark a huge step in the modernization program for UNAVCO and UNAVCO partner networks around the globe,” said Neil Vancans, vice president of Septentrio Americas. “The use of new satellite technology will be the foundation for greater understanding of our planet. The entire Septentrio team is proud to be a part of this pivotal program.”

  • China launches 21st Beidou navigation satellite

    Source: GPS world staff
    A Long March-3C carrier rocket carrying the 21st satellite for the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System lifts off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center,southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Feb. 1, 2016.

    China has launched its 21st BeiDou satellite into orbit, according to Xinhua News Agency, the official press agency of the People’s Republic of China.

    The launch took place at 3:29 p.m. Beijing Time (07:29 UTC) on Monday, Feb. 1.

    Launched from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan, the satellite was boosted by a Long March-3C carrier rocket into medium Earth orbit (MEO).

    A video of the launch appears here. Also, below is amateur video of the launch.

  • Topcon launches new machine-control system for dozers

    Topcon Positioning Group has released an indicate dozer machine control system — the i-53. The new system comes with the latest Topcon GNSS receiver, a graphical user interface and machine-control software designed to deliver a versatile indicate dozer system at an economical price.

    The system expands the Topcon dozer indicate product line by offering a single-GNSS-plus-slope sensor designed for complete control of elevation and slope.

    “The i-53 features the Topcon GX-55 control box with audible grade reference alarms and visual LED lights, as well as the new MC-i4 GNSS receiver,” said Kris Maas, director of construction product management. “With safety and work efficiency in mind, the bright screen and grade guidance features deliver the highest quality graphical experience for modern machine control.

    “The communication of the machine is handled by the innovative MC-i4 GNSS receiver that allows various radio configurations in one receiver for the Sitelink3D site management solution and/or network corrections,” Maas said.

    “Topcon continually strives to provide the greatest value indicate systems in the market. Now by utilizing slope sensors in an indicate system — we are able to greatly improve the blade’s cutting edge position and angle — which advances the grading capabilities of the dozer,” Maas said.

    Additional features include integrated virus protection and easy-access USB ports for saving and downloading job files.

    Source: GPS world staff
    The Topcon i-53 machine-control system.
  • US Navy unmanned system passes tests on submersible

    US Navy unmanned system passes tests on submersible

    A surrogate LDUUV is submerged in preparation for a test to demonstrate the capability of the Navy's Common Control System at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Keyport in Puget Sound, Washington. (U.S. Navy photo)
    A surrogate LDUUV is submerged in preparation for a test to demonstrate the capability of the Navy’s Common Control System at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Keyport in Puget Sound, Washington. (U.S. Navy photo)

    The U.S. Navy tested its newly developed Common Control System (CCS) with a submersible unmanned vehicle during a series of underwater missions at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Keyport in Puget Sound, Washington.

    The CCS successfully demonstrated its capability to provide command and control to a surrogate Large Displacement Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (LDUUV).

    CCS is a software architecture with a common framework, user interface and components that can be integrated on a variety of unmanned systems. It will provide common vehicle management, mission planning and mission management capabilities for the Naval unmanned systems portfolio.

    During the test events in Dec. 7-11, operators from Submarine Development Squadron 5 Detachment UUV used CCS to plan and execute several surveillance and intelligence preparation missions. The CCS sent pre-planned missions — via radio link — to the LDUUV’s autonomous controller and displayed actual vehicle status information to operators during the test. The vehicle was able to maneuver to the target areas and collect imagery.

    “These tests proved that operators could use CCS from a single global operations center to plan, command and monitor UUVs on missions located anywhere in the world,” said Capt. Ralph Lee, who oversees the Navy’s CCS program at Patuxent River, Maryland. “This event also showed us that CCS is adaptable from the UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) to UUV missions.”

    Teams from the Navy’s Strike Planning and Execution and Unmanned Maritime Systems program office (PMA-281), Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command Pacific, John Hopkins and Penn State universities worked together to design, develop and test the software before executing the live demonstration in December.

    “We had a really talented group of people working on this project,” said Vern Brown, who supports the CCS Advanced Development team based in China Lake. “It was exciting taking the CCS concept of controlling an undersea vehicle from inception early in the year to a successful in-water demonstration.”

    CCS is intended to be compatible across all domains — air, surface, undersea and ground. The Navy initially plans to deploy the CCS on unmanned air vehicles. It will provide common vehicle management, mission planning and mission management capabilities for the Naval unmanned systems portfolio.

    “Ultimately, CCS will eliminate redundant efforts, encourage innovation and improve cost control for unmanned systems,” Lee said.

    Personnel supporting the Navy's CCS program review data during a test event in December 2015 at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Keyport in Puget Sound, Wash. (U.S. Navy photo)
    Personnel supporting the Navy’s CCS program review data during a test event in December 2015 at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Keyport in Puget Sound, Wash. (U.S. Navy photo)

  • Demonstration shows unmanned ground-air collaboration

    Carnegie Mellon University and Sikorsky Aircraft researchers have used an autonomous helicopter and an autonomous ground vehicle to demonstrate for the U.S. Army that ground and air robots can perform complex, cooperative missions, the university announced Jan. 20.

    During the Oct. 27 demonstration, an unmanned Black Hawk helicopter picked up an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), flew a 12-mile route, delivered the UGV to a ground location and released it. The drop-zone collaboration promises to keep warfighters out of harm’s way, enabling them to perform missions more effectively.

    An unmanned Black Hawk delivers an autonomous ground vehicle to a remote site in a demonstration for the U.S. Army of a joint robotic air-ground mission.
    An unmanned Black Hawk delivers an autonomous ground vehicle to a remote site in a demonstration for the U.S. Army of a joint robotic air-ground mission. (Photo: CMU)

    The Black Hawk was equipped for autonomous operation by Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Co. It delivered a Land Tamer autonomous unmanned ground vehicle from Carnegie Mellon’s National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC) to a remote site, where the vehicle performed environmental monitoring for potential contamination, the type of robotic mission that could prevent warfighters’ exposure to hazardous conditions, such as chemically or radiologically contaminated areas.

    “We were able to demonstrate a new technological capability that combines the strengths of air and ground vehicles,” said Jeremy Searock, NREC technical project manager. “The helicopter provides long-range capability and access to remote areas, while the ground vehicle has long endurance and high-precision sensing.”

    The demonstration took place at Sikorsky’s Development Flight Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, for the Army’s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC).

    Once the helicopter lowered the vehicle to the ground, the Land Tamer drove itself off its transport platform to commence its leg of the mission. The vehicle, equipped with sensors for detecting chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear contamination, then found and surveyed several potentially contaminated sites, autonomously traversing six miles in the process.

    When the vehicle sensors detected potential contamination, operators were able to switch the vehicle from autonomous operation into a tele-operated mode for a more detailed exploration of the site.

    The helicopter delivered the Land Tamer, Carnegie Mellon's unmanned ground vehicle. (Photo: CMU)
    The helicopter delivered the Land Tamer, Carnegie Mellon’s unmanned ground vehicle. (Photo: CMU)

    “The teaming of unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned ground vehicles, as demonstrated here, has enormous potential to bring the future ground commander an adaptable, modular, responsive and smart capability that can evolve as quickly as needed to meet a constantly changing threat,” said Paul Rogers, TARDEC director.

    NREC has developed the unmanned Crusher off-road vehicle for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Advanced Platform Demonstrator for TARDEC and a tactical unmanned ground vehicle, called Gladiator, for the U.S. Marines, as well as advanced off-road autonomous driving technology. NREC was also part of CMU’s Tartan Racing Team that won the $2 million 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge robot race with its autonomous SUV called Boss.

    The Black Hawk helicopter used in the demonstration was a UH-60MU model, equipped for “fly-by-wire” operation. Sikorsky installed its Matrix technology, which it has been developing since 2013.

    In the demonstration, a Black Hawk helicopter equipped with Sikorsky’s Matrix autonomy kit flew NREC’s Land Tamer all-terrain vehicle, slung beneath the aircraft in a specially designed cage, to a remote area.

  • Insitu Blackjack UAS receives ‘go’ for Navy, Marine ops

    Insitu Blackjack UAS receives ‘go’ for Navy, Marine ops

    The Navy and Marine Corps’ RQ-21A Blackjack unmanned aircraft system (UAS) received the official green light for operation Jan. 13, marking a major milestone for the program.

    The program has achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC), announced Marine Corps Deputy Commandant for Aviation Lt. Gen. Jon Davis. IOC confirms that the first Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron (VMU) squadron is sufficiently manned, trained and ready to deploy with the RQ-21A system.

    “We are ‘go for launch’,” said Col. Eldon Metzger, program manager for the Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program Office (PMA-263), whose team oversees the Blackjack program. “Achieving IOC designation means the fleet can now deploy using this critical piece of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance architecture to enhance mission success.”

    Blackjack-insitu-O
    An RQ-21A Blackjack in flight during testing aboard USS Mesa Verde (LPD-19) in 2015. The Marines will deploy for the first time with the unmanned air system this summer. (U.S. Navy photo)

    In December 2015, builder Insitu delivered the first system from low-rate initial production (LRIP) lot 3 to VMU-2. The Blackjack system will support of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), based in Camp Legeune, North Carolina. The Marines will make their first shipboard deployment with the system this summer.

    “The Blackjack team has endured many long hours seeing this program to fruition and I am very proud to lead such a dedicated team of professionals,” Metzger said.

    A Blackjack system is comprised of five air vehicles, two ground control systems, and launch and recovery support equipment. At eight feet long and with a wingspan of 16 feet, the air vehicle’s open-architecture configuration is designed to seamlessly integrate sensor payloads, with an endurance of 10-12 hours.

    The expeditionary nature of the Blackjack, which does not require a runway for launch and recovery, makes it possible to deploy a multi-intelligence-capable UAS with minimal footprint from ships.

  • AUVSI provides interactive map of UAS legislation

    As the 2016 legislative session kicked off this month, the Association for Unmanned Vehicles Systems International (AUVSI) has been tracking all active legislation pertaining to unmanned systems. This year, to provide the best information to its members, legislators, regulators and the media, AUVSI has organized data on all unmanned systems-related state legislation into a sortable, interactive map with details that include a summary of each bill.

    Included are bills that place restrictions on police, recreational or commercial unmanned aircraft systems; legislation that forms unmanned systems or autonomous vehicle commissions and task forces; bills that try to treat unmanned technology differently than other information-gathering devices; and bills that place operating limitations on unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in specific scenarios such as preventing all UAS from flying over prisons or from interfering with hunting and fishing.

    To date, more than 150 active bills in more than 30 states have either carried over from 2015 or been introduced this year.

    See the map below.