The QLX3Gx chip makes secure, authenticated positioning a standard feature
Qualinx has integrated support for the Galileo OSNMA (Open Service Navigation Message Authentication) on its QLX3Gx Series ultra-low-power GNSS receiver.
Developed with the support of the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), the integration makes the QLX3Gx a GNSS receiver purpose-built for ultra-low-power markets to deliver hardware-native OSNMA support as a standard feature across the entire product family.
Qualinx has embedded OSNMA support directly into the QLX3Gx hardware architecture from the ground up, enabling a fully optimized design with zero trade-offs in power consumption, cost or performance.
“Authenticated positioning has for too long been out of reach for the devices that need it most,” said Qualinx CEO Tom Trill. “By building OSNMA support into the QLX3Gx at the hardware level from day one, we’re making trusted positioning the default — not a premium option — for the wearables, asset trackers and IoT devices that make up the bulk of the GNSS market.”
The partnership with EUSPA reflects a shared commitment to disseminating Galileo’s advanced security capabilities across the widest possible range of applications and markets. EUSPA identifies OSNMA as a strategic priority for improving resilience against spoofing and signal manipulation
According to the EU Space Market Report 2026, global GNSS revenues are projected to grow from €300 billion in 2024 to €580 billion by 2034 with mass-market devices accounting for the largest share of shipments and representing the greatest growth potential.
Through Qualinx’s digital radio-frequency technology, the QLX3Gx delivers up to 10× lower power consumption than conventional GNSS solutions. By integrating OSNMA natively in hardware, the chip eliminates the processing overhead typically associated with authentication, ensuring security adds no meaningful cost to the power budget.
The chip’s reconfigurable digital RF architecture enables capabilities to be updated over time without hardware replacement — extending device lifecycles, cutting electronic waste, and lowering overall energy consumption. The result is a platform that makes connected devices more secure and sustainable.
The QLX3Gx chip is available for sampling, with mass production planned for the second half of this year. Developers and OEMs can register interest in the Qualinx QLX3Gx Evaluation Kit to secure hands-on evaluation of the QLX3Gx for upcoming consumer, industrial and mobility applications. Contact [email protected] to register interest and request a sample, or learn more at Qualinx.io.
Qualinx will showcase its market-ready 1 mW QLX3Gx Series GNSS chip with its dynamic reconfigurable architecture, along with a developer evaluation kit (EVK), at Embedded World 2026 taking place March 10-12 in Nuremberg.
The QLX3Gx EVK enables OEMs to directly validate Qualinx’s power-to-performance leadership and integration readiness in real-world device environments across IoT, UAVs, wearables, asset tracking, mobility and infrastructure applications. Additional demos include ultra-low-power GNSS powered by Dragonfly Digital RF, on-chip Galileo authentication with EUSPA’s OSNMA, QLX3AX AFE flexibility, beacon-to-beacon communication and sustainable smartwatch integration.
1 mW GNSS Powered by Dragonfly
Qualinx’s patented Dragonfly Digital Radio Frequency (DRF) architecture is at the core of the QLX3GX chip and shifts traditionally analog RF functions into the digital domain, an approach that brings RF back in line with Moore’s Law and, as such, significantly reduces power consumption without compromising performance.
Market-ready and built for scale, the highly integrated chip combines an ultra-low-power digital RF front end with an advanced GNSS digital baseband engine, ready for high-volume production and OEM deployment.
Additionally, the Dragonfly architecture enables dynamic, over-the-air (OTA) reconfiguration of the device throughout its lifecycle, eliminating substantial cost and complexity from customers’ supply chains and sparking new cycles of downstream product innovation, all from a single chip.
Supported by a European-designed GNSS architecture engineered for industry-leading power-to-performance versatility, hardware-level security and resilience, tracking is performed natively on-chip rather than in the cloud, further improving resilience to spoofing, jamming and interference.
Live demonstrations planned
Live demos at Embedded World 2026 highlight Qualinx’s performance and agility, and reinforce the company’s strategy to redefine connectivity by ensuring ultra-low-power, secure, and reconfigurable GNSS is accessible at scale:
QLX3Gx developer evaluation kit (EVK). Hands-on validation of real-world power consumption, reconfigurability and integration readiness.
Ultra-low-power GNSS powered by Dragonfly Digital RF. The 1 mW operating mode reduces one of the largest energy drains in connected systems, enabling longer battery life, smaller form factors and lower carbon footprint.
Qualinx Transmit. Qualinx will demonstrate that the same chip used for beacon-to-beacon collaboration can enable a range of new applications in which devices work together as an intelligent swarm, accelerating the deployment of ambient IoT.
Galileo OSNMA authentication with EUSPA. With more than 4 billion devices connected to Galileo, Qualinx on-chip navigation message authentication strengthens protection against spoofing among connected devices while reinforcing alignment with Europe’s sovereign Galileo infrastructure.
QLX3AX analog front end (AFE). A dynamic OTA reconfigurable AFE supporting multiple radio technologies for specialized receivers and custom systems.
Wearable integration display. Smartwatch-class form-factor readiness, validating compact footprint and suitability for IoT and wearable devices.
The availability of the QLX3Gx GNSS chip and EVK follows the recent announcement of a €20M investment round to support and accelerate Qualinx’s growth and international expansion. As governments and enterprises reassess their exposure to fragile, globally concentrated semiconductor supply chains, Qualinx stands out as a European deep-tech company that combines European IP and manufacturing, with hardware-level security that delivers resilient, ultra-low-power connectivity and does not rely on cloud-based processing.
All Qualinx chips, including the QLX3Gx GNSS chip, are designed and manufactured in Europe, anchoring production within the EU and reducing supply chain risk.
OEMs are invited to register their interest in the Qualinx developer EVK at Embedded World, from 10-12 March at the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg, Hall 3, Booth 2211, to secure hands-on evaluation of the QLX3Gx GNSS chip for upcoming consumer, industrial, and mobility applications ahead of mass production this year. Contact [email protected] to schedule a media interview.
The European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) has officially declared its Galileo Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) initial service operational. OSNMA introduces a data authentication mechanism for Galileo Open Service users and is available free of charge to Galileo users worldwide.
Spoofing is the transmission of counterfeit satellite signals that deceive GNSS receivers, causing false, unreliable positioning that can disrupt critical sectors including transportation, finance, telecommunications, energy, manufacturing, healthcare, emergency services and law enforcement. In safety-critical domains such as aviation and maritime, spoofing risks can lead to serious safety hazards.
OSNMA addresses these threats by embedding a cryptographic digital signature within the Galileo navigation message (I/NAV) broadcast on the E1-B signal. This digital signature allows receivers equipped with OSNMA to verify that the signal truly originates from Galileo and has not been tampered with or spoofed.
OSNMA is integrated into the Galileo Open Service signal, which is already used by most GNSS devices. This means no change to existing Galileo signal structure or navigation performance, preserving full backward compatibility. Non-OSNMA receivers continue to function normally, while OSNMA-capable receivers decode and authenticate the digital signature.
The European GNSS Service Centre (GSC), located at the National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA) in Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain, manages the generation and transmission of authentication messages to Galileo’s ground segment. The OSNMA service was developed in collaboration with industrial partners, including GMV and INDRA, who also contributed to Galileo’s High Accuracy Service (HAS), operational since January 2023.
u-blox has introduced the X20, a new high-precision GNSS platform that builds upon its previous F9 platform. The X20 is designed to meet global demands for high-precision GNSS capabilities while accommodating future technologies and standards.
The X20 operates across all GNSS frequency bands (L1/L2/L5/L6) and includes an integrated L-band receiver. The L5 band operates at lower frequencies, which can improve signal robustness, while the L6 band is used for navigation and correction services to enhance positioning accuracy. This comprehensive coverage allows for high-precision positioning even in challenging signal environments.
The platform supports various correction services, including local base stations, real-time kinematics (RTK), network RTK, precise point positioning (PPP) corrections and PPP-RTK.
It is suitable for applications requiring centimeter-level positioning accuracy under challenging environments, such as port logistics, construction machine control, UAVs, autonomous ground robotics (e.g., lawnmowers) and time synchronization for critical infrastructure systems.
The X20 platform incorporates comprehensive security measures such as end-to-end security functions, system authentication via secure boot and firmware updates, message authentication and encryption with a built-in secure root of trust (RoT).
It supports Galileo OSNMA authentication and features advanced jamming and spoofing detection and mitigation. The X20 platform is designed to be software upgradeable, allowing users to adapt to future developments in GNSS technologies and standards.
The European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) has completed the testing of the Galileo Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) and is now gearing up for its operational launch.
Galileo, similar to any other GNSS, is used by many critical applications in transportation, finance, telecommunications, information technology, energy, utilities, manufacturing, health services, emergency services and law enforcement.
However, the rise in spoofing attacks, which can disrupt these services, has prompted the development of OSNMA. This capability, integrated into the Galileo infrastructure by EUSPA, the European Commission (EC), and the European Space Agency (ESA), aims to enhance the security of GNSS signals.
The OSNMA Public Observation phase began in November 2021, supported by the release of the Signal in Space Interface Control Document (SIS ICD) and the Receiver Guidelines, which facilitated early testing of OSNMA receivers worldwide. Since then, users have reported that the OSNMA signal has been transmitted by Galileo satellites with high stability and performance.
In December 2022, EUSPA and the EC published the OSNMA SIS ICD and Receiver Guidelines for the service phase, with further updates released between October 2023 and January 2024. Additionally, the OSNMA Internet Data Distribution (IDD) ICD was published in July 2023 and updated in January 2024, alongside the operational cryptographic material. The OSNMA signal has been transmitted following these specifications since August 2023.
According to EUSPA, Testing activities by industry and public actors have confirmed the readiness of the service, with the latest cryptographic material published by EUSPA in January 2024. This material and necessary certificates are available through the EUSPA and GSC websites for the Initial Service provision phase.
The testing activities concluded in early June 2024 with the execution of cryptographic keychain renewal and revocation processes. The program is now preparing for the OSNMA Initial Service declaration, which will include an EC communication, the publication of the OSNMA Service Definition Document (SDD) and the transition of the OSNMA Status Flag from “test” to “operational” following a process similar to that used in 2023 for the Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS) Declaration. According to EUSPA, a dedicated Galileo Service Notice will soon be published to announce the conclusion of the testing activities of the Public Observation Phase.
u-blox has released the first firmware update of its ZED-F9P GNSS module to support Galileo Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA).
The upgrade enhances the multi-band GNSS module’s spoofing and jamming detection capabilities, offering robust and reliable performance for various applications, such as robotic lawnmowers, UAVs and surveying and mapping.
The module also features improved real-time kinematic (RTK) convergence to reduce the risk of incorrect readings, which are important to surveying-related applications.
According to u-blox, the SPARTN Beidou satellite constellation support boosts the capabilities of GNSS receivers and enhances the performance of the u-blox PointPerfect GNSS correction service in certain regions. The receivers are equipped with an advanced ionospheric model for more reliable performance during elevated ionospheric activities.
Qualinx, a company specializing in ultra-low power wireless tracking and connectivity semiconductors, has announced a partnership with the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA). This collaboration, under the Fundamental Elements EU R&D funding mechanism, aims to develop a consumer-grade, low-power GNSS receiver for EUSPA’s GNSS authentication service.
The project focuses on the Galileo Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) service, which is designed to verify that users are receiving data from Galileo satellites. This service was introduced in response to an increasing number of spoofing incidents. Qualinx was selected for this project following a six-month selection process conducted by EUSPA.
Qualinx’s technology, known as digital radio frequency (DRF), transforms most analog functions of a wireless chip into digital circuits, which can be customized for each application through software. This technology is designed to reduce power consumption compared to traditional GNSS receivers. The company aims to provide smaller, more cost-effective solutions while extending the operating life of battery-powered navigation devices.
I/NAV improvements for all Galileo Open Service users is a part of the new Galileo services portfolio. (Image: EUSPA)
In 2023, Galileo continues to provide the world’s most precise satellite navigation information, to more than four billion users worldwide. Galileo services have expanded with many new capabilities that are unique with respect to other GNSS.
EUSPA and ESA continue to enjoy an effective collaboration on the many development, deployment and evolution activities of the Galileo Program, each according to its responsibilities for service provision and system development with the European Commission acting as the program manager.
Stable service performance
The service delivery operations, and the maintenance of the operational systems, are managed by EUSPA, who supervises several contracts that carry-out the day-to-day activities from dedicated control and monitoring centers throughout Europe. The Galileo timing, navigation and SAR/Galileo services provided in 2023 have been delivered with excellent performances that continue to exceed the formal declarations for minimum performance levels (MPL), both in terms of absolute accuracy and overall service availability.
Expansion of service portfolio
Galileo FOC batch three satellites in storage at OHB Systems. (Image: ESA)
The service provision teams have been able to focus on improvements to, and expansion of, the Galileo service portfolio.
OS and I/NAV improvement
Galileo Open Service (OS) users can already benefit from an improved navigation message, being broadcast by the Galileo constellation since mid-2023, which considerably boosts their performance in terms of robustness and time to first fix.
An update of the Galileo OS service definition document (SDD) is planned for the end of this year. This fourth issue of the OS SDD will bring to the users new MPLs (e.g., ranging rate accuracy and ranging accuracy at high percentiles) and improvements of existing MPLs, such as the timeliness of certain notice advisories to Galileo users. This updated OS SDD will also introduce the OS extended operation mode, which is characterized by a gradually degrading ranging accuracy with respect to the nominal operational mode, including outages of the Galileo ground segment, thus increasing the robustness of the OS.
High Accuracy Service
As of the HAS initial service declaration on January 24, Galileo became the first GNSS constellation ever to enable a decimetre-level accuracy, free of charge on a 24/7 basis over most parts of the globe in nominal conditions. The HAS corrections are transmitted directly via the Galileo signal in space (E6-B) and through the internet with the corresponding performance levels systematically met since the declaration. All documentation available here.
OS-NMA
The OS Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) will be a free and open access service allowing the users to confirm that received Galileo navigation data has not been modified and originates from the Galileo system, thus increasing the likelihood of detecting spoofing attacks at the data level and significantly contributing to the security of the solution. The OSNMA public observation phase is currently ongoing (gsc-europa.eu/support-to-developers/osnma-public-observation-test-phase). As part of that, the final OSNMA signal in space (SiS) interface control document (ICD) was published in December 2022, while the broadcast of a compliant SiS together with test certificates for the public key infrastructure started in August, marking the start of the OSNMA initial operational capability. The OSNMA initial service declaration will be achieved after the completion of the service validation activities and is targeted for early 2024.
Safety of life
The Galileo contribution to safety of life services (GoSoL) will cover the provision of Galileo signals and of service guarantees to enable the implementation of horizontal ARAIM service supporting aviation users. The service roadmap is currently under definition with a stepwise approach that will include the broadcast of a test ISM before the operational service is provided.
SAR
SAR/Galileo provides accurate, timely, and reliable distress alert data to help rescue authorities assist in distress situations (forward link service). It also acknowledges the receipt of the distress forward link alert to the beacon in distress via the Galileo navigation SiS (return link service). SAR/Galileo is a geographically distributed system, which was extended with a fourth European MEOLUT installed in La Reunion, in operation since November 2022.
The combination of SAR/Galileo space and ground assets provides excellent performance levels with a mean location accuracy of less than 800 m and a return link delivery latency of less than 1 min, which assisted in the rescue of approximately 1,400 people within EU territories in 2022.
Utilizing the return link service capabilities brings new innovations that further contribute to the global emergency space operations as Galileo moves forward to the implementation phase of the emergency warning satellite service (EWSS). The EWSS will provide national civil protection authorities with a satellite broadcasting capability to broadcast on-demand authenticated alerts to a precise target area and its population directly to any device capable of processing Galileo signals.
Reference documents for each of the above services can be found at the EUSPA European GNSS Service Center website, including technical notes, interface control documents and service declaration documents.
Image: European Space Agency (ESA)
Full operational capability infrastructure development toward completion
Space segment
The production of the third batch of Galileo FOC satellites, by the satellite manufacturer OHB Systems, has been completed for an overall amount of 12 satellites. The acceptance review for the last couple of spacecraft took place in June.
This amounts to an overall production by OHB Systems of 34 Galileo FOC Satellites (14 satellites in batch one, eight satellites in batch two and 12 satellites in batch three) of which 24 are in orbit. The remaining 10 satellites are in storage waiting for the next launch opportunity in 2024.
Ground segment
G2SB1 engineering model payload testing at ESA ESTEC. (Image: ESA)
The ground segment is going through a major upgrade with the roll-out of the new System Build 2.0 infrastructure in support of public regulated service IOC and open service FOC.
The new version of the ground mission segment developed by Thales Alenia Space France will be oriented to increase service robustness and resilience, besides high performance. It will provide virtualized hardware and software infrastructure at the Galileo Control Centers, triple receiver chain redundancy in the sensor stations’ remote sites and two additional sites located in Wallis (Pacific Ocean) and Bonaire (Caribbean Sea) to increase global coverage with 15 sites overall. A new mission monitoring capability has been implemented for the operators using the SAFE/Agile methodology. Furthermore, a system extended contingency mode will be implemented to cope with outages lasting up to seven days with smooth navigation performance degradation.
A new version of the Galileo Security Facility will be deployed at the Galileo Security Monitoring Centers offering an evolution of the public regulated service (PRS) capabilities through new enhanced SiS access control. Furthermore, a new state of the art cyber security monitoring system will be implemented.
The System Build 2.0 infrastructure qualification was completed by ESA in July. Migration in operation is based on an innovative concept consisting of a replica of the operational chains to ensure seamless transition from the current system in operation to the newly deployed one. The completion of the migration into operations is planned for the beginning of 2024, with the schedule being continuously monitored at the program level.
Galileo Second Generation: a constellation of state-of-the-art procurements. (Image: ESA)
An upgrade of the ground control segment in charge of command and control of the constellation is under qualification by the industrial consortium led by GMV. It will provide additional flexibility to allow for deployment in between launches and to address resolution of hardware and software obsolescence, including cyber security, operability improvements and a security monitoring overlay. Furthermore, it will upgrade the Telemetry Tracking and Control (TTC) station in Redu, Belgium, and deploy an additional station in Fucino, Italy, co-located with the Galileo Control Center, bringing to nine the overall number of TTC stations.
Second generation fast forward
Galileo’s second generation (G2G) will introduce many innovative technologies to offer unprecedented precision, robustness, and flexibility.
For the development of G2G activities 2023 was a key year, with the development of the first batch of G2 satellites, the start of all contracts for in-orbit validation of the ground segment and system test beds and the preparation of the initial operational capability (IOC) design, through the consolidation of the mission/service roadmaps with the EC, EUSPA, and the delegates from EU member states.
This year, Europe has taken the necessary steps to unchain the development of key GNSS features, which will exponentially enhance GNSS accuracy for the worldwide communities in the future:
New and improved services.
Unique flexibility of ground and space systems to enable 12-18 months service time to market, without the need for constellation replenishment.
Upgraded robustness of key infrastructure items.
State of the art GNSS technology leading to centimeter-level precision.
New GNSS signals, including extended data capacity for added value services.
And of course, as a key factor, a full backward compatibility with Galileo First Generation and other GNSS systems.
G2G: Incremental steps for enhanced capabilities over the next decade
The ESA completed the G2G system preliminary design review in July, focused on three key incremental phases of the G2G:
G2G In-Orbit Validation (G2GIOV): specification, design and validation activities for the sake of ensuring the full development of the first batch of G2G satellites and all the associated infrastructure for launch and early orbit phase, in-orbit testing, in-orbit validation, initial enhancement of Galileo services and addition of new Galileo service components.
G2G Initial Operational Capability (G2GIOC): design and specifications required for the complementary procurements that will ensure new Galileo services, as enabled by G2G infrastructure, including both the second batch of G2G satellites and the G2G ground segment.
G2G Full Operational Capability (G2GFOC): Identification of key technological enablers and additional capabilities required for final G2G implementation, including the bridge to future synergies with other EU and ESA programs.
G2G in-orbit validation infrastructure – satellite hardware under validation
G2SB1 acoustic testing in Rome and structural model arrival at ESA ESTEC. (Image: ESA)
The two parallel contracts with Thales Alenia Space and Airbus to develop and manufacture each of six G2G batch one satellites (G2SB1A and B) achieved key milestones this year.
On the G2SB1 satellite A side, the prime contractor tested engineering model payloads and structural models at its premises and delivered them to ESA’s Technology Center (ESTEC). The validation of the new G2G payload capabilities and the key mechanical, vibration and acoustical testing milestones have been achieved.
These satellites will provide the following key innovations: reconfigurable fully digital navigation payload; point-to-point connection between satellites by inter-satellite-link for command and control, and ranging functionalities; electric propulsion for orbit-raising capabilities; advanced jamming and spoofing protection mechanisms; on-board authentication capabilities; increased ground-to-space data rate; and improved time reference (number of clocks and advanced clock monitoring functions).
Key mechanical and launch-related tests on the structural models stacked configurations were performed in the last quarter of this year, in order to simulate the launcher environment and satellite separation dynamics.
On the G2SB1 satellite B and the PHM and RAFS clock manufacturing sides, activities are ongoing as planned, with key HW infrastructure developed and tested in the respective Industrial Primes premises.
This included as key events in 2023 the full testing of the satellite advanced engineering model antenna and the creation of a satellite atomic clock farm in industry premises to produce the more than 70 atomic clocks required for the 12 G2 batch one satellites.
The next steps for these contracts are the completion of the equipment and satellite CDRs, expected in the coming months, in order to engage (starting at the end of 2024) with the critical system compatibility test campaigns of the G2G IOV ground segment infrastructure and system engineering test beds under development.
Galileo Second Generation batch one satellites. (Image: ESA)
G2G in-orbit validation infrastructure – ground segment and test beds in full development
The key system engineering, ground segment and test beds infrastructure procurements were all awarded during the first semester of 2023, giving EC/EUSPA/ESA and the industrial teams a brief moment of respite and celebration.
Following a competition process that encompassed about 12 months of detailed technical, management and legal interactions, 11 industrial prime contractors were selected for a set of contracts engaging about $1 billion euros of public sector investment:
Four contracts for system engineering, signal and performance, system validation and security and PRS activities.
Four contracts for ground segment in-orbit validation infrastructure.
Three contracts for system test bed activities plus a series of technological developments in the receivers and constellation simulation side.
Once completed in the years to come, these infrastructure developments will ensure not only the launch and early orbit phasing and in-orbit validation of the novel G2G satellite’s capabilities, but also enable the provision to all world users of enhanced Galileo services.
G2G satellites stacked configuration for launcher simulated test at ESA ESTEC. (Image: ESA)
G2G initial and final operational capability moving ahead
In line with the outcomes of the system preliminary design review, two new lines of GNSS improvements are well underway at program level.
In the area of G2G initial operational capability (IOC), which will provide new G2G initial services, an extensive preparatory work has been performed by EUSPA in order to derive the mission needs (as defined by the EC and its Member States), into a set of service evolution roadmaps for the more than one dozen Galileo services.
This work has been supported by ESA dossiers providing incremental implementation of these services, in a continuous improvement ramp-up process, which guarantees backward compatibility and seamless enhancement.
The relevant procurements that will enable, in combination with the in-orbit validation infrastructure, the provision of these services are currently under consolidation:
G2G IOC ground segment, with an initial version to be procured in 2024.
G2G satellites batch two, which is expected to start its competitive procurement procedure in the second part of the EU’s 2021-2028 multi-financial framework.
In addition, work is well advanced in the definition of the key technological developments and system trade-offs that will be analyzed for inclusion in the G2G final operational capability (FOC), expected early in the 2030s.
Critical technologies being analyzed include optical inter-satellite links, advanced governmental payloads, new ground segment and signal technologies and in-space constellation monitoring, among others. ESA expects to complete the preparation of the system-critical design review by the end of 2024 or early 2025 and to submit it for in-depth review by the EC, EUSPA and European member states stakeholders.
Conclusions
Galileo keeps providing continuous and stable services to users with new enhanced capabilities offering high accuracy, authentication and faster time to first fix. The space and ground infrastructure development for the first generation is progressing toward public regulated service IOC and open service FOC.
In parallel, for G2G, hardware production of the new satellites is well under way and the ground segment development has started to maintain Galileo competitive with the other GNSS.
We continue to strive toward achieving the vision defined at the end of the previous decade: “If you can imagine a novel satellite navigation service, we will implement it in 12-18 months.”
According to Rokubun — a Spanish company that designs accurate and scalable navigation solutions based on GNSS — released a library solution for decoding and processing Galileo Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) for embedded platforms.
The solution is part of the Horizon Europe BANSHEE project, for which Rokubun served as the coordinating, is EU-funded, and is supported by the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA). The goal of the project was to develop a hybrid technology that combines Wi-Fi ranging and satellite navigation (including the Galileo OSNMA) to allow for accurate and seamless indoor-outdoor navigation.
The upcoming Galileo OSNMA will provide authenticated navigation data message against data-level spoofing attacks. By delivering data authentication, the free-to-use Galileo OSNMA assures users that the received Galileo navigation message comes from the system itself and has not been modified by, for example, a spoofing attack.
To address this risk, Rokubun’s library enables the Galileo OSNMA in embedded GNSS solutions. The cross-platform, small-footprint library has undergone extensive testing using official EUSPA test vectors, and all OSNMA algorithms have been validated in real conditions at the European Commission’s Galileo testing facilities located at the Joint Research Centre in Ispra, Italy.
The library is organized to be portable, requiring only a working assembler and C compiler that supports ISO C99. To ensure optimal performance and validate user-specific enhancements, such as the utilization of cryptographic accelerators or other system-on-chip/microcontroller specific resources, Rokubun has implemented a hardware-in-the-loop continuous integration/deployment setup.
This setup continuously tests the library against several reference MCU targets, assessing its performance and guaranteeing its reliability.
Orolia, a Safran Electronics and Defense company, announced its Skydel GNSS simulation engine will support Galileo Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) simulation in the form of two-phased and separate solutions. These solutions will be available to users who have purchased simulation access to the Galileo constellation, which will be available in the next few months.
OSNMA is an emerging authentication service that allows GNSS receivers to verify the authenticity of received data to protect against potential jamming or spoofing attacks that can result in service disruptions, denial incidents and more.
The first solution is well-suited for most receiver integrators that want to test the OSNMA capability of a GNSS receiver with the official test vectors from the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA). This solution will support the available official test vectors sample data, which supports the verification of OSNMA functionality implementation.
The second option will provide full flexibility in the configuration of the scenario as well as the OSNMA authentication parameters. It will be suitable for advanced users that test receivers in a wide range of edge and corner cases.
Available later in 2023, this phase will include the following elements in Skydel: authentication of the Galileo E1 OS navigation message, a new Skydel engine supporting OSNMA SIS ICD 1.0, support for the timed efficient stream loss-tolerant authentication protocol, and useful crypto material for running user-programmable simulation test scenarios.
This feature will be ready for future software updates in accordance with the next phases recommended by EUPSA.
The high-accuracy service (HAS) offered by Galileo is now available and provides sub-meter accuracy over most of the globe. It will help enable emerging technologies such as UAVs and autonomous vehicles, which require stringent levels of accuracy for better navigation, safety and efficient traffic management.
Other industries expected to benefit include transportation, agriculture, geodesy and entertainment.
Thierry Breton, European commissioner for Internal Market, announced that the service was now live during the annual European Space Conference in Brussels, Belgium, on Jan. 24.
The European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) developed Galileo HAS along with the European Commission and the European Space Agency (ESA). The new service will become a pillar of government programs such as EU sectorial policies and national policies by EU Member States.
“This new service has been made possible thanks to the outstanding cooperation and team commitment of all involved partners,” said Rodrigo da Costa, EUSPA executive director.
“Galileo is not standing still,” said Javier Benedicto, ESA director of navigation. “This new High Accuracy Service offers a new dimension of precision to everyone who needs it, while the Open Service Navigation Message Authentication — already available — allows users to authenticate Galileo signals as they make use of it, to minimize any risk of spoofing. An upgraded integrity message of the signal rolled out last year reduces the time to first fix while enhancing the overall robustness of Galileo.”
Galileo HAS delivers horizontal accuracy down to 20 cm and vertical accuracy of 40 cm in nominal use conditions, according to ESA. The service is transmitted directly via the Galileo signal in space (E6-B) and through the internet.
With HAS, Galileo becomes the first constellation worldwide able to provide a high-accuracy service globally and directly through the signal in space.
The service is freely accessible to all users with a receiver capable of processing the HAS corrections broadcast in the E6-B signal and via the internet. The precise corrections provided by Galileo HAS will allow users to reduce the error associated with the orbit and clocks provided through the Galileo Open Service broadcast navigation messages and the GPS Standard Positioning Service navigation data.
“With the Galileo HAS we are ready to unleash the full potential of new technologies such as drones and bring autonomous driving closer to reality,’’ da Costa said. “At EUSPA, our role is to link space to user needs. With the launch of this new service, we met a clear market demand for accurate, robust, and reliable navigation.”
In 2022, the Galileo GNSS continued to provide the world’s most precise satellite navigation information, to a user base that stands at more than 3.5 billion worldwide. Furthermore, provided services continue to improve and expand, with plans for high-accuracy positioning and signal authentication now reaching fruition.
The European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) and the European Space Agency (ESA) continue to enjoy an effective collaboration on the many development, deployment, and evolution activities of the Galileo Programme — each according to their respective responsibilities for service provision and system development with the European Commission (EC) acting as the program manager.
Ranging accuracy performance from January to September 2022.
Positioning-related MPLS from January to October 2022.
New Services Launched in 2022
Excellent Performance
Service delivery operations and maintenance of operational systems are managed by EUSPA, which supervises many contracts that carry out the day-to-day activities from dedicated control and monitoring centers throughout Europe. In 2022, Galileo timing, navigation, and SAR/Galileo services were delivered with excellent performances that continue to exceed the formal declarations for minimum performance levels (MPL), which were increased in January, both in terms of absolute accuracy and overall service availability. The entry into service of two additional satellites in May and August, have further consolidated the overall service availability to end users.
Galileo FOC Batch 3 satellite under testing.
Expansion of Service Portfolio
The service provision teams have been able to focus on improvements to, and expansion of, the service portfolio.
The I/NAV improvement will positively impact end users by enabling a faster time to first fix, and updates to the data validity status flags will lead to better protection of users against expired navigation data. These changes are implemented in updates of the onboard software of the satellites being rolled out across the constellation. At present, seven operational satellites have been successfully updated; the complete software upgrade campaign is planned to be completed this summer.
Galileo’s new High Accuracy Service will provide free precise point positioning (PPP) corrections, in the Galileo E6-B data component and by terrestrial means, for Galileo and GPS (single and multi-frequency) to achieve real-time user position improved by up to 10 times. The infrastructure to support an initial service (Phase 1) is nearing completion, and the formal declaration of the service capabilities is planned for early this year.
To provide users with a method of authenticating the received Galileo signals, especially the satellites ephemerides and the Galileo timing parameters, the new Open ServiceNavigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) service enables a receiver to confirm that a navigation message originated from the EU Galileo infrastructure. Many application areas are expected to benefit from this capability, including smart tachographs, telematics and logistics, UAVs, location-based services, and timing services. Having successfully demonstrated the technology behind the service in 2022, including a public observation phase, the roll-out of the Initial Service is planned to take place by the end of the year.
A fourth Medium Earth Orbit Local User Terminal (MEOLUT) in La Réunion will extend the SAR/Galileo Forward Link Service Coverage Area over the Indian Ocean as part of the SAR/Galileo full operational capability (FOC) declaration expected in the first quarter of 2023. The Cospas-Sarsat commissioning of this new station was completed in September 2022, and operational data is already being distributed to Cospas-Sarsat.
Reference documents for the above services can be found at the EUSPA European GNSS Service Centre website, including technical notes, interface control documents and service declaration documents.
SAR/Galileo-related metrics from January to October 2022.
Extension of the SAR/Galileo Forward Link Service Coverage Area over the Indian Ocean.
FOC Infrastructure Development Nears Completion
Satellite Production
The production of the third batch of Galileo FOC satellites advanced further in 2022 with the completion of the environmental tests and the system compatibility test campaigns at the European Space Agency Test Centre in Noordwijk, The Netherlands. After 10 years of successful testing, on Oct.18, 2022, the last Galileo FOC satellite (flight model number 34) left the test center to return to the premises of the satellite manufacturer, OHB Systems, in Germany. Testing of the remaining 10 satellites has confirmed that they have been correctly built and will perform well in orbit. The acceptance review of the last couple of satellites will take place this summer.
At the beginning of 2023, the plan is to start in-orbit testing of a quasi-pilot signal on the E5 frequency using the Galileo GSAT201/202 satellites in elliptical orbit. The provision of a signal offering coarse acquisition in Galileo E5-A/GPS L5 can be a distinguishing feature for Galileo with respect to all other constellations to further improve the capability to acquire the E5 signal at low complexity. Following in-orbit testing, the strategy for roll-out of this capability will be assessed with the involvement of receiver manufacturers.
New SAR Galileo MEOLUT facility in Réunion island.
Access to Space
The discontinuation of Soyuz launch services from the Kourou Space Centre in French Guiana, because of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, has caused delays in the two Galileo launches that had been planned for 2022. The Launch 12 campaign had to be interrupted and in March 2022 the FM25 and 26 satellites were put in storage at the Kourou launch base, then returned to Europe in November.
Ariane 6 is the baseline launcher for Galileo satellites to ensure European independent access to space. The remaining Batch 3 satellites will be launched with the Ariane 62 launcher vehicle, the two strap-on solid booster variants of Ariane 6, now undergoing the final stages of development led by prime contractor Ariane Group. Ariane 6’s maiden flight is scheduled to take place in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Ground Segment
An upgrade of the ground control segment, in charge of command and control of the satellite constellation, is being developed by the industrial consortium led by GMV. The upgrades will address resolution of hardware and software obsolescence including cyber security, operability improvements, and a security monitoring overlay.
With the planned increase in the number of satellites in orbit, an additional telemetry tracking and control facility (TTCF) is being deployed in Kourou leading to seven operational TTCF stations in early 2023.
The ground mission segment, in charge of navigation control, is undergoing a complete technological refresh, including hardware/software virtualization performed by an industrial consortium led by Thales France. This upgrade will provide additional robustness, including a system extended contingency mode resilient to outages lasting up to seven days and a new state-of-the-art cyber security monitoring system. It will also provide ranging authentication through encrypted codes on the E6-C signal component for the implementation of the Commercial Authentication Service. Global coverage will be further increased with the introduction of two Galileo sensor stations in Wallis (Pacific Ocean) and Bonaire (Caribbean Sea), for a total of 15 sites around the globe.
OSNMA-related metrics from January to October 2022.
G2G Development Started
Galileo’s second generation (G2G) will introduce many innovative technologies to offer unprecedented precision, robustness, and flexibility.
2022 was a key year for the evolution of G2G activities with the fast development cycles of the first batch of G2 satellites, beginning development of the associated G2G in orbit validation (IOV) ground segment and system test beds, and the consolidation of the G2G final system capabilities — including the coordination of the mission/service roadmaps with the EC, EUSPA, and the EU Member States delegates.
Ariane 62 launcher.
G2G Satellite Manufacturing
From the satellite development point of view, the two parallel contracts to develop and manufacture each of the six G2G batch one (G2SB1) satellites are progressing in a fast development environment, with the first hardware units ready for integration and testing.
Following the completion of preliminary design review, these two contracts (for six satellites each) are preparing for unit-level validation/testing, which will lead to the critical design review.
These satellites will provide the following key innovations:
Reconfigurable fully digital navigation payload
Point-to-point connection between satellites by inter-satellite-link for command and control, and ranging functionalities
Electric propulsion for orbit-raising capabilities
Advanced jamming and spoofing protection mechanisms to safeguard.
The Galileo signals will improve with:
On-board authentication capabilities
Increased ground-to-space data rate
Improved time reference (number of clocks and advanced clock monitoring functions).
G2G IOV Procurements
2022 was also the year in which two key events took place with respect to G2G in-orbit validation (IOV) ground segment and system test bed procurements:
Finalization of the procurement cycle, now in the final evaluation/award phase, to be kicked off in the first quarter of this year
Confirmation of the IOV design through different coordinated actions with the EC and EUSPA, including the G2 system preliminary design review.
The contracts will provide Europe with the following capabilities:
G2SB1 satellite launch and early orbit phase, in-orbit testing and enhanced legacy services provision
G2 new capabilities in-orbit validation, including prototyping and validation of all the novel technologies that can exploit the full capabilities of the G2SB1 satellites.
Eleven contracts will be issued to manage in synchrony all the G1 and G2 assets for the coming years:
G2 IOV ground control segment (G2 GCS) for satellites monitoring and control
G2 IOV ground mission segment/secured facility (G2 GMS-GSF) for the production, dissemination and monitoring of all enhanced legacy services and the dissemination of new G2 advanced capabilities for validation
G2 IOV security monitoring (G2 SECMON), for the cyber/security monitoring of the system
G2 filling device (G2 FD), to ensure proper initialization of system assets
G2 system test bed (G2STB), to generate and monitor new G2 capabilities for validation of the G2G mission/services
G2 PRS test bed (G2PRSTB), similar to G2 system test bed but focused on advanced PRS capabilities for validation purposes
G2 security chain (G2SC), a test bed to ensure proper satellite-ground segment qualification before launch
Four system engineering support contracts (G2 SETA), where the main GNSS technical experts from different industries in Europe provide their support to ESA and EUSPA in their different fields of expertise.
These contracts are complemented by a significant set of system research and development and test tools, such as test user receivers and radio frequency constellation simulators.
G2G batch number one (G2SB1) satellites.
Galileo Second Generation System PDR
The Galileo Programme is not only focusing on short-term G2G development activities, but also looking forward to the future in terms of the consolidation and definition of G2G final operation capabilities. During the second half of 2022, more than 200 public representatives from the EC, EUSPA, ESA and Member States held countless meetings in the frame of the G2G system preliminary design review, which concluded in early December 2022.
As part of this review, the long-term implementation (G2G in orbit capability, or IOC, and final operational capability, or FOC) was reviewed and an agreement was reached on future steps. The evolution of Galileo capabilities will not only provide better services through advanced technical solutions, but will also ensure continuity of service and enhanced backward compatibility for first-generation legacy users.
Conclusions
The efforts of ESA and EUSPA continue with the aim of providing users continuous and stable services and evolving space and ground infrastructure to maintain Galileo competitiveness with the other global navigation satellite systems.
For analogous updates on the other three GNSS constellations, please see:
