Andrei Shkel, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Photo: Andrei Shkel, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
By Andrei Shkel, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
Future breakthroughs in microtechnology for positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) will likely rely on yet-to-be-exploited physics, new materials, highly specialized fabrication technologies, batch assembly techniques, selective wafer-level trimming and polishing, a combination of passive and active calibration techniques strategically implemented right on-chip, and introduction of innovative test technologies.
Such microtechnology advances for PNT are sought because reliance on satellite-based GPS for precision PNT information, which is critical to the conduct of many types of military operations and the performance of a wide range of military weapon systems, can mean dependence on a resource that may become inaccessible, whether as a result of some type of component or overall system malfunction or as a consequence of deliberate enemy action. The goal of the DARPA micro-PNT portfolio of programs is to develop micro-technology for self-contained, chip-scale inertial navigation and precision guidance that would effectively eliminate the dependence on GPS while enabling uncompromised navigation and guidance capabilities for advanced munitions and various military platforms, under a wide range of operation conditions.
In 2012, under the project name C-SCAN, DARPA solicited innovative research proposals in the area of co-integration of inertial sensors with dissimilar physics of operation in a single micro-scale inertial measurement unit (IMU). This solicitation is an integral part of DARPA’s microtechnology for positioning, navigation, and timing (micro-PNT) portfolio of programs. The overarching objective of the micro-PNT portfolio is to develop technologies for self-contained chip-scale inertial navigation and precision guidance that could effectively eliminate the dependence on GPS or any other external signals and enable uncompromised navigation and guidance capabilities for advanced munitions, mid- and long-range missiles, and various military platforms under a wide range of operating conditions. The micro-PNT program includes a number of important specific efforts that focus on development of precision timing devices, inertial sensors, and microsystems. C-SCAN leverages the results of these efforts and expands the scope of the micro-PNT program.
In this context, the program sought to address challenges associated with the long-term drift, dynamic range, and start-up time of chip-scale components for positioning, targeting, navigation, and guidance tasks. Specific interest lies in the development of a Chip-Scale Combinatorial Atomic Navigator (C-SCAN) that combines inertial sensors with dissimilar, but complementary, physics of operation into a single microsystem. The main objectives of the C-SCAN program are to:
explore miniaturization and co-fabrication of atomic sensors with high-performance solid-state inertial sensors, and
develop combinatorial algorithms and architectures that seamlessly co-integrate components with dissimilar physics in a single ensemble.
The deliverable is a miniature IMU that co-integrates atomic and solid-state inertial sensors in a single microsystem with a volume of no more than 20 cubic centimeters (20 cc) and power consumption of no more than 1 Watt (1 W). The performance of C-SCAN is expected to be above and beyond what is currently available, combining a high resolution of motion detection (10-4 deg/hour for rotation and 10-6 g for linear acceleration), exceptional long-term bias and scale-factor stability (1 ppm with respect to the full-scale of operation), and start-up time performance orders of magnitude better than available today (less than 10 seconds from cold start).
To meet these objectives, the C-SCAN program expects to develop a complete IMU comprised of combinatorial gyroscopes and accelerometers with the following characteristics: 10-4 deg/hour and 10-6 g bias stability, 5·10-4 deg/√hour angle random walk (ARW) and 5·10-4 m/sec/√hour Velocity Random Walk (VRW), 1 ppm bias and scale-factor drift characteristics of 40 Hz (or ~15,000 deg/sec), and 1,000 g range of operation, respectively.
Figure 1. C-SCAN conceptual implementation. Photo: Andrei Shkel, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
The C-SCAN module will have three axes of rotation, as well as three axes of acceleration sensitivity. The misalignment between the axes of sensitivity in C-SCAN is not to exceed 10-4 radians when operating in a harsh military environment. The operational environments of interest are:
in-operation exposure to temperatures varying from -55ºC to +85ºC,
in-operation exposure to mechanical vibrations from 5 Hz to 5 kHz with an average amplitude 5 g, and
device survivability and subsequent normal operation after exposure to
15,000 g shock exerted in less than 1 second,
a peak acceleration amplitude on the level of 20 g through the frequency range for random vibrations from 5 Hz to 5 kHz, and
a 100º C temperature difference thermal shock with transfer time not exceeding 10 seconds.
Current state-of-the-art microscale inertial instruments can provide the required level of precision for missions of only 30 seconds or less in duration. The micro-PNT program is developing chip-scale, small SWaP+C (Size, Weight and Power, plus Cost) inertial sensors for a variety of operational scenarios, missions ranging from minutes to hours, and for reliable operation under environmental conditions varying from moderate to severe. Ongoing work includes development of a broad range of chip-scale precision timing devices and inertial sensors, including chip-scale atomic clocks, chip-scale primary atomic clocks, solid-state oscillators, silicon accelerometers, and various gyroscopes: vibratory rate, rate-integrating, electrostatically levitated spinning-mass, micro-nuclear magnetic resonance, and cold-atom interferometric.
While recent results in the micro-PNT program have shown considerable progress toward development of small-scale inertial instruments approaching navigation-grade performance, the overall challenge remains: how to simultaneously meet all the stringent PNT requirements imposed by U.S. Department of Defense missions in a small SWaP+C package. Specific requirements include, but are not limited to, accuracy, resolution, scale-factor, bias stability (both in-run and long-term), extended dynamic range, fast warm-up time, and short integration time. These challenges are significant, and it is unlikely that all the requirements can be achieved in a single type of device.
Overall, more than 98 percent of the missiles currently in the U.S. arsenal have mission durations of less than 20 minutes, and today, almost all of these missions are critically dependent on GPS for achieving the required level of delivery accuracy. A preferable solution is to completely eliminate dependence on GPS or any other external signals during the mission and rely solely on self-contained solutions such as inertial navigation, which is immune to jamming, spoofing, and other intentional or unintentional modification of position, orientation, and time information. Achieving 20 minutes of free inertial guidance is a major technological challenge faced by small SWaP+C inertial instruments. Solving this problem is of great strategic importance.
Several recent developments in micro-technology, inertial instruments, and atomic devices may present an opportunity for solving the problem of extended inertial guidance and navigation, potentially offering a new breed of chip-scale navigators exhibiting favorable characteristics when combined in a single hybrid micro-system ensemble.
Andrei M. Shkel received a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a program manager in the Microsystems Technology Office at the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA).
two then-current efforts involving the development of clocks: Chip-Scale Atomic Clock (CSAC) and Integrated Micro Primary Atomic Clock Technology (IMPACT), and
three efforts involving the development of inertial sensors and systems: Navigation-Grade Integrated Micro Gyroscopes (NGIMG), Micro Inertial Navigation Technology (MINT), and Information Tethered Micro Automated Rotary Stages (IT-MARS).
The 2011 article continued to explore four complementary new developments:
Microscale Rate Integrating Gyroscopes (MRIG),
Chip-Scale Timing and Inertial Measurement Unit (TIMU),
Primary and Secondary Calibration on Active Layer (PASCAL),
Platform for Acquisition, Logging, and Analysis of Devices for Inertial Navigation & Timing (PALADIN&T).
This column goes yet further, announcing the start of development of the Chip-Scale Combinatorial Atomic Navigator (C-SCAN) — the subject of a 2012 Broad Agency Announcement and request for proposals.
INTRUSION SENSORS strive to have a high detection rate and low false alarm rate.
By Eric Olson and Steven Pisciotta
Ongoing threats from terrorist activities at critical facilities require early detection before the threats can reach their target and complete their mission. This has produced the need for advanced security systems to effectively detect terrorist activity, while reducing alarms caused by normal friendly activity. Automatic Threat Assessment, also referred to as Identify Friend or Foe (IFF), is the ability to automatically acknowledge alarms created by friendly assets. It can be achieved with a security system that uses GPS and geospatial data to go beyond the typical intrusion-sensor-only configuration.
The addition of a tracking system associated with friendly vehicles and personnel can provide the missing information necessary to tighten security and reduce the need to take action on alarms caused by friendly targets, and reduce the material and personnel cost of threat assessment. Tracking systems and intrusion sensors can worktogether to automatically classify an actual intruder with high confidence and without operator intervention.
The Verification Problem
Typical intrusion sensors include intelligent fences, ground proximity sensors, radar, LIDAR, and video analytics. The role of the intrusion sensor is to identify a breach and notify security personnel so they may perform verification. Table 1 shows the formal alarm types received from intrusion sensors, which strive for a high detection rate and a low false-alarm rate. For this reason, the nuisance alarm can be problematic as it reflects a real event for the intrusion sensor, but often a non-event for the security operator.
These typical sensors only provide a “suspected intruder” list. The follow-on task is to decide whether or not to reclassify a suspected intruder as an actual intruder. This process is typically a manual task and can be difficult, confusing, and time-consuming.
For instance, a landscape crew will trigger alarms. Even for very accurate systems that can uniquely track the object over a long period, it is highly likely that over the period of time the landscapers are in the area, the track will be lost, causing the system to re-alarm on the same person or vehicle, as it represents a potential intrusion.
If the landscaping crew needs to open a gate, and that gate is integrated into the facility’s access control system via a dry contact or beam breaker device, it may continuously alarm while left open, or at a minimum, in the case of the beam, each time one of the workers or the vehicle passes through the entrance. In these situations, security will either need to validate each alarm by verifying it on a camera or having an officer follow the landscaping crew throughout their route.
The existence of a friendly alarm event that needs continual validation can lead to compacency of security personnel, either not verifying it, or not verifying it in a timely manner.
Table 1. Alarm types.
Combined Detection, Location
A GPS tracking system combined with the intrusion sensors can help identify friends. Tracking systems consist of two main types of locating devices: GPS-enabled devices and wireless transponders.
Modern, low-cost GPS receivers can achieve an accuracy rating of less than 3 meters, provide an update once per second, and do not require visibility to the open sky. Wireless communication transmits the GPS data to the C2 system. A typical data set includes time, date, latitude, longitude, altitude, heading, speed, and quality of GPS signal.
The combination of intrusion sensors and tracking systems can produce automatic threat assessment. Routine situations requiring significant security involvement, such as the landscaping scenario, can be automatically managed by the system. The command and control system has the ability to know friendly targets and their location.
Further, the system can perform a check before actually alarming. In the case of a perimeter alarm, it now has the intelligence to understand, within a level of confidence, that the object detected by the intrusion sensors is the same friendly item being tracking by the tracking system. If the system determines the targets to be the same object, the alarm can be suppressed, eliminating the need for security to verify the event.
THE COMBINATION of intrusion sensors and a tracking system allows for Automatic Threat Detection.
Common Operating Picture
The integration of these types of systems is not complex in terms of how to coordinate data. Interface documents exist for these types of integration and are done on a regular basis. Typical position and target information is communicated over XML in a standard format. However, to gain these benefits, the tracking systems and intrusion sensors must all work within a common geospatial operating picture.
Advantages of geospatial or geo-referenced systems systems include the ability to easily display and control data in a map-based format, allowing tracking systems and intrusion sensors to synergistically perform automatic verification. This combined knowledge of the target’s track also allows the fusing of the GPS data and the intrusion sensor data into a single object and path, aiding security by reducing target and track clutter on his command and control or PSIM (perimeter security information system).
Take for example a guard enabled with a tracking device, performing a tour around a fence protected by video analytics enabled cameras. On a typical PSIM, a normal guard tour would result in two icons on the display, one friendly from the tracking system and one unknown from the video analytics. This scenario would also result in two similar object tracks. Security would need to review the situation and understand that this symbology represents a single target and a single track.
Integrating the tracking system with the video analytics system allows for a fusing of this data, and the resulting command-and-control symbology is a single target and a single track.
Other considerations when combining a tracking system with intrusion sensors include update rate, time and location accuracies, and overlapping coverage.
Ideally, all sensors would be synchronized when it comes to timing aspects, but this is typically not the case. Different timing between data updates and time inaccuracies can result in the inability for the systems to confidently conclude that two tracks were created by the same target. Transport delay, the transmission of the GPS data through the satellite, can also be an issue. For tracking devices, it’s vital for the data to be received by the C2 system with a repeatable transport delay. Variability in the transport delay also decreases the ability to automatically verify the threat.
Geographic accuracy of both the GPS tracker and the intrusion sensor is another important factor in data fusion. Typical GPS trackers have an accuracy rating of 3–10 meters. Actual accuracy varies based upon the visible GPS satellites, tall buildings, body worn, and RF interference. Intrusion sensors also possess an inherent accuracy. Radar surveillance may have a resolution of 1 x 1 meter at close range, but it expands at far range to 1 x 20 meters.
Intelligent fence sensors and video analytic systems can have resolutions that vary from 1 to 25 meters, based on the type of sensor and the terrain. These geographic inaccuracies can be handled to some degree by considering other factors, including heading, speed, and previous track, but it’s important to understand where these inaccuracies can occur.
Overlapping coverage of surveillance sensors also affects data fusion. In the case of track fusion, this ability is only available is areas where both a geospatial intrusion sensor exists and a tracking system is operational. If there are gaps in overlapping coverage, or areas that do not include geospatial- based intrusion sensors, then fusion is not possible in those regions.
Eric Olson is vice president of Marketing at PureTech Systems.
Steven Pisciotta is president of Remote Tracking Systems.
GPS Source announced today that GLI-FLO has been granted security approval by the U.S. Air Force Global Positioning Systems Directorate. The GPS Directorate security approval provides GPS Source with the opportunity to supply military end-users and prime contractors with a DAGR Distributed Device (D3) that meets the mandate for reliability and security, GPS Source said.
GLI-FLO is a secure (ICD-GPS-153 compliant) GPS position, navigation, and timing (PNT) distribution device. One GLI-FLO has the same capability as four DAGRs operating in a platform mounted application (eight DAGRs with custom cabling). GLI-FLO serves ICD-GPS-153 PNT data simultaneously to multiple communication or weapon systems that require GPS information. It routes PNT data while secured in the bracket now used by the DAGR, utilizing standard DAGR accessory cables. When GLI-FLO is connected to one DAGR (or as alternative option, interfaces with an internal secure GPS receiver), secure PNT data can be distributed without the integration of GB-GRAM cards to multiple devices.
GLI-FLO meets the stringent requirements for reliability and security by integrating a GPS Directorate-approved SAASM receiver (Selective Availability/Anti-Spoofing Module). SAASM is the security architecture selected by the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to provide current security functions for GPS-authorized military users.
“We understand the importance of reliable GPS/PNT data for synchronizing military operations and the need to protect against jamming and/or spoofing,” said Robert Horton, CEO of GPS Source. “We further realize the importance of protecting our national assets by designing products that fully comply with all GPS Directorate security requirements. This security approval makes it possible for our GLI-FLO to be deployed by military forces without reservation.”
In addition to the SAASM compliance, other GLI-FLO features include the ability to serve ICD-GPS-153 PNT data simultaneously to multiple communications or weapon systems that require secure GPS information. It is a significant step for GPS Source toward compliance in GPS Signal Distribution (Single PNT Distribution Point). With zero impact to subscriber application software/hardware, it removes the need to rely on multiple, expensive GB-GRAMS found in military platforms.
TW3802 Shown with flat radome. Conical radome also available.
Tallysman Wireless Inc. has added the dual-frequency TW3800 series to its high-quality precision line of antenna products.
The TW3800 series antennas feature a circular stacked patch antenna for improved axial ratio, yet are small and light, and have the extended bandwidth required for L1/L2 GPS & G1/G2 GLONASS, the company said. The operating voltage range is from +2.5 to 16 VDC. The antennas have a temperature compensated LNAs and operate from -40 to +85o C to provide reliable performance in most any environment. The TW3800 is packaged in a through hole mount making it suitable for mobile applications.
The TW380x is suited for many applications, including:
Anti-jamming GPS
Mission-critical GPS timing
Military and security
Network timing and synchronization
Precise tracking
High signal availability
The TW3805 is the OEM version of the TW3802, and can be custom tuned to provide optimal performance inside virtually any housing, Tallysman said.
“The circular patch design of the TW380X antennas permits precision custom tuning with excellent axial ratios.” said Gyles Panther, president of Tallysman Wireless. “This flexibility, combined with the very wide operating voltage enables this antenna to work with virtually any receiver on the market.”
Lockheed Martin has completed and is preparing to install the navigation, communication, and hosted payload antenna assemblies for the first satellite of the next-generation GPS III.
Seven antenna assemblies, produced at Lockheed Martin’s Newtown, Pennsylania, facility were delivered to the company’s GPS III Processing Facility (GPF) near Denver, Colorado, on June 14. The antennas will be installed on the first GPS III space vehicle (SV01), which Lockheed Martin will deliver to the U.S. Air Force on schedule, “flight-ready,” in 2014.
The new antennas for GPS III SV01 will provide the satellite’s capability to send and/or receive data for Earth-coverage and military Earth-coverage navigation; a UHF crosslink for inter-satellite data transfer; telemetry, tracking and control for satellite-ground communications; and data acquisition and communication for the nuclear detection system hosted payload. The antenna designs enable three to eight times greater anti-jamming signal power to be broadcast to military users across the globe when compared to previous GPS generations.
“These antennas on the next generation of GPS III satellites will transmit data utilized by more than one billion users with navigation, positioning and timing needs,” explained Keoki Jackson, vice president of Lockheed Martin’s Navigation Systems mission area. “We have become reliant on GPS for providing signals that affect everything from cell phones and wristwatches, to shipping containers and commercial air traffic, to ATMs and financial transactions worldwide.”
GPS III is a critically important program for the Air Force, affordably replacing aging GPS satellites in orbit, while improving capability to meet the evolving demands of military, commercial and civilian users. GPS III satellites will deliver three times better accuracy, include enhancements which extend spacecraft life 25 percent further than the prior GPS block, and a new civil signal designed to be interoperable with international global navigation satellite systems.
The production of the first GPS III satellite continues on schedule. Recent testing of the SV 01 bus — the portion of the space vehicle that carries mission payloads and hosts them in orbit — assured that all bus subsystems are functioning normally and that they are ready for final integration with the satellite’s navigation payload.
This milestone follows February’s successful initial power on of the SV01 spacecraft bus, which demonstrated the electrical-mechanical integration, validated the satellite’s interfaces and led the way for functional electrical hardware-software integration testing.
Lockheed Martin is under contract for production of the first four GPS III satellites (SV01-04), and has received advanced procurement funding for long-lead components for the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth satellites (SV05-08).
The GPS III team is led by the Global Positioning Systems Directorate at the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center. Lockheed Martin is the GPS III prime contractor with teammates ITT Exelis, General Dynamics, Infinity Systems Engineering, Honeywell, ATK and other subcontractors. Air Force Space Command’s 2nd Space Operations Squadron (2SOPS), based at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, manages and operates the GPS constellation for both civil and military users.
I keep waiting for the cryptic phone call or emphatic email from Trimble that says, “You have had our evaluation units for over four months — when can we expect to see a review and when will you be returning our equipment?” Fortunately, Trimble is very understanding and would never make such a call or send such an email, I hope. The truth is Trimble sent me a T41 and Yuma 2 for review back when it was still snowing in the Rocky Mountains and I am still evaluating the units. You see that’s the rub with excellent equipment — it is a pleasure to review GPS equipment that exceeds all expectations, and frankly, it is difficult to send it back because there is always one more project, one more test or one more application that needs to be run. Fortunately the Trimble PNT equipment (position, navigation and timing) has never been found wanting. So here finally is the T41 review that so many of you have requested.
First, however, for those of you who are of a similar age to yours truly — and let’s just say it hopefully relates to a certain level of maturity and in my case familiarity with GPS since 1978 — I just can’t see the designation T41 without thinking of: (1) a basic USAF pilot and navigation training aircraft once flown at Mather Air Force Base in California and one I still see every day at the Unites States Air Force Academy and flying over my home on a regular basis, and (2) the first successful commercial GPS unit built by my think-tank colleague Philip Ward at Texas Instruments, designated the T1-4100. I have no idea if Trimble was aware of these associations when naming conventions were considered for the T41, but for many of us seniors the associations certainly exist. That is not a bad thing — it probably even extends to goodwill in a business sense, if you understand that jargon. But, as usual, I digress!
BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front)
As loyal readers are aware, I never give a product a bad review. That is not to say I do not receive my share of simply “bad” GPS equipment to review. I just refuse to take the time to pen a bad review — my philosophy being, why should I take the time to write and why should you take the time to read about something you can’t or won’t use? There are enough “good,” even exceptional, GPS devices out there today that deserve to be written about — so let’s just skip the bad ones and save us all some grief and deflated expectations. So the very fact that I am writing about the Trimble T41 means that it has passed all my tests for ruggedness and usefulness. In fact (I checked the figures with my review logs for the past seven years), for every 20 GPS devices I receive, I only review one on average. This month it is the Trimble JunoT41/5 X-Model with gray pin striping and an IP68 ruggedness rating, and you will see why that level of model detail is important shortly.
Who Matters as Much as What
Before I get into the technical aspects of the T41, let’s consider for a moment who would want to use this unit. Without a doubt, it is perfect for warfighters and first responders or I probably would not write about it, but it is also perfect for anyone that needs a rugged handheld computer with embedded GPS running either the Windows or Android operating system (OS). The touchscreen display covers about the same real estate as the new iPhone 5 but the T41 is slightly larger, heavier, thicker and, it almost goes without saying, incredibly rugged. I guess that is why I have received several letters from T41 users that use it on horseback.
Now, while I perceive the equine GPS market to be a niche market, another one of my think-tank colleague, the Honorable Jim Geringer, who ran the great state of Wyoming from 1995 to 2003, has mentioned several times in passing, and I mistakenly thought jokingly, ranchers using GPS on horseback. Now that I think about it and read some of my email from Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana ranchers, it makes sense. Think about navigating thousands of acres of ranch land that in some cases all looks the same, looking for lost cattle or damaged fences. Think about wanting to mark the spot where cattle or damaged fences were found and then being able to quickly communicate that information to someone who could help, and then just as quickly navigate back to civilization, even in a blizzard. The fact is my correspondence from several ranchers tells me that GPS has become indispensible – and not just any GPS, but a reliable, accurate and rugged GPS that has a long battery life, comes with a built-in camera, and the option for a solar charger, and of course has embedded communication capabilities. Sounds a great deal like the T41 – I think you will agree.
Basics and Specifications
The Juno T41/5 approximates a slightly larger iPhone 5 in size, but one with an extremely rugged case. The case makes it bigger and heavier, but at the same time much more useable in all weather conditions, to include snow, ice, water, dust, all of which I personally tested for, and I suspect it will survive being dropped in horse manure, although I will admit this is one test that I have not personally performed. I will graciously defer to my equine mounted readers when it comes to performing this particular test. Can you say rubber gloves, Purell Hand Sanitizer and Fabreze?
Trimble Juno T41/5 Specifications
FEATURES
Processor: 800 MHz or 1 GHz, Texas Instruments DM3730
Microsoft Office Mobile 2010 (Word Mobile, Excel Mobile, PowerPoint Mobile, Outlook Mobile)
Internet Explorer Mobile 6
Microsoft My Phone with SMS Text Messaging
Camera Control Application
Flashlight Control Mode Application
Calculator
Calendar
Microsoft Pictures and Videos
Windows Media Player
Windows Live Messenger
Microsoft Task Manager and Notes
Adobe Reader LE 2.5
Android 4.1 Advanced Software:
Trimble Outdoors Navigator
Email
Phone and SMS Text Messaging
Picture and Video Gallery
Multimedia Player
Web Browser
Camera Control Application
Flashlight Mode Control Application
Application Developer Support:
Software Developer Kit with Documentation for WEH 6.5
Software Developer Kit with Documentation for Android 4.1
STANDARD ACCESSORIES
International AC Charging Kit
T412 USB Cable
Wrist Strap
Ultra Clear Screen Protectors (qty-2) Kit
Quick Start Kit
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES
9-pin Serial Adapter
USB Host Adapter
Capacitive Stylus with Tether
External Battery Pack
Port Cover
Ultra Clear Screen Protectors (qty-10) Kit
Anti-reflective Screen Protectors (qty-2) Kit
Vehicle Charging Kit
Capacitive Touch Screen Gloves
Trimble Headset
External GPS Antenna
ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIFICATIONS
Water: Survives immersion at 3.3 feet (1 meter) for two hours (gray models), IEC-60529 IPx8. Survives driving rain & water spray (yellow models), IEC-60529 IPx5, water jet 12.5 mm diam @ 2.5-3 m. Dust: Protected against dust, IEC-60529 IP6x, dust chamber with under-pressure Drops: Survives multiple drops of 4 ft. (1.22 m), MIL-STD-810G, Method 516.6, Procedure IV, Transit Drop Operating Temperature: -22 ºF to 144 ºF (-30 C to 60 C), MIL-STD-810G, Method 502.5, Procedure I, II, III (Low Temp Operating -30 C); Method 501.5, Procedure I & II (High Temp Operating 60 C) Storage Temperature: -40 ºF to 158 ºF (-40 C to 70 C), MIL-STD-810G, Method 502.5, Procedure I, II, III (Low Temp Storage -40 C); Method 501.5, Procedure I & II (High Temp Storage 70 C) Temperature Shock: Cycles between -22 ºF and 144 ºF (-30 C and 60 C), MIL-STD-810G, Method 503.5, Procedure I-C Humidity: 90% relative humidity with temperatures between 22 ºF and 144 ºF (30 C and 60 C), MIL-STD- 810G, Method 507.5, Procedure II Altitude: 15,000 ft (4,572 m) at 73 °F (23 C) to 40,000 ft (12,192 m) at -22 °F (-30 C), MIL-STD-810G, Method 500.5, Procedure I, II & III Vibration: General minimum integrity and loose cargo tests, MIL-STD-810G, Method 514.6, Procedure I & II, Category 5 Solar Exposure: Survives prolonged UVB exposure, MIL-STD- 810G, Method 505.5, Procedure II Chemical Exposure: Resistant to mild alkaline and acid cleaning solutions, fuel hydrocarbons, alcohols and common vehicle and factory machine lubricants.
PHYSICAL
Size. . . . . . . . . .6.1 in . 3.2 in . .9 in (15.5 cm x 8.2 cm x 2.5 cm)
Weight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13.5 oz (.4 kg), including battery
Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Black with Yellow or Black with Gray (Color does make a difference; see Product Models below.)
ELECTRICAL
Processor: 800 MHz or 1 GHz, Texas Instruments DM3730 Memory: 256 MB or 512 MB Storage: 8 GB or 16 GB, non-volatile Expansion: micro SD card slot, SIM card slot Display: 4.3 in (10.9 cm), 480 x 800 pixel, WVGA TFT Battery: 3.7 V, 3.3 Ah, 12.2 Wh, Lithium-ion polymer I/O: 3.5mm audio jack; Custom Port that supports USB 2.0 Host, USB Client, 9-pin Serial and 5.6 V (5.0 V to 5.9 V) DC input power GPS Receiver: 2-4 m accuracy with WAAS/SBAS correction; MCX port for optional external antenna Radios: Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR; Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n WWAN radios: UMTS / HSPA+, GSM / GPRS/ EDGE; UMTS Bands (WCDMA/FDD): 800, 850, 1900, AWS and 2100 MHz; GSM Bands: 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
CERTIFICATIONS
FCC, CE, R&TTE, IC (Canada), C-tick, GCF compliant, RoHS compliant, Section 508 compliant, PTCRB, SAR, AT&T network compatible, Wi-Fi Alliance certified, CCX, USB 2.0 Full Speed, MIL-STD-810G, IP65/IP68, MIL-STD-461E.
PRODUCT MODELS
Color
IP Rating
Processor
RAM
Storage
WWAN
GPS
Camera
M
Gray
IP68
800 MHz
256 MB
8 GB
–
2-4 m
–
C
Yellow
IP65
800 MHz
256 MB
8 GB
–
2-4 m
8 MP
C
Gray
IP68
800 MHz
256 MB
8 GB
–
2-4 m
8 MP
X
Yellow
IP65
1 GHz
512 MB
16 GB
3.75G
2-4 m
8 MP
X
Gray
IP68
1 GHz
512 MB
16 GB
3.75G
2-4 m
8 MP
The M model features a GPS receiver, 800-MHz processor, 256 MB RAM, 8-GB storage and is available in gray with IP68 rating. The C model adds an 8-megapixel camera with dual LED flash, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to the M model feature set and is available in yellow with IP65 rating or gray with IP68 rating. The X model adds penta-band GSM cellular phone and data capability to the features of the C model, has a 1 GHz processor, 512 MB RAM and 16 GB storage and is available in yellow with IP65 rating or gray with IP68 rating.
Key Features
WVGA Sunlight-Readable Gorilla Glass Display. I found the 4.3-inch color display to be readable in all lighting conditions. From very low light to bright sunlight, even sun reflecting off snow, which I have found to be the most difficult condition. The Gorilla glass is aptly named, as its unique composition allows for a deep layer of high compressive stress, which is created through an ion-exchange process during the manufacturing process by Corning Glass. This compression acts as a sort of “armor,” making the glass exceptionally tough and durable, and yet the display is crystal clear.
Multi-Touch User Interface with Capacitive Stylus Compatibility. Now, I am well aware that one of my heroes, Steve Jobs, once said that “…if you are required to use a stylus on a computer, you have lost your advantage.” However, there are just simply times, especially with GIS (geographical information systems) and map displays, when something smaller and more accurate than the end of your little finger is called for, and on the T41 you have your choice. The display also functions with a capacitive glove, which you can purchase from Trimble as an option or from many other vendors. The bottom line is the 4.3-inch high resolution screen is very clear, and as Trimble says “…the multi-touch support allows complex selections and controlled zoom to optimize the user experience with maps and detailed information.”
3.75G Cellular Data, Text and Voice Capability. A GPS or PNT device today without communication capabilities is a device that simply cannot compete, in the marketplace or in any situational awareness competition/situation you would care to name. Communication capabilities allow any PNT device to make use of PNT augmentation available over the Internet and through private networks such as the Trimble VRS or Virtual Reference Station and the John Deere StarFire network. Indeed, the Trimble VRS network enables precise, real-time GNSS positioning through the distribution of correction data. The global networks provide a highly reliable method for surveyors, warfighters, and other geospatial and PNT professionals to work faster and achieve accurate GNSS results, as precise as three centimeters in real time, for a variety of positioning applications including geodetic and cadastral surveying, road and bridge construction, mapping, agriculture, earthquake and tectonic plate movement monitoring, warfighter applications, and scientific research, as well as other high-accuracy positioning applications. Trimble’s VRS networks use RTK (real-time kinematic) solutions that, when combined with the Trimble RTKNet software, provide high-accuracy RTK GNSS positioning for wide areas. A VRS network improves productivity while reducing complexity and the global footprint for warfighters, by eliminating the need to set up a base station.
A VRS network is made up of the latest in GNSS hardware, modeling, and networking software, plus communications interfacing. Once set up, RTK roving receivers in the field or AOR (Area of Responsibility) have access to real-time network modeled corrections. In the field you also have the reassurance of the built-in integrity monitoring system that warns if there are any problems with the data.
Today Trimble’s VRS networks are considered an integral tool for providing fast, high-precision, wide area positioning for warfighters and first responders in countries around the world. The Trimble VRS and John Deere RTK StarFire systems also give the device, especially in the case of a warfighter, additional situational awareness, along with the capability to act not only as a receiver, but as a networked device, a sensor, and a monitoring station. The T41 handheld has voice, SMS text, and 3.75G cellular data transfer capabilities on GSM cellular networks worldwide. You can upload and download data from the cloud using Wi-Fi or WWAN connections. The 8-megapixel camera can be set to automatically include time and location metadata from the GPS receiver. The T41 not only has the ability to increase the individual warfighter’s situational awareness but to increase the SA for all users on the network and in the AOR as well.
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and Wi-Fi b/g/n. You may well wonder why I have listed this as a separate feature when it could just be included under communications. I have listed it separately because of the Army’s laudable Puck and Hub endeavors.(See my GPS World May column for the detailed briefing). Without going into too much detail, the Puck and Hub are sorely needed PNT receivers with augmentation capabilities to include Wi-Fi, inertial, and CSAC (Chip Scale Atomic Clocks) that are hopefully multi-GNSS signal-capable. The only feature both devices lack is a suitable and rugged display mechanism. This is where the Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Android capabilities of the T41 come into play. The Army seems, for the time being, to have mysteriously settled on the Android OS as a basic capability and building block that, when combined with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, make the T41 the perfect display device. I cannot say much more in this venue, but take my word for it when I say I have never tested another purpose-built rugged PNT-capable device more suitable for the Army’s Puck and Hub applications. Suffice it to say that Software Developer Kits (SDK) for both Android and Windows OS enable custom application software to easily interface, wired and wirelessly, with the many built-in sensors, radios, and data ports on the T41. For instance, a secured Bluetooth signal embodied in the 2.1 and EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) specifications would allow users to transfer data to and from the Puck or Hub while maintaining voice or SMS connectivity with other networked users and commanders, who are able to make faster and hopefully better decisions based on real-time information.
GPS Receiver with 2-4 Meter Accuracy. At its core, the T41 is indeed a GPS receiver that is SBAS (Satellite Based Augmentation System) capable, which means it can take advantage of the augmentation and integrity signals from the U.S. WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) and the European EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service). However, when combined with the device’s prodigious communications capabilities — Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and the Internet — the device becomes a truly multi-GNSS capable receiver with ports that can, hopefully in the future, accommodate such devices as the CGM (common GPS module) that includes SAASM (Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module) and M-Code capabilities. It also includes the Trimble and John Deere networks as mentioned earlier, and this gives the device the capability of 3-centimeter RTK accuracy. Think about it: I have never heard a warfighter say, “I need a less capable, less versatile and less accurate device.”
Accelerometer and Electronic Compass. Ask a warfighter if he needs an accelerometer, and he might scratch his head, but ask about an electronic compass and the answer is an emphatic yes. Think map reading, orienteering, and getting out of Dodge fast. Think urban canyons or vast, featureless deserts where a warfighter has no intrinsic idea which way is which. That’s when you need a compass, but an accelerometer —as any iPhone aficionado will tell you — is almost indispensible. The accelerometer detects physical movement and is primarily used for motion sensing and tilt controls. It also detects vibration and acceleration, allowing the T41 to detect the distance and speed it has moved in three-dimensional space. Combined with the right software, it may prove to be a key component of determining position, distance, and speed in challenged environments.
Nine-Pin Serial and Power Port.The last feature I will highlight about the T41 is the nine-pin serial data and power port. The serial cable is secured to the T41 for power and data by a secure data/power cable that is attached with thumb screws on one end and by a USB connector on the other. In rugged environments it provides both a secure means of power from multiple sources and a universal data connector, neither of which are going to work their way loose and leave you with a dead battery or no data. It is almost legacy in design, but innovative in that one multi-function cable provides power and serial data inputs. I used it for both power and data and it worked flawlessly — plus I never had to worry about a loose or lost connection.
Bottom Line
The bottom line is I highly recommend the Trimble Juno T41 in any of its configurations, which are many. It is rugged to a fault, sturdy and has one of the best displays I have ever seen. I reviewed the Windows OS version but have no doubt the Android OS works equally well, and that is, after all, the OS on which the Army is pinning its future plans and hopes for PNT devices. However, as I said in the beginning, I do not want to limit this device to the warfighter. It certainly fills the bill there, but it also competes well and indeed exceeds the capabilities of many similar devices that lack the built-in ruggedness and the Trimble reputation for consistently producing superior devices. This review is already 3,500 words, and I could easily write another 5,000 words, but hopefully you get the point. If you need a very rugged phone, a computer in a handheld form factor with embedded 3-cm level GPS capabilities that sports a crystal clear display and is a device with huge growth potential, then the T41 is exactly what you need. I know of nothing better in the marketplace today. It is really going to be tough to send this one back.
Now I wonder just how long I can keep it before that dreaded emphatic phone call or cryptic email…
Until next time, happy navigating and give the T41 a test-drive.
Editor’s note: Readers interested in owning a Juno T41 can enter a GPS World drawing by filling out our State of the Industry Survey.
Lockheed Martin’s GPS III Non-Flight Satellite Testbed (GNST) has successfully completed a series of high-fidelity pathfinding events which validate the process and facility for vehicle integration checkout, as well as signals interference testing, that the next-generation satellites of GPS III will go through before delivery for launch.
An innovative investment by U.S. Air Force under the original GPS III development contract, the GNST is a full-sized GPS III satellite prototype which has helped to identify and resolve development issues prior to integration and test of the first GPS III space vehicle (SV 1). Following the Air Force’s rigorous “back-to-basics” acquisition approach, the GNST has gone through the development, test and production process for the GPS III program first, significantly reducing risk for the flight vehicles, improving production predictability, increasing mission assurance and lowering overall program costs.
During this latest milestone, the GNST successfully completed thermal vacuum (T-Vac) chamber trail blazing, demonstrating facility, mechanical and electrical ground equipment integration, and ran a series of vehicle integration test procedures. The GNST also completed Passive Intermodulation (PIM) and Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) testing, which assures that multiple high-powered signals generated from the satellite’s navigation downlink transmissions, or transmitted from the hosted nuclear detection system payload on the satellite, do not interfere with each other or themselves.
“As the GNST serves as a pathfinder for the GPS III program, its successful completion of this testing validates that development risks have been retired and our engineering and technology is sound for the flight vehicles being built,” explained Keoki Jackson, vice president for Lockheed Martin’s Navigation Systems mission area.
The GNST is now being prepared for shipment to Cape Canaveral U.S. Air Force Station, Florida, for more risk reduction activities related to satellite launch.
The GPS III prototype in an anechoic chamber where it completed Passive Intermodulation (PIM) and Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) testing at Lockheed Martin’s GPS III Processing Facility outside of Denver, Colorado. Photo: Lockheed Martin’s Navigation Systems
GPS III is a critically important program for the Air Force, affordably replacing aging GPS satellites in orbit, while improving capability to meet the evolving demands of military, commercial and civilian users. GPS III satellites will deliver three times better accuracy and — to outpace growing global threats that could disrupt GPS service — up to eight times improved anti-jamming signal power for additional resiliency. The GPS III will also include enhancements adding to the spacecraft’s design life and a new civil signal designed to be interoperable with international global navigation satellite systems.
Lockheed Martin is currently under contract for production of the first four GPS III satellites (SV 1-4), and has receivedadvanced procurement funding for long-lead components for the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth satellites (SV 5-8).
The Lockheed Martin team remains on track to deliver the first GPS III satellite, with its enhanced capabilities over current orbiting systems, for launch availability in 2014.
The GPS III team is led by the Global Positioning Systems Directorateat the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center. Lockheed Martin is the GPS III prime contractor with teammates ITT Exelis, General Dynamics, Infinity Systems Engineering, Honeywell, ATK and other subcontractors. Air Force Space Command’s 2nd Space Operations Squadron (2SOPS), based at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, manages and operates the GPS constellation for both civil and military users.
Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a phase two inertial navigation system-related contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory to continue improving geo-registration accuracy for positioning and pointing applications, even in GPS-denied conditions.
Geo-registration of data is critical for accurate interaction between systems, such as locating targets and handing off coordinates to another aircraft. Geo-registration of images involves pairing unreferenced images with the physical locations or exact coordinates of depicted items. This allows aircraft to create accurate maps by stitching together photos and correlating them with their world-based locations, which is useful for intelligence gathering and targeting.
In phase one of the Maintain Accurate Geo-registration via Image-nav Compensation (MAGIC) program, Northrop Grumman integrated geo‑registration algorithms in a vision-aided inertial navigation system that can even operate in GPS-denied conditions. In phase two, the contractor will flight-test the integrated system as well as incorporate additional improvements such as highly detailed 3-D map generation in the algorithm.
“Our positioning and geo-registration solution will help to precisely locate our own aircraft positions and target locations, particularly in challenging, high-threat environments where the adversary might be jamming GPS,” said Charles Volk, vice president of Northrop Grumman’s Advanced Navigation Systems business unit. “Additionally, this will increase the situational awareness of warfighters and help to keep them safer.”
Partnered with Toyon Research Corporation, Northrop Grumman is building on its experience in vision-aided inertial navigation under past programs such as Collaborative Robust Integrated Sensor Positioning, which matched image features and processed visual motion estimations for precise navigation without relying on GPS.
The MAGIC program’s objective is to develop and demonstrate advanced real-time geo-registration and navigation algorithms using a combination of cameras, an inertial measurement unit and GPS information (when available). The program aims to capitalize on recent advances in the availability of low-size, -weight, -power and -cost camera systems that make the inclusion of camera information in navigation and geo‑registration systems for airborne vehicles a significant opportunity.
In July, the Communications and GPS Navigation Program Office mounted a Small Antenna System on an Aerostar unmanned aircraft, then placed the small UAV in a room lined with signal-absorbent material, where it was subjected to GPS jamming signals. Read more about the tests here.
The U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center has signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Space Exploration Technologies Corp., better known as SpaceX, as part of the company’s effort to certify its Falcon 9 v1.1 Launch System for National Security Space (NSS) missions. This cooperative agreement facilitates data exchanges and protects proprietary and export-controlled data. The CRADA will be in effect until all certification activities are complete.
A CRADA enables the Air Force to evaluate the Falcon 9 v1.1 launch system according to the Air Force’s New Entrant Certification Guide (NECG). As part of the evaluation, SMC and SpaceX will look at the Falcon 9 v1.1’s flight history, vehicle design, reliability, process maturity, safety systems, manufacturing and operations, systems engineering, risk management and launch facilities.
SMC will monitor at least three certification flights to meet the flight history requirements outlined in the NECG. Once the evaluation process is complete, the SMC commander will make the final determination whether SpaceX has the capability to successfully launch NSS missions using the Falcon 9 v1.1. SMC anticipates entering into additional CRADAs with SpaceX to evaluate its Falcon Heavy rocket and with Orbital Sciences for its Antares launch vehicle.
“Certifying Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle’s for new entrants is in keeping with the Air Force strategic intent to promote the viability of multiple domestic EELV-class launch providers as soon as feasible,” said Col. William Hodgkiss, Launch Systems director.
Currently, United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV and Atlas V are the only certified launch vehicles capable of lifting NSS payloads — such as the GPS satellites — into orbit. The addition of multiple certified launch vehicle providers bolsters assured access to space by providing more options for the warfighter to place needed capabilities on orbit. While certification does not guarantee a contract award, it does enable a company to compete for launch contracts. Those contracts could be awarded as early as Fiscal Year 2015 with launch services provided as early as Fiscal Year 2017.
I first met just-pinned-on, shiny and bright, Captain Bernard Gruber-USAF in 1992. Bernie had just arrived at the Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base in California where he would hold several important positions.
For those readers not aware of the mission and importance of the Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), today SMC, which began in 1954, is the nation’s center of technical expertise for military space acquisition with more than 5,000 employees nationwide and an annual budget of $10 billion.
Bernie’s first association with GPS at SMC was as the chief of User Equipment Production at the then NAVSTAR Global Positioning System Joint Program Office (GPS-JPO). He went on to serve as the program manager for Foreign Military Sales (FMS), working with our allies, and then as the program manager for Advanced Military Devices, which is a euphemism for things we can’t discuss in this venue. All this in a short 40-month time frame, which is almost as long as he has served in his current capacity as the director of the Global Positioning Systems Directorate, now 21 years later. As a young starry-eyed captain, I remember Bernie as energetic, dedicated and full of ideas, which pretty much describes him today as he completes his last active duty assignment and his 26-year U.S. Air Force career draws to a close.
While it may be fair to say that Bernie had some notion of what to expect when he was assigned as the commander of the GPS Wing in 2010, he actually had no idea of all the tremendous and mostly positive changes that would occur to the GPS program under his watch.
I thought it would be fitting to conduct an exit interview with Bernie during his last full month on the job and get his opinion concerning the changes to GPS during his tenure and the probable way ahead for GPS as he turns over the reins.
Don Jewell (DJ): Colonel Gruber, thanks for taking the time to speak with us today. I know you are extremely busy and your time is running short at SMC. Bernie, you have certainly lived the old Chinese adage, also sometimes described as a curse, during your tenure as the GPS Wing Commander and as the director of the GPS Directorate, “May you live in interesting times.” Your tenure has been beset with one major challenge after another and yet you have persevered and — I think this is something for which you will be remembered — you have consistently turned those challenges into opportunities. Let’s discuss some of the opportunities.
Certainly sequestration and budget issues are big topics today. Having come from the Pentagon and having worked on the financial side of GPS, were you surprised by what you found when you took over as the GPS Wing commander? Was it all you expected it to be? The big question seems to be, how is sequestration going to affect the future of the GPS?
Colonel (USAF) Bernard Gruber (BG): Well, Don, certainly budget issues are a key topic today, but let me say before we get started on the questions and answers that I really appreciate the opportunity to speak with you and your readers at GPS World. As you said in your introduction, these have certainly been interesting times. Some people may call it crazy but they are certainly interesting, nonetheless.
I must say that I was pleasantly surprised how much had changed on the [GPS] program when I came back to SMC, and the changes were really all for the good. It warmed my heart to see the Foreign Military Sales [FMS] office — which I actually started back in 1992 — now has agreements with 55 nations, and military sales continue to increase year-by-year. I was also very happy and surprised to see the SAASM or Selective Availability and Anti-Spoofing Module program, which I was actually the program manager for in its infancy, has now been installed on over one million GPS military receivers — in my estimation this program is protecting warfighters around the globe every single day. I think that is something we can be very proud of together.
The folks in the [GPS] Program Directorate that I have had the good fortune to work with are really something special. They work their hearts out every single day to protect, modernize, and sustain this great system. Also, I continue to be very much amazed that people understand the value of GPS as part of our critical infrastructure. So, my thanks to folks like you, Don, and the folks at GPS World for educating the public on this great utility that we have.
DJ: Thank you, Bernie, for those kind words. You know we are always happy to serve.
BG: Moving on to the sequestration bill… We are working very hard to reduce our costs and invest in different opportunities that have a return on investment like dual launch [of GPS III — ed.] and NavSat, or I think it is NibbleSat, as you and Dr. Parkinson referred to it in your article from the National Space Symposium, which we look at as an augmentation to GPS III. That is a good thing because it can significantly reduce total lifecycle costs of the program. So we continue to look at these, amongst other items, that we will prioritize and spend our development dollars on — items such as Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) batteries, smart solar arrays, that allow you to have more efficient use of power, more efficient power amplifiers, that are significantly shrunk down in size from what we have today. Bottom line is we will continue to work on processes that clearly show a positive value stream.
DJ: I would think that one of your bigger, albeit not technical, challenges during your tenure was transitioning the GPS Wing back to an SMC Directorate. Any thoughts about the wisdom of that transition? Has it affected operations in a positive or negative way, or can you detect a difference? Has it affected the space career field for your military members?
BG: I remember you asking me this very same question back in 2011 during our very first interview, and I wish I remembered [ed. We remember — click the link]what I said back then, but I will give it a shot from where we are, right here, right now (laughs).
General Sheridan, as you very well know, the prior SMC Commander, had actually given me six goals when I got here. The first of those was fix the gap between OCX and GPS III. If you recall, we had about a 15-month gap in the delivery of those items. The second one was he asked me to transfer the AEP and LADO[launch, early orbit, anomaly and disposal operations, now provided by Braxton Technologies] ground segment to our users [the 50th Space Wing] and get that capability to them as soon as we could, so that they could operate it and own it. The third one was fix the IIF production line. The fourth one was to get the MGUE, or military GPS user equipment, back on track and award contracts. The fifth one was build a relationship and continue that relationship with the 50th Space Wing [Schriever AFB, Colorado]. The last one that he actually gave me was to ready the first space vehicle for GPS III through the GNST, which of course is the GPS III Non-Flight Satellite Test Bed and an engineering, manufacturing and development pathfinder for the GPS III program, used to achieve modernization. And, Don, I am happy to say that we as a team have achieved every one of those goals.
Not far behind those goals, Don, General Sheridan followed up with the task of transitioning the Wing back to the Directorate. And as far as I can tell, it has really been seamless. I have to say, though, I really miss the instant recognition that we, as airmen first and then as acquisition professionals, had when we were called Squadrons, Groups and Wings. While I certainly understand that the number of folks that we supervise may have not have justified those titles by themselves, the level of responsibility that we have and my peers have around here certainly did, in my opinion. All around the change has not affected us in any negative way, and I really don’t detect any significant difference resulting from that transition.
DJ: Bernie, you oversaw the first successful launches of the Boeing-built GPS IIF satellites — a program beset by significant schedule and costs issues. Yet it has evidently become a success under your watch, even though there are still some issues. What are your overall thoughts about the IIF program?
BG: Thank you for that, but I really share this success with many, many other people here at SMC as well as at Team Boeing. The IIF program really and truly has turned a corner. It’s delivering world-class position, navigation and timing (PNT) data right now for users all over the world. Under my watch we had the addition of three IIF satellites actually put into the active constellation today. And although a lot of people may not know it right now, we recently achieved our very best day ever on the 21st of April in terms of accuracy of the GPS signal, with average user range errors (URE) of less than 51 centimeters. That is really astounding! It is better, clearly better, than any PNT system in the entire world today.
So the IIF program, at this point, is focused on closing out the production line and certainly completing those remaining few satellites. We will ready those eight satellites for launch, and then we will support the existing on-constellation needs as they arise.
Now, the nature of space programs is such that technology issues can, of course, creep up on you at any given time. I think we have proven that we can meet those issues head-on and keep the program on track. I could not be prouder of my IIF team very specifically. I very much recall when I first walked into this program office, when we had to actually shut down the IIF production line for over a month. That was a hard thing to do, but it really focused us on closing all the discrepancy reports we had and modeling a very smooth production flow.
So, here we are now with four [GPS-IIFs] on orbit, and five in the barn. As far as I can tell, programmatic and technology challenges have really pretty much been abated to continue to allow world-class spacecraft and mission data as we look forward.
And, Don, let me also add that we successfully transitioned at that time the entire ground segment, the LADO system, which I know you are very familiar with, the systems training system, as well as the data archival system to our operators and partners at the 50th Space Wing, without one single lien.
DJ: Bernie, what you just told us is very impressive. Accuracy and standardization are critical to GPS program success, and it sounds like you have that well in hand. Of course, the seamless transition of key responsibilities to the 50th Space Wing and 2SOPS (2nd Space Operations Squadron) is to be applauded. Plus, it really appears you have the IIF issues resolved and the GPS III program has become a reality during your tenure. What are your hopes for that program? Do you think the Lockheed Martin built GPS III will truly, as some have predicted, become the first 30-year GPS satellite?
BG: The bottom line is that I sincerely hope that the GPS III program will be a benchmark for future space acquisition programs, both in terms of the high standards that were set for mission assurance, and the level of communication between our program office and the contractor. The GPS III program is entering the very early stages of testing right now on the first flight vehicle, and I anticipate that we will begin to see the program move down that learning curve in very short order. You know with the 15-year design life, which we put in the contract, along with stringent parts requirements and our priority on systems engineering, I really do expect that the GPS III satellites will operate beyond the standards set by the current constellation. And I do have to say that what we call our “back to basics” approach, that other folks have written about, which includes those attributes of strong systems engineering discipline, detailed manufacturing systems readiness reviews, and strict adherence to standards, are actually now showing tangible and documented results. In some cases a 60-percent reduction in our cycle time and a 70-percent reduction in discrepancies for the next delivered items. I think that is huge.
You know, even from an historical perspective, our pathfinder vehicle, which we talked about earlier, called GNST, has taken actually one year out of labor and interference testing from troubleshooting we have seen on two previous programs alone. So we are taking GNST through all the steps the very first GPS III satellite will be exposed to. Then we will ship it down to the Cape [Canaveral] in one month and we should be able to complete our initial and final look at integration and delivery.
DJ: Bernie, so far we have talked mainly about the successes in the space segment, while the future of OCX to many still seems very uncertain, especially in light of the latest GAO report, which had some serious issues of its own. You have been closer to this process than anyone. What are your thoughts? Does OCX have a future? There are rumors there are going to be major changes. Any announcements you would like to make or predict?
BG: The development program for the Next Generation Operational Control System has made significant progress, and has just recently completed a very critical Milestone B approval, in November 2012. As we stand right now, the program is poised to deliver the next-generation GPS space vehicle command and control capability, mainly for GPS III, of course. It will replace our legacy ground [command and control] system and will support legacy and future space vehicles, as well as all the signals that accompany them. The program at this point remains on track to deliver capabilities according to the acquisition program baseline that we set down during the recent milestone.
That said, Don, some of the recent and heavy work of information assurance criteria are extremely rigorous. In fact, they are the most rigorous I have ever seen on any program that I have been involved with. Someone once told me a few months ago, “Bernie, you know you are building an information fortress that just happens to do Command & Control.” So I don’t know if I actually subscribe to that thought, but I think it gets the point across. In today’s cyber-threat environment, we have to do this, and we have to do it right for the protection of GPS.
To give you some confidence in the program, as of today we have actually coded over 98 percent of the Block Zero system, which is the basis for launching and commanding the basic GPS III constellation and, of course, the first vehicle. And we followed that up with two very significant exercises to provide telemetry and an integrated planning system. In July, we will actually go forth with our third exercise itself. In fact, I just got off the phone with the team a few minutes ago, to exercise what we call off-nominal behavior. Those are different types of test plans we have to go through just in case something in the system goes wrong.
What that means, Don, is if something does not go according to plan, what we do is we inject faults into the system and other types of non-nominal behavior, and then we see if we can do recovery actions and how the command and control system will actually fix it and correct it. This ensures the operators will have the tools to fix it.
So, Don, as kind of an overview, along with what we call the complete authority to test the documentation that is in place right now and the conclusion, which we recently had, of our third critical design review, I think we are on our way. We will be challenged along the way, there is no doubt about that, but we are looking forward to achieving our full capability with Block One. [ed. OCX Block RTO currently scheduled to be delivered in Q1 2017.]
DJ: Bernie, that is great news for those who are worried about the future and viability of OCX. It is good to know you still see a way ahead. Now we have covered the three main segments of the program, but there are still concerns over the initial acquisition process and how that plays out over time. Certainly in your career you have been steeped in Air Force and DoD acquisition programs for years, which is a process many in government describe as a process in need of a major overhaul. What are your thoughts? How could we, the government, the USAF, do things differently? Any solutions or cogent thoughts?
BG: Sure, off the record! No, seriously, I have indeed been involved in acquisitions for a long time now, and let me just say that is a great question and it is certainly deserving of a much, much longer answer than I have time to provide for you here today. As a matter of fact, I have written a couple of papers on the subject of acquisition reform in the past, and I have been involved with three very significant studies in Defense Acquisition University (DAU) as well as one of our nation’s premier think tanks, the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.
But, in my opinion, there is a lot we can do, so let me just capture a couple of thoughts here. The first one, and I have noted this one many time before, is funding and requirements stability, both in what we call the program stages and execution stage of the program, is just paramount. That said, I fully realize with sequestration and budget control measures that we cannot control budget releases from Congress, cuts or changes. But it really does create an incredible burden on our ability to deliver systems on time. The second is one is to look seriously at decentralizing execution. As has been cited in many studies before, whether those be “Beyond Goldwater-Nichols” or the DAPA Study (Defense Acquisition Performance Assessment) that some people call the General Kadish study, it is easy for anyone along the long chain of acquisition approvals to say no or to add another layer of documentation or to change, but the ripple effect of doing that as well as what it does to the system is just overwhelming.
And I will say that as our Air Force Space Command commander (AFSPC/CC), someone who I know both you and I respect very deeply, General William Shelton, often says, “You know these times come with great opportunities and we need to seize upon them.” I couldn’t agree more with him.
DJ: Colonel Gruber, I assume you have had at least a few moments in your hectic schedule to reflect on your tenure at SMC and the GPS Directorate, so as we wind down today, can you describe your high and low points in the job? Would you in hindsight do anything differently?
BG: I think that is a great question, and I will say in all sincerity that there have actually been very few low points on this job, but there have been a couple. As you know, it has been frustrating for me to see civilian funding on GPS not come to closure. We have taken very large cuts over the last couple of years, and I am really not sure that the future is any more certain. I am not sure where we stand right now. This has a combined effect of increasing risk and potentially delaying the OCX program capabilities. Also, I was disappointed, quite frankly, to not be postured adequately to get a multi-year buy for the GPS III satellite system this time around for satellite vehicle nine and out. I truly believe that we can greatly reduce our costs through stable production line, an increased learning curve, correct incentives, and a large block buy. I really think we are going to get there, but I would really liked to have gotten this done before my successor, Colonel William “Bill” Cooley, arrives here in about a month.
As far as the high points go, Don, there are literally hundreds — seeing our folks get promoted, supporting the community activities here at Los Angeles Air Force Base, and of course the mission successes that we have enjoyed. These include, of course, the recent and successful launch of the IIF-SV4 on the 15th of May. Increasing the dependability of the GPS ground segment, and that is an actual measure, to 99.34 percent, which, by the way, is the best it has ever been in the history of the program. Awarding new contracts for on-orbit support and ground contracts that have reduced our contract costs by almost 50 percent. Another one is locking in three vendors to be able to build the next generation of GPS [ed. military] user equipment, and of course the achievements of the SMC commitments that I mentioned earlier and those that General Pawlikowski [SMC Commander] have laid out for us for the future.
So, in the big scheme of things, I am not sure that I would have done anything different, but the truth is, Don, it might take a little bit more reflection on my part, and I might answer that differently sometime in the future. But for right now I feel very confident with what we have done and very proud of what the team has taken forward with me.
DJ: Colonel Gruber I want to thank you very much for your time today, for your dedication to the GPS mission and for your service to your nation over the last 26 years. Now, this is your opportunity for a parting message and a chance to fill us in on what your future holds.
BG: I am not sure I have a parting message for you. Truth be told, leaving this program, the people in it and the great service our country provides through GPS is going to be hard to do. My three years is up, and I will be retiring from the USAF after 26 years of service. It has been a great ride. I applaud the efforts of you and your readers, our contractors, our government employees, and our international partners, of course, who continue to overcome adversity and invent new applications and services for GPS. But most of all, Don, I really want to thank the men and women who serve in deployed regions of the world. They are putting their lives on the line every single day. We owe it to them to have this system to be able to support them, anytime and anyplace.
And as to my future — I actually leave the Air Force with a smile on my face, it has been a great ride. After many discussions with my family, we are heading back to our roots in Minnesota. My wife and I are very fortunate to be able to make the decision to spend time with our parents and our families and relatives back home in the St. Paul-Minneapolis area.
DJ: Well, Bernie, I am totally surprised. I don’t think I ever heard you say, “ja shure, you bet, you know” once in all the years I have known you.
BG: Ya know, Don, I can really lay it on pretty thick when you need me to, ya know. [ed. Saying this, Bernie sounds exactly like an extra in the movie Fargo.] But seriously, we are going to spend some time with family and take it easy for awhile, and then I will explore future opportunities.
And with that comment, we wish Colonel Gruber the best of luck in the future. That’s a wrap for this month. Next month we will review some of the latest and best user equipment for our warfighters, government users, and critical first responders. So until next time, happy navigating.
This week’s Defense PNT newsletter by GPS World contributing editor Don Jewell carries an exit interview with Col. Bernard “Bernie” Gruber, who is leaving his post as director of the GPS Directorate after more than three and a half years in that position, and concluding his 26-year U.S. Air Force career. Look for the full interview later this week on the Defense PNT newsletter page. To receive subsequent issues of this monthly e-publication subscribe free here.
Here is an advance look at the extensive interview with a few selected quotes from Col. Gruber:
“We are working very hard to reduce our costs and invest in different opportunities that have a return on investment like dual launch [of GPS III] and NavSat, or I think it is NibbleSat, as you and Dr. Parkinson referred to it in your article from the National Space Symposium, which we look at as an augmentation to GPS III. That is a good thing because it can significantly reduce total lifecycle costs of the program. So we continue to look at these, amongst other items, that we will prioritize and spend our development dollars on — items such as Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) batteries, smart solar arrays, that allow you to have more efficient use of power, more efficient power amplifiers, that are significantly shrunk down in size from what we have today. Bottom line is we will continue to work on processes that clearly show a positive value stream.”
[ . . . . . ]
“General Sheridan, as you very well know, the prior SMC Commander, had actually given me six goals when I got here. The first of those was fix the gap between OCX and GPS III. If you recall, we had about a 15-month gap in the delivery of those items. The second one was he asked me to transfer the AEP and LADO (launch, early orbit, anomaly and disposal operations) ground segment to our users [the 50th Space Wing] and get that capability to them as soon as we could, so that they could operate it and own it. The third one was fix the IIF production line. The fourth one was to get the MGUE, or military GPS user equipment, back on track and award contracts. The fifth one was build a relationship and continue that relationship with the 50th Space Wing. The last one that he actually gave me was to ready the first space vehicle for GPS III through the GNST, which of course is the GPS III Non-Flight Satellite Test Bed and an engineering, manufacturing and development pathfinder for the GPS III program, used to achieve modernization. And, Don, I am happy to say that we as a team have achieved every one of those goals.”
[ . . . . . ]
“I sincerely hope that the GPS III program will be a benchmark for future space acquisition programs, both in terms of the high standards that were set for mission assurance, and the level of communication between our program office and the contractor. The GPS III program is entering the very early stages of testing right now on the first flight vehicle, and I anticipate that we will begin to see the program move down that learning curve in very short order. You know with the 15-year design life, which we put in the contract, along with stringent parts requirements and our priority on systems engineering, I really do expect that the GPS III satellites will operate beyond the standards set by the current constellation. And I do have to say that what we call our “back to basics” approach, that other folks have written about, which includes those attributes of strong systems engineering discipline, detailed manufacturing systems readiness reviews, and strict adherence to standards, are actually now showing tangible and documented results. In some cases a 60-percent reduction in our cycle time and a 70-percent reduction in discrepancies for the next delivered items. I think that is huge.”
