GPS World

Author: GPS World Staff

  • GPSWorldTV – ITT Exelis at ION GNSS

    GPSWorldTV talks with Stephan Spaulding and Emil Kobylarz of ITT Exelis at the ION GNSS 2012 conference.

  • GPSWorldTV – Spirent Federal at ION GNSS

    GPSWorldTV talks with Neal Fedora of Spirent Federal at the ION GNSS 2012 conference.

  • GPSWorldTV – Symmetricom at ION GNSS

    GPSWorldTV talks with Phil Bourekas of Symmetricom, Inc. at the ION GNSS 2012 conference.

  • GPSWorldTV – Cast Navigation at ION GNSS

    GPSWorldTV talks with John Clark of Cast Navigation, Inc. at the ION GNSS 2012 conference.

  • Septentrio Announces First GNSS Receiver with Full Support of TerraStar Services

    Septentrio announces the full support of TERRASTAR wide-area differential and Precise Point Positioning (PPP) capabilities in some of its receivers. The Septentrio AsteRx2eL is an all-in-view dual-frequency GPS/GLONASS receiver, featuring an integrated L-band modem to receive TERRASTAR data transmitted by satellite and field-proven dm-accurate positioning using this data. AsteRx2eL also features GNSS+ technology, a unique combination of industrial grade performance algorithms, to better serve high-precision positioning needs even in the most severe conditions, Septentrio said.

    Support of TERRASTAR-M and TERRASTAR-D allows precise position calculation anywhere on the globe, Septentrio said. TERRASTAR services achieve accuracy levels down to 10 cm without the use of extra communication such as radio or mobile. Powered by TERRASTAR services, AsteRx2eL provides a high level of flexibility for consistent dm-level accuracy everywhere on earth and cm-level where local RTK corrections are available. Septentrio multi-constellation receivers will provide position accuracy and high-availability independently of local infrastructure for the various applications in any of the markets that they traditionally serve:

    • Land and aerial survey and mapping
    • Machine control for agriculture, construction and mining
    • Precise navigation for land, sea and air

    ‘The introduction of support for TERRASTAR offers our customers an important additional option for accurate positioning, notably in the absence of local infrastructure,” Peter Grognard, founder and CEO of Septentrio Satellite Navigation, said. “It has been a pleasure for us at Septentrio to closely collaborate with the great team at TERRASTAR to develop and deliver a strong new value proposition with robust industrial performance everywhere on the globe.”

  • GPSWorldTV – Novatel at ION GNSS

    GPSWorldTV talks with Jason Hamilton, Director of Marketing for Novatel, Inc. at the ION GNSS 2012 conference.

  • GPSWorldTV – Javad Ashjaee speaking at ION – Part 5 of 5

    GPSWorldTV – Javad Ashjaee, founder and CEO of Javad GNSS – speaking at the ION GNSS Show

  • GPSWorldTV – Javad Ashjaee speaking at ION – Part 4 of 5

    GPSWorldTV – Javad Ashjaee, founder and CEO of Javad GNSS – speaking at the ION GNSS Show

  • GPSWorldTV – Javad Ashjaee speaking at ION – Part 3 of 5

    GPSWorldTV – Javad Ashjaee, founder and CEO of Javad GNSS – speaking at the ION GNSS Show

  • GPSWorldTV – Javad Ashjaee speaking at ION – Part 2 of 5

    GPSWorldTV – Javad Ashjaee, founder and CEO of Javad GNSS – speaking at the ION GNSS Show

  • Galileo Satellites Cleared for Launch

    Photo: Galileo
    Soyuz VS03, the third Soyuz flight from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, was transferred to the launch zone on October 8. The vehicle was rolled out horizontally on its erector from the preparation building to the launch zone and then raised into the vertical position, in preparation of the launch of two Galileo satellites.

    Europe’s next two Galileo satellites have received technical clearance for their launch this Friday. They are currently resting in place atop their Soyuz launcher.

    Yesterday saw the three-stage Soyuz ST-B launcher moved horizontally to the launch pad on the 600-meter long railway. It was then lifted into the vertical position to await the attachment of the Upper Composite — the combination of twin Galileo satellites, the dispenser holding them in place, the Fregat-MT upper stage and the protective fairing.  
    Meanwhile, the satellites themselves underwent their formal Launch Readiness Review, after which the Upper Composite joined the Soyuz at the launch pad to be mated to the Soyuz that evening using the mobile gantry. The Soyuz and Upper Composite will undergo a full launch dress rehearsal in the remaining days before the 18:15:00 GMT (20:15:00 CEST) launch on October 12, including preparations for fueling the vehicle, which will begin four and a half hours before liftoff.

    This follow-up launch marks a major step for Europe’s own satellite navigation system. Four is the minimum number of satellites needed to achieve a navigational fix on the ground, with one satellite each to measure latitude, longitude, altitude and provide a time reference. So once this second pair of satellites has been commissioned and tested, the quartet will form a completely operational mini-constellation that will be used to validate the Galileo system.

    The performance of the satellites in space together with the worldwide ground infrastructure serving to maintain Galileo’s service accuracy will be assessed in depth, to prepare the way for the launch of further satellites and then deliver initial services by mid-decade and finally build up to full operational capability.

    These two new satellites are also the first to carry search and rescue antennas to pinpoint aircraft and ships in distress as part of the international Cospas–Sarsat system.

    Photo: Galileo
    The two Galileo In-Orbit Validation satellites are protected during their launch by Soyuz by a launch fairing. Once the Soyuz has passed most of the way through the atmosphere, this fairing can then be ejected.

     

  • Handheld Launches the Algiz 10X, a 10-inch Rugged Tablet for Outdoors

    Handheld Group, a manufacturer of rugged mobile computers and smartphones, today announced the launch of its new rugged mobile device for field professionals, the Algiz 10X  rugged tablet PC. The Algiz 10X can withstand tough weather elements and harsh handling. It has a large, 10.1-inch touchscreen.

    “The new Algiz 10X is perfectly suited for field professionals who need a rugged tablet computer that is lightweight and built to withstand the harsh conditions that come with all kinds of industry fieldwork, and that can display detailed maps and other visuals even in bright sunlight,” said Jerker Hellström, CEO of Handheld.

    The Algiz 10X is IP65-rated and meets stringent MIL-STD-810G military standards for protecting against dust, water, vibrations, drops, extreme temperatures and varying altitudes. It is lightweight at 1.3 kg (2.9 lbs), and  32 mm (1.2″) thick.

    The Algiz 10X’s brilliant display features the latest generation of MaxView technology. The tablet also comes with a u-blox GPS receiver and WAAS/EGNOS/MSAS capability, plus Bluetooth 4.0, WLAN 802.11 b/g/n and it is WWAN Gobi 3000-ready with fully integrated modem and antennas for wireless connectivity. It has a built-in 5-megapixel camera with LED flash, and several connectivity opportunities, including waterproof USB 2.0, VGA and RS232 ports. The Algiz 10X operates on a powerful Intel Atom N2800 dual-core processor with 4 GB of DDR3 RAM, offering top-of-the-line computing capability, and the SSD disk is expandable via microSD for massive storage capacity. The Algiz 10X runs Windows 7 Ultimate, and is ready for Windows 8.

    “With the Algiz 10X, we are expanding the popular product family that includes our Algiz 7, which is the preferred choice today for field professionals worldwide. The Algiz 10X comes with increased processing power and storage plus a larger display — something that the market has been asking for,” said Hellström.

    Like all of Handheld’s lineup of rugged PDAs, smartphones and mobile computers, the Algiz 10X is specifically developed for field workers in industries such as geomatics, logistics, forestry, public transportation, utilities, construction, maintenance, mining, military and security.

    The Algiz 10X rugged tablet PC is being showcased at INTERGEO in Hanover, Germany, on October 9-11, and will be shown Mobility for Business in Paris, France, on October 10-11, plus several shows throughout the fall.

    The Algiz 10X will be available in January 2013. Orders can be placed immediately.