GPS World

Tag: PRS

  • NextNav to begin operating 5G-powered PNT network

    NextNav to begin operating 5G-powered PNT network

    The 5G PNT network in Santa Clara County will mark the first real-world demonstration of a 5G-powered backup to GPS

    NextNav Inc., a leader in next-generation terrestrial positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) and 3D geolocation solutions, will commence operations of a 5G PNT network in Santa Clara County, California, as early as Dec. 11.

    Network operations of positioning, navigation and timing applications represent the next milestone toward commercial readiness and the mission to deliver a resilient complement to GPS.

    The 5G PNT network will consist of multiple fixed base station locations using a standards-compliant 5G signal with a positioning reference signal (PRS) enabled, a standalone 5G core, and NextNav’s 3D PNT architecture. The network’s authorized technical parameters will align with those in NextNav’s proposal to optimize the lower 900 MHz band to enable a terrestrial, widescale backup to GPS that is broadly available to critical infrastructure, public safety and American consumers.

    “We’re incredibly pleased to continue demonstrating our technology in a real-world operational environment,” said Mariam Sorond, CEO of NextNav. “Activating this network is a critical step in our commercialization process, proving that robust 5G broadband service and high-integrity PNT can be delivered together, at scale, using standard 5G equipment.”

    The 5G PNT network will validate NextNav’s 5G PRS-based PNT end-to-end architecture under real-world conditions.

    “This is the first public demonstration of a full-scale and operational 5G-based PNT in live deployment, delivering both resilient PNT and broadband service simultaneously,” said Arun Raghupathy, NextNav Co-Founder and CTO. “Through this commercialization deployment, we’re validating our 5G-based network can deliver accurate 3D location, improved timing synchronization, and enhanced resilience. This real-world deployment is critical to establishing U.S. leadership in next-generation PNT technologies.”

    The 5G PNT network will support the broader adoption of 5G-based terrestrial PNT with 5G broadband capabilities for operators, enterprises and ecosystem partners. This deployment will also prove that NextNav’s software solution is ready to scale and deliver commercial PNT while serving the critical national security and public safety needs of the United States.

  • NextNav moves toward commercializing its 5G cellular PNT solution

    NextNav moves toward commercializing its 5G cellular PNT solution

    NextNav Inc. has successfully advanced its NextGen PNT solution commercialization path operating on standard 5G network equipment. The development represents a major milestone toward a widescale commercial 5G-powered 3D PNT solution. The company is showcasing its solution this week at Mobile World Congress in Las Vegas, booth #96.

    “This latest achievement highlights the seamless integration of NextNav’s technology and 5G, reinforcing the scalability and practicality of a resilient terrestrial complement to GPS,” said Sidd Chenumolu, chief business development officer. “We have proven the technology with standard 5G equipment and look forward to the opportunity to completing the final steps to commercialization.”

    NextNav completed demonstrations using Lekha Wireless Solutions 5G base stations with positioning reference signals (PRS) enabled. The partnership with Lekha Wireless Solutions, a commercial 5G infrastructure equipment supplier, brings PNT capabilities in the NextNav spectrum band.

    The demonstration delivered accurate timing and positioning information via PRS transmissions while simultaneously delivering both downlink and uplink data transmissions. These capabilities align tightly with NextNav’s broader solution of utilizing standards-based 5G PRS in lower 900 MHz band spectrum for terrestrial PNT and combining it with barometric pressure sensors for vertical accuracy.

    “Demonstrating these capabilities on commercial 5G equipment is a critical step towards integrating this solution into networks, a hallmark of NextNav’s 3D PNT architecture,” said NextNav Co-Founder and CTO Arun Raghupathy. “It shows that our PNT solution can be deployed efficiently using existing 5G equipment, delivering accurate timing and positioning information along with simultaneous 5G data.”

    At MWC Las Vegas, NextNav will showcase these developments as well as an interactive demonstration of the company’s Pinnacle technology, highlighting how vertical location transforms government, public safety, and commercial applications.

  • Orolia chosen for GEODE, Galileo PRS project for European defense

    Orolia chosen for GEODE, Galileo PRS project for European defense

    Galileo PRS encrypted signal integrated for first time

    Orolia, through its France-based entity Orolia Systèmes & Solutions (O2S), has been selected for the GEODE project to develop European standardized and sovereign Galileo PRS positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) receiver capabilities for military applications.

    The GEODE (Galileo for EU Defence) program aims at promoting the competitiveness and innovation of the Defense PNT industry in the European Union.

    The GEODE consortium will support the prototyping, testing and qualifying of military PNT technologies and resources such as PRS security modules, PRS receivers, GPS/Galileo PRS compatible Controlled Radiation Pattern Antennas (CRPA), and the development of a European PNT test and qualification facility.

    As part of this consortium, Orolia brings its proven track record of developing Galileo-based applications and integrating custom signals for commercial and defense critical infrastructure in the GEARS program, and will now focus on the military use of the PRS signal by leading the critical timing and synchronization applications in the GEODE program.

    This new PRS support and qualification infrastructure will ensure that the necessary security resources are in place for operational testing, and PNT testing profiles will be defined for naval, land and remotely piloted aircraft platforms.

    The applications targeted for these new technologies and capabilities include tactical drones, military satellite and space technologies, unmanned ground vehicles, high precision missile systems, next-gen naval platforms, airborne electronic warfare solutions, resilient networks, cyber situational awareness, and the latest active stealth technologies.

    This project will receive about €44M funding from the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) under grant agreement No EDIDP-PNTSCC-2019-039-GEODE.

    “We are proud to support the development of future resilient military technologies that will increase safety and security in the European Union,” said Orolia CEO Jean-Yves Courtois. “As the world leader in resilient PNT, Orolia is uniquely positioned to offer the most advanced technologies for timing, synchronization, and GNSS testing and simulation, including encrypted GPS and Galileo signals.”

    Orolia Systèmes et Solutions (O2S). In 2019, Orolia launched Orolia Systèmes and Solutions (O2S), a France-based entity dedicated to providing advanced resilient Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) solutions and custom engineering services to French and EU Defense organizations.

    Photo: US Army
    Photo: U.S. Army

  • Orolia acquires simulation company Skydel Solutions

    Orolia acquires simulation company Skydel Solutions

    Acquisition Expands Orolia’s Global Footprint into Canada.

    Orolia has acquired Skydel Solutions, a GPS/GNSS signal simulation company based in Montreal, Canada.

    Orolia made the announcement at the Association of the U.S. Army’s Global Force Exhibition in Huntsville, Alabama.

    Orolia is a resilient positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) solutions company and a partner of U.S., NATO and allied forces. The company provides end-to-end resilient PNT solutions, including scalable, modular and cost-effective technology to support PNT-reliant and critical defense and commercial applications.

    Skydel’s capabilities allows Orolia to offer customers more diverse resilient PNT solutions with sophisticated testing and simulation protocols, additional customized signals, and superior vulnerability assessments for military and commercial applications where GNSS failure is not an option.

    According to Orolia, as the latest addition to the Orolia portfolio, Skydel brand solutions bring a new paradigm to the GNSS simulator scene by combining innovative algorithms and off-the-shelf hardware to help protect the world’s most critical GNSS-reliant systems operating through GPS, Galileo and other GNSS.

    Skydel technology also supports secure communications signals such as SAASM, M-code, PRS and other alternative signals with approved partners to provide real-world PNT vulnerability testing for critical infrastructure applications worldwide.

    “The need for continuous, reliable GNSS signals is growing exponentially worldwide, particularly for military and commercial systems that depend on accurate PNT data,” said Orolia CEO Jean-Yves Courtois. “The threats to these systems are growing too, whether it’s through signal jamming, spoofing or meaconing. With Skydel’s unique industry expertise, Orolia now offers even more rigorous, broad spectrum testing and simulation solutions to ensure continuous signals, even in GNSS-denied environments.”

    By combining graphics processing unit (GPU) accelerated computing and software-defined radios (SDR), Skydel-powered simulation solutions generate signals in real time, with uncompromising performance for demanding use cases. They are available as complete turnkey systems suitable for all GNSS simulation needs, including everything from compact test benches to complete CRPA test systems.

    “Since our inception in 2014, Skydel has enjoyed exponential growth,” said Stéphane Hamel, CEO of Skydel. “This strategic move with Orolia will allow us to keep our focus on disruptive innovation and accelerate our global reach.”

    Above: A montage of screenshots showing the various updates, from a February 2019 story about Skydel updating its SDX GNSS simulator to version 19.1 with Galileo Alt-BOC and more. (Image: Skydel)

  • GMV and Tecnobit to tailor Skydel SDX GNSS simulator for Europe

    GMV and Tecnobit to tailor Skydel SDX GNSS simulator for Europe


    GMV, Tecnobit and Skydel are aiming to provide corporations, universities and research labs with a reliable, advanced simulation system that closely follows the latest Galileo capabilities.

    “Together with our partners at Tecnobit, and taking advantage of SDX’s unique software-defined architecture, we are currently working to add Public Regulated Service (PRS) support to Skydel SDX,” said Manuel Toledo, head of the GNSS Advanced User Segment Solutions Division at GMV. PRS provides position and timing data for sensitive applications that require the highest level of service continuity.

    Skydel and GMV are also joining efforts on developing SDX’s capabilities for signal authentication with Galileo Commercial Service and Open Service. The goal of such authentication is to increase the safety level of signals and to avert their falsification or fraud. It is currently a unique feature that only the Galileo constellation can provide, the companies said.

    Skydel and GMV are also collaborating on projects that aim to provide signal simulation solutions for Galileo’s second generation (G2G). Galileo’s second-generation satellites are scheduled to be launched in 2025 and beyond.

    “With Galileo’s full operational capabilities approaching soon, we must focus on the system’s upcoming G2G services,” said Pierre-Marie Le Véel, business development director at Skydel. “Skydel’s top priority for the European market is to provide simulation tools for the design of these next-generation GNSS devices.”

    The partnership among the three companies unites the unique strengths of each organization, GMV said. While GMV brings its expert knowledge of both the European market and the Galileo system and Tecnobit brings its expertise as developer of cryptographic systems, Skydel adds its versatile and extensible GNSS simulator, resulting in a solid technical and commercial synergy for establishing an improved GNSS service offering for Europe.

  • With Brexit looming, EU and UK tangle over Galileo

    An increasingly bitter political and economic argument between the United Kingdom (U.K.) and the European Union (EU) has alternately stalled and unfrozen progress on Galileo.

    Why does this matter from a defense and security viewpoint? Because it’s all about access to Galileo’s Public Regulated Service (PRS), the military-grade service and signal — in addition to billions of pounds and euros.

    The byzantine maneuvering on both sides may have further implications, in the form of a much-expanded role for the current European GNSS Agency (GSA), with a corresponding reduction in funding scope for the European Space Agency (ESA).

    ESA is not directly affected by the Brexit brouhaha, but indirectly, the impacts mount and extend. ESA is technically independent of the EU, but acts as the union’s procurement body for space programs. It is run by the 22 member states on the ESA council — which crucially includes the U.K., as well as non-EU members Norway and Switzerland. Thus, the Brits, while exiting the union in March 2019, will continue to play a voting role in the space agency.

    In an second-round gambit, the U.K. had threatened to use its veto on the ESA council to delay procurement of future Galileo satellites. This was seen as an attempt to bring the EU into negotiations over U.K. access to the highly encrypted Galileo PRS.

    A navigation and timing signal restricted to use by authorized government agencies, armed forces, police, emergency and other security services, the PRS is designed to be robust to jamming and spoofing and available even in times of crisis.

    Under EU rules, only EU member states can access or work on the PRS. Similar to GPS M-code, PRS could be said to be the prime motivating factor for the origins of the European GNSS: the desire, some would say the compelling requirement, to have a military-grade signal under one’s own control.

    The U.K. says it will encounter “significant gaps” in a wide range of areas including prisoner transfers, asset recovery, sharing of financial intelligence, victim compensation and access to criminal records for child protection vetting, should it be shut out from the PRS. This doesn’t begin to reveal the real reason: the ability to conduct military, security and defense operations confidently undertaken with a secure and enrypted GNSS signal.

    The European Commission maintains that the U.K. will have to “apply” to use the PRS, like any other non-EU country, tacitly as a “foreign entity.” PRS is for EU member states only.

    U.K. companies such as CGI U.K. have developed much of the programming and coding of the PRS signal. Current EU rules bar all U.K. companies from bidding on new contracts unless they transfer their work to EU countries before Brexit. The EU wants CGI U.K. to hand its encryption security intellectual property to the Franco-Italian firm Thales Alenia Espace.

    This would poke Britain’s defense ministry where it hurts most: access to the key source codes, and a measure of security in military, defense and police operations. The U.K. government also wishes to retain the encryption expertise and personnel, rather than see them outsourced.

    Four Galileo satellites placed in the payload container prior to December 2017 launch, which brought the total Galileo constellation to 22. (Image courtesy of ESA)

    Whither GSA?

    In a separate but closely related debate within the EU, a strategic repositioning is proposed for the GSA: renaming and remaking it into the EU Agency for the Space Programme. This would not only greatly enlarge its sphere of activity and authority, it could create two sparring space agencies in Europe, one wholly under the control of the EU and one with the maverick U.K. on its ruling council.

    A draft EU document states ESA’s decision-making procedures “cannot lead to a call into question of the decisions of the [European] Commission or the European Space Agency within the framework of the actions and space programmes of the union.”

    ESA is naturally bitterly opposed to its parent organization creating a rival. It has long struggled — behind closed doors — with its semi-independent, semi-subservient role to the EU, which after all holds the ultimate purse strings.

    Some in Europe see indications that the GSA rebadging could lead to a gradual transfer of space funding from ESA to the newly rechristened agency if EU discontent rises. “A creep in power” was the term used by one official.

    The EU has long expressed concerns over ESA’s governance of the funds handed to it by the EU for space projects. The long stall in Galileo getting up a full head of steam, a period that could be said to have extended from 2002 to 2008 or thereabouts, was seen by some atop the EU as evidence of ESA over-extension: technically expert but fiscally untrained or unqualified.

    Opening Salvos

    In what now appears to be a dead issue, the U.K. had first demanded reimbursement for the €1 billion it contributed to Galileo. The EU rejected that out of hand, saying it would not negotiate “under threat.”

    In a follow-up, the U.K. claimed that while it wished to continue participating in Galileo, it could well start up its own GNSS if it did not receive adequate access to Galileo PRS. The EU stuck to its guns, so to speak: “Third countries [and their companies] cannot participate in the development of security-sensitive matters.”

    The U.K. has also bruited blocking Galileo from use of ground tracking stations in British overseas territories, such as the Falklands.

    A U.K. minister stated: “The U.K. genuinely wants to remain a major player in the project, with privileged ongoing access from outside the EU, and views its capabilities and contribution to date as giving it the right to that ticket.”

    A European spokesperson countered: “For the EU, the decision to leave inevitably entails relegation to a different role and status in the project, and, let’s be candid, offers scope for EU-located firms to take contractual business away from U.K. ones.”

    Oh, what a tangled web these mortals weave.

  • What the ‘Brexit’ vote means for EU space programmes, Galileo

    What the ‘Brexit’ vote means for EU space programmes, Galileo

    A Kingdom Divided: Whither EU Space Programmes?

    Brexit-WGood grief, it has been a wild week or two. I was hoping that I wouldn’t need to talk about the incredible, excruciating UK referendum on European Union membership, but as the result has gone to the “leave” campaign, I feel obliged to pick over the wreckage.

    What does a UK exit from the EU mean for EU space programmes and Galileo in particular?

    First: UK involvement in the European Space Agency (ESA) should be unaffected by the exit of the UK from the European Union as this is a separate institution. However, one could argue that non-membership of the EU might diminish its voice and could require a higher financial contribution.

    Bids for the next Galileo satellite purchase contracts are due to be submitted in mid-July, and the European Commission has indicated that it will consider them purely on commercial terms. This is good news for the OHB System and Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) consortium. And also for the Commission. If I were a betting man, I’d still wager the house on the incumbent consortium winning the contract to provide the remaining satellites required to provide a sustainable, 24/7 operational constellation for 1st generation Galileo. There would, in my opinion, be an unwarranted technical risk in doing anything else.

    However, for the next generation it is open season of course.

    Jewel in the Crown at Risk. But the real worry must be the Public Regulated Service (PRS). This is the unique feature of Galileo that is of great interest to civil and military authorities in Europe and beyond, due to its more robust encrypted signal and its potential anti-jamming and spoofing characteristics. Currently PRS will only available to EU Member States. In fact access to a PRS workshop at the European Space Solutions event (see below) was strictly “EU citizens only.” However, other countries, including the US and Norway, have indicated that they would love to be able to use it as well. No final decision on this has yet been made.

    The loss of the automatic right to access PRS would be damaging to the UK, and potentially to the full Galileo deployment timetable, as the country is currently host to the back-up Galileo Security Monitoring Centre (GSMC) — an essential part of PRS infrastructure — and I cannot see any part of the PRS infrastructure being left in a non EU Member State. PRS has been described as the “jewel in the Galileo crown,” but if the centre must be relocated then deployment of the full service could be delayed.

    In addition, the UK involvement in research and innovation activities around PRS may well be curtailed, even if other work on Galileo projects is not.

    The UK has been a leader in developing PRS applications. For example, Mark Dumville and colleagues at Nottingham Scientific Limited (NSL) have recently provided some very impressive demonstrations of cloud-based PRS applications including the first demonstration of the implementation of PRS authentication for an offender tag that was demonstrated using live Galileo (and GPS) signals. The demonstration provided real-time authentication flag generation, release and delivery to users. A second demonstration used cloud-based PRS in a proof-of-concept remote unattended, timing station where the primary user requirement was 100% confidence for the validity of signal. And a third demonstration illustrated the use of cloud-based PRS on a drone. “For users, demonstration of accreditation is key,” said Dumville when describing these results at the European Space Solutions event.

    Personally as a British citizen, and one who has spent the last 15 years in and out of the Brussels bubble, I see the EU referendum result as a national tragedy of epic proportions; and one that has been a long time in the making. Many global commentators are saying the UK has shot itself in the foot; sadly, in my opinion, it is much, much worse than that.

    United Europe

    The referendum news has certainly put a dampener on what I was hoping to be an optimistic, forward-looking article following the European Space Solution event in The Hague at the end of May. This was the fourth European Space Solutions conference and exhibition, attracting a large, global audience of policy-makers and industry players.

    At a press briefing just before the event kicked off on 30 May, and after an informal EU competitiveness ministerial council, Dutch minister for Economic Affairs Henk Kamp spoke about the ideas behind the forthcoming EU Space Policy. The policy, which should appear in the autumn/ fall, aims to elaborate a single and coherent European space strategy that will be the foundation of space programmes up to 2030.

    The policy will look to achieve three clear objectives:

    • to develop a strategy to ensure Europe maintains a strong and globally competitive space sector both upstream and in terms of use of data from space;
    • ensure independent access for Europe to space;
    • and maintain and upgrade the existing European space infrastructure — namely Galileo and Copernicus.

    Growth Vectors. Elżbieta Bieńkowska, the European Commissioner with responsibility for EU space programmes, indicated that the space policy would provide a “Coherent space vision for decades to come” and would be subject to public consultation. She was looking for “Maximum return on current programmes … and to respond to emerging needs in areas such as climate and security sectors.” The strategy will consider space-enabled solutions to societal challenges and as vectors for growth.

    She mentioned more than once that she is looking for long-term sustainability for the sector: a space sector that is able to adapt to disruptive technologies and maintain its competitive edge. My interpretation of this is that public money (from Europe) may not be as plentiful as previously, and the Commission will be looking for greater leverage of its tax Euros — that is, the private sector will need to invest more.

    Lowri Evans, Director-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, at the European Commission took up this theme. She saw huge opportunities as the cost of entry to the sector diminished, however private investment was still a problem. There was not enough in the EU and this must change. The Commission is aiming to create an environment for successful investment, she claimed.

    Jan Worner, the very positive Director-General of ESA said that “Space was indispensable” as an instrument for economic growth. It was also fascinating and inspiring. He felt it was also important that the different players in the EU space scene are working together for a “United Space in Europe.”

    The conference was also the venue for the official signing of the agreement for the future Galileo Reference Centre (GRC) that is to be established at Noordwijk in The Netherlands. The centre will play a crucial role in independently monitoring and reporting on Galileo’s performance and the quality of the system’s signal in space.

    Dual-Use Debate

    PRS was also a major talking point at the European Space Solution’s panel on ‘Space and Security.’ Despite the fact that Galileo is marketed as a civil controlled GNSS, “dual use” is becoming a potentially divisive area for debate. Marian-Jean Marinescu, MEP said there was a need for a common European defence and security strategy that includes securing all elements of the space value chain.

    Rini Goos from the European Defence Agency (EDA) said that the EU needed space systems to be able to “intervene successfully” and that space strategy needed to support Member State defence capabilities. This meant that the next generation of EU space systems must have dual-use capability. NATO is entrusted with external defence of the EU, but the Commission also needs to be able to provide defence, not just consume it, he concluded.

    Current Chairman of the Galileo Security Accreditation Board is a UK citizen – Jeremy Blyth. He said: “Space and Security, Security and Space. Whichever way we say it what is clear is that the two are inextricably linked together.” He believes that to ensure security it must be there “designed in from the beginning.” Security is an enabler, rather than a barrier, he claimed.

    He also believes that PRS gives the EU a real and competitive edge in secure positioning. However he indicated that there is a need to think deeply and have a rational debate about dual-use systems and in particular about the interface between civil and military use.

    Clearly there is a growing tension with regard to overtly military use of Galileo both now and in future generations of the system. Although a largely philosophical debate, given who in reality will be controlling and using PRS within many Member States, many European and national policy makers will want to retain the “purity” of Galileo as a global positioning system under fully civilian control.

    PRS Workshop

    Security was also a key feature of the PRS workshop organised by the Netherlands EU Presidency towards the end of European Space Solutions. Ger Nieuwpoort, Director of the Netherlands Space Office (NSO) reminded the audience that “For civil authorities, PRS provides the same level of security for Member States as the military in GPS.” While Christoph Kautz from the Commission said that the “Rationale for PRS was threats and user needs: better availability, high continuity, authentication, access control, exclusivity.”

    PRS offers defence in depth with a robust signal in space providing higher protection plus strong encryption on ranging codes, and the navigation and service messages. And the access to the technology is highly restricted.

    However some issues still need to be resolved. Bart Banning of the Netherlands Institute of Navigation asked ‘How will we use PRS?’ In terms of its use for protecting critical infrastructure, what if the owner of the infrastructure was a private company? Should it be granted access to PRS or have to make do with the Galileo Commercial Service aka PRS-lite?

    He also pointed out that PRS was no more protected against jamming than any other GNSS. And, currently, it was “not good for in-building, underground, or underwater.”

    He thought PRS could be a great time provider, but probably also need ground transmission, possibly via legacy radio towers. However, he saw the “killer app” for PRS being asset tracking of, for example, diamonds, VIPs or prisoners. He also agreed that for many EU countries the ministry of defence will be overseeing PRS services. “PRS is a good and unique addition to GNSS — but not the answer to all our needs.”

    Banning also highlighted the issue of commercial companies looking to buy LORAN / e-LORAN sites in Europe to provide a commercial service to back up GNSS. After the recent GPS timing glitch he said that the “timing community” had woken up to the vulnerability of their operations.

    Geospatial

    On a different tack, from 23–26 May the eighth edition of the Geospatial World Forum [www.geospatialworldforum.org] took place in Rotterdam, attracting professionals from the surveying and geoinformatic systems (GIS) sectors. I attended the event on 24 May and took part in a workshop that looked at the benefits of Galileo and EGNOS in geospatial applications in the context of the imminent launch of Galileo initial services.

    An industry survey undertaken by the GSA indicates that already more than 80% of GNSS receivers for surveying and mapping use are EGNOS-enabled, while 77% of geospatial reference network providers have enough information to upgrade Galileo and will be ready to provide a service by 2017. All good news. On the less positive side, more than 60% of professional surveyors did not know about EGNOS!

    The workshop also talked up the potential for synergies between Galileo GNSS and Copernicus Earth Observation (EO) systems — a topic of immense interest at the European Space Solutions as well. Hans Dufourmont from the European Environment Agency (EEA) highlighted the use of GNSS to track animal species and monitor migration paths when considering development opportunities. He saw a huge potential for synergies between geopositioning and surface imaging going forward.

    Maurice Barbieri, President of the Council of European Geodetic Surveyors (CLGE) also saw a “clear role for Galileo” in the surveying community with its potential ability to meet centimetre accuracy requirements much more than for EGNOS. He also speculated about the value of establishing a European Geoinformatic Agency that might coordinate the provision of European GNSS and EO data. He felt the private business community would appreciate such simplification.

    One presentation that caught my eye was from Laura van de Vyvere of M3 Systems in Belgium. She won the first-ever European Young Surveyor Prize with a paper taken from her Master’s thesis. The presentation addressed an innovative use of Galileo’s unique signal in space that is carried on four frequencies in the Open Service. Her work showed that the four frequencies enabled more precise phase measurements than with GPS so cycle slip is easier to detect and positioning data and reliability can be improved especially in harsh ionospheric conditions. The algorithm she developed could enable affordable multi-frequency receivers for mass-market applications, she claimed. An interesting idea.

    A bientôt, as they say in these parts.

     

  • European GNSS Agency Seeks Ideas to Support Adoption of Galileo Public Regulated Service

    European GNSS Agency Seeks Ideas to Support Adoption of Galileo Public Regulated Service

    LOGO_GSAThe European GNSS Agency (GSA) is inviting European industries and Member State Competent Public Regulated Service (PRS) Authorities to share their views and ideas on which technologies at user segment level are important to support the adoption of the PRS. In particular, industries with potential interests and capabilities to support the development of Galileo PRS user segment technologies such as receivers, security modules, and dedicated infrastructure are encouraged to join the discussion.

    PRS signals will be restricted to authorized users by governments for sensitive applications that require a high level of continuity. The PRS uses robust signals that are encrypted and resistant to jamming.

    The GSA’s objective is to ensure that PRS service is affordable and secure for all interested users while also ensuring that European industry maintains its competitive edge in the global satellite navigation marketplace.

    The GSA has already conducted several studies and projects aimed at identifying, developing and sustaining the necessary technology to support PRS market uptake. Additional initiatives are expected to be launched within the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme and in other programme initiatives in late 2014 and 2015.

    Based on openly available information, the GSA has drafted a roadmap for developing and identifying the necessary secure technologies. This roadmap will be augmented by information gathered during the current consultations. It is expected that industry will provide additional inputs and ideas that may be
    explored in the frame of Horizon 2020 and other initiatives. The GSA will use this information in planning long-term activities in support of PRS adoption, with a focus on technology preparation for a more effective market uptake.

    Consultations will focus on the following topics:

    • Necessary steps for transforming the identified technologies into products competitive enough in terms of cost, power, dimension etc. to support the market uptake of PRS within the 2018-2020 timeframe.
    • Collection of information on the current European capability and capacity with the manufacturing sectors, with particular attention to nanotechnology manufacturing capabilities, and ideas of how to better use it for PRS market uptake.
    • Ideas of how to build, starting from the most promising technologies, the manufacturing lines capable of serving the PRS user segment need.
    • Main domains, elements and interfaces that will benefit from standardization, allowing for a stronger market adoption of PRS.
    The deadline to receive requests is February 28. All consultations will be organized between February and April 2014. For more information and to arrange a one-on-one meeting, send an email to: [email protected].

    Galileo PRS is restricted to governmental authorized users. It is intended for use with sensitive applications that require a high-level of service continuity. Authorized users include Member States, European Council, European Commission, EEAS, EU agencies and, subject to security agreements with the EU, third countries and international organizations.

     

  • The System: Ground Control Readied for GPS III

    The System: Ground Control Readied for GPS III

    rtn_iis_gps-ocx_banner4.jpg

    Raytheon Company reached several milestones recently in its development of the GPS Next -Generation Operational Control System (GPS OCX). Lockheed Martin’s GPS III Non-flight Satellite Testbed (GNST) — a full-sized, functional satellite prototype currently residing at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station — successfully established remote connectivity and communicated with OCX during pre-flight tests.

    GNST proved that it could connect with and receive commands from Raytheon’s Launch and Check Out System (LCS), a part of OCX that supports the satellite and mitigates risks prior to launch. The GNST received commands from Lockheed Martin’s Launch and Checkout Capability (LCC) node in Newtown, Pennsylvania via the OCX servers at Raytheon’s facility in Aurora, Colorado; the system then returned satellite telemetry to the control station. The tests mirror launch and early orbit testing planned for all flight vehicles.

    “While we have connected OCX with ground-based simulators before, these tests were the first time that OCX and a GPS III satellite have actually communicated,” said Keoki Jackson, vice president for Lockheed Martin’s Navigation Systems mission area.

    Ahead of Schedule. Raytheon received Interim Authorization to Test (IATT) security certification from the U.S. Air Force for OCX LCS four months ahead of schedule. The company received a one-year certification with no liens, meaning the government does not require any changes.

    “Typically, IATT certification is given for six-month increments,” said Matthew Gilligan, Raytheon’s GPS OCX program manager and a vice president in Raytheon’s Intelligence, Information, and Services business. “The LCS one-year accreditation speaks to the quality of the information assurance design and threat protection.” The IATT not only includes the LCS, but also Lockheed Martin’s GPS III satellite support systems, Exercise and Rehearsal Training Tool, and Upload Generation Tool.

    OCX is being developed in two blocks. There are seven iterations in Block 1 and one in Block 2. LCS is the fifth Iteration of Block 1; it successfully completed Critical Design Review in June 2013.

    Early Orbit Exercises. Lockheed Martin and Raytheon also completed the third of five planned launch and early orbit exercises to demonstrate launch readiness of GPS III and OCX.

    Exercise 3 demonstrated space-ground communications; first acquisition and transfer orbit sequences; orbit-raising maneuver planning and execution; and basic anomaly detection and resolution capabilities. In addition, the industry and Air Force GPS Directorate teams jointly executed mission planning activities, such as orbit determination and the generation of upload command files.

    Two additional readiness exercises and six 24/7 launch rehearsals are planned before launch of the first GPS III satellite. The first flight GPS III space vehicle (SV-01) is expected to be available for launch in 2014, and launched by the U.S. Air Force in 2015.

    Exelis Encryptors. Exelis delivered the first three of a planned 14 ground-based encryptors to Raytheon Company for OCX. Designed to automatically code and decode GPS signals, encryptors facilitate the exchange of user information by securely transmitting navigation payload data between the OCX ground station and the orbiting constellation of satellites.

    Delivery followed successful thermal, electromagnetic interference and security verification testing. Exelis provides critical elements of software in the navigation processing subsystem that will enable controllers to better understand the exact position of GPS satellites. This helps ensure accurate navigation information is securely broadcast to users. In addition to encryptors, Exelis is building high-precision receivers for use in GPS ground monitoring stations and satellite signal simulators for testing purposes.

    Exelis is also on contract with Lockheed Martin to provide the payloads for the GPS III satellites.

    Fire_engine_galileoEurope Tests Galileo Public Regulated Service

    European Union member states began their independent testing of the Public Regulated Service (PRS) broadcast by the four Galileo navigation satellites in orbit. Transmitted on two frequency bands with enhanced protection, PRS offers a highly accurate positioning and timing service, with access strictly restricted to authorized users, such as government defense, security, and emergency services.

    PRS access was initially considered for Galileo’s Full Operational Capability phase, but it has been enabled in 2013 in response to the strong interest of member states in this service. To allow early access to PRS during the current phase, the European Commission and ESA began the joint project PRS Participants To IOV (PPTI) in July 2012.

    ESA ensured the availability of several tools developed under ESA contracts, including test receivers and other qualification equipment. ESA’s PRS Laboratory, based at the Agency’s ESTEC technical centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, provided training, demonstrations and sample data.

    “Belgium, France, Italy, and the UK have now performed independent PRS acquisition and positioning tests. In parallel, ESA, through collaboration with Dutch and Italian authorities, is conducting PRS fixed and mobile validation in several locations in the Netherlands and Italy,” said Miguel Manteiga Bautista, head of ESA’s Galileo Security Office.

    The PRS tests have demonstrated a current autonomous positioning accuracy of less than 10 meters when in the correct geometrical configuration. This is an impressive result considering the small number of Galileo satellites in orbit and the limited ground infrastructure so far deployed.

    Italy has developed its own PRS receiver, and tests have confirmed the feasibility of independent PRS receiver development and verification based on specifications provided by ESA.

    “The PPTI project is still ongoing to test more advanced functionalities this coming autumn and to run the first aeronautical PRS tests in collaboration with the Dutch authorities. Other member states have also expressed their willingness to join the IOV PRS experimentation campaigns soon,“ concluded Miguel Manteiga.

    The project is a first step to ensure use of the PRS as soon as it becomes operational. It will be complemented by PRS pilot projects, focused on PRS applications, which are currently under definition in a common effort between European agencies.

    The United States has submitted a request to be able to use Galileo’s PRS. Other non-EU countries have also expressed a desire to be associated with the program.

    System Briefs

    Way to Go GAO, Part II. The Air Force should come up with better cost estimates and options for new GPS satellites, according to a September 9 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). The GAO was responding to an Air Force study on lower-cost space solutions for GPS.

    “More information on key cost drivers and cost estimates, and broader input from stakeholders would help guide future investment decisions,” the GAO concluded. Specifically, the key cost drivers include dual-launch capability, navigation satellites (smaller GPS-type satellites yet to be developed), and a nuclear detection capability.”

    New Birds by Fall. Galileo satellite-builder OHB AG said it should know by late September whether tests of the first Full Operational Capability (FOC) Galileo satellites are proceeding well enough to permit their delivery later this year. The first FOC satellite began testing at ESA’s European Space Research and Technology Centre in May, and the second arrived August 9.

    The OHB satellites either “bear a strong resemblance” or “are identical” to the four in-orbit validation spacecraft now in medium-Earth orbit, depending on the source. However, the on-board power of the OHB spacecraft exceeds that of the validation satellites built by a different manufacturer. According to one source, Galileo managers made the modification in part to enable Galileo’s encrypted Public Regulated Service signal to overcome a signal frequency overlap issue with China’s BeiDou constellation.

  • Europe Tests Galileo Public Regulated Service

    European Union member states began their independent testing of the Public Regulated Service (PRS) broadcast by the four Galileo navigation satellites in orbit. Transmitted on two frequency bands with enhanced protection, PRS offers a highly accurate positioning and timing service, with access strictly restricted to authorized users, such as government defense, security, and emergency services.

    PRS access was initially considered for Galileo’s Full Operational Capability phase, but it has been enabled in 2013 in response to the strong interest of member states in this service. To allow early access to PRS during the current phase, the European Commission and ESA began the joint project PRS Participants To IOV (PPTI) in July 2012.

    ESA ensured the availability of several tools developed under ESA contracts, including test receivers and other qualification equipment. ESA’s PRS Laboratory, based at the Agency’s ESTEC technical centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, provided training, demonstrations and sample data.

    “Belgium, France, Italy, and the UK have now performed independent PRS acquisition and positioning tests. In parallel, ESA, through collaboration with Dutch and Italian authorities, is conducting PRS fixed and mobile validation in several locations in the Netherlands and Italy,” said Miguel Manteiga Bautista, head of ESA’s Galileo Security Office.

    The PRS tests have demonstrated a current autonomous positioning accuracy of less than 10 meters when in the correct geometrical configuration. This is an impressive result considering the small number of Galileo satellites in orbit and the limited ground infrastructure so far deployed.

    Italy has developed its own PRS receiver, and tests have confirmed the feasibility of independent PRS receiver development and verification based on specifications provided by ESA.

    “The PPTI project is still ongoing to test more advanced functionalities this coming autumn and to run the first aeronautical PRS tests in collaboration with the Dutch authorities. Other member states have also expressed their willingness to join the IOV PRS experimentation campaigns soon,“ concluded Miguel Manteiga.

    The project is a first step to ensure use of the PRS as soon as it becomes operational. It will be complemented by PRS pilot projects, focused on PRS applications, which are currently under definition in a common effort between European agencies.

    The United States has submitted a request to be able to use Galileo’s PRS. Other non-EU countries have also expressed a desire to be associated with the program.

  • Galileo’s Secure Service Tested by Member States

    EU Member States have begun their independent testing of the most accurate and secure signal broadcast by the four Galileo navigation satellites in orbit.

    Transmitted on two frequency bands with enhanced protection, the Public Regulated Service (PRS) offers a highly accurate positioning and timing service, with access strictly restricted to authorized users.

    “Galileo is in its In-Orbit Validation phase, planned to include experimental demonstrations of PRS capabilities in terms of positioning and access control,” explained Miguel Manteiga Bautista, heading ESA’s Galileo Security Office.

    PRS access was initially considered for Galileo’s Full Operational Capability phase, but it has been enabled in 2013 in response to the strong interest of Member States in this service. To allow early access to PRS during the current phase, the European Commission and ESA began the joint project ‘PRS Participants To IOV’ (PPTI) in July 2012.

    ESA ensured the availability of several tools developed under ESA contracts, including test receivers and other qualification equipment. ESA also provided the critical knowhow and expertise required to conduct these experimental campaigns.

    ESA’s PRS Laboratory, based at the Agency’s ESTEC technical centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, was used to provide training, demonstrations and sample data.

    “As a result, Belgium, France, Italy and the UK have now performed independent PRS acquisition and positioning tests. In parallel, ESA, through collaboration with Dutch and Italian authorities, is also conducting PRS fixed and mobile validation in several locations in the Netherlands and Italy,” added Miguel Manteiga.

    The PRS tests have demonstrated a current autonomous positioning accuracy below 10 m when in the correct geometrical configuration. This is an impressive result considering the small number of Galileo satellites in orbit and the limited ground infrastructure so far deployed.

    In the case of Italy, which has developed its own PRS receiver, the tests have already confirmed the feasibility of independent PRS receiver development and verification based on specifications provided by the Eurpoean Space Agency (ESA).

    ESA's new Telecommunications and Navigation Testbed Vehicle, a mobile test platform to support test campaigns for navigation and telecommunications services, most notably Europe's Galileo constellation.
    ESA’s new Telecommunications and Navigation Testbed Vehicle, a mobile test platform to support test campaigns for navigation and telecommunications services, most notably Europe’s Galileo constellation.

    “But the PPTI project is still ongoing in order to test more advanced functionalities this coming autumn and to run the first aeronautical PRS tests in collaboration with the Dutch authorities. Other Member States have also expressed their willingness to join the IOV PRS experimentation campaigns soon,“ concluded Miguel Manteiga.

    The project is the first step to ensure the use of the PRS service as soon as it is operational. It will be complemented by the PRS Pilot Projects, focused on PRS applications, which are currently under definition in a common effort between the EU Member States, the European Commission, ESA and the European Global Navigation Satellite System Agency.

    In addition to the qualification of the PRS service, these initiatives will allow the timely availability of competitive PRS receivers in Europe and the setting up of organizations in the Member States required to handle PRS, ESA said.

  • European Secured Navigation Arrives with Galileo PRS-only Positioning

    image001QinetiQ and Septentrio jointly announced today that a milestone in the Galileo European Navigation Satellite System’s development and deployment program has been achieved. On March 12, staff at the European Space Agency at ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, achieved the first navigation solution using only the encrypted Galileo Public Regulated Service (PRS) signals broadcast by the four Galileo In-Orbit Validation (IOV) satellites launched in 2011 and 2012. Septentrio and QinetiQ, working in close partnership, developed one of the two PRS test user receivers used in this historic first test.

    PRS positioning was achieved using the Galileo PRS Test User Receiver (TUR-P) jointly developed by Septentrio and QinetiQ under an ESA contract. For the reception test, the receiver was installed in the PRS test facility in ESTEC and operated by technical experts from ESA. Positioning accuracy of ~10 meters was achieved, excellent for a first test so early in the system’s deployment. The TUR-P now continues to be used as part of the campaigns running during the Galileo In Orbit Validation Phase.

    This milestone builds on a number of previous major Septentrio/QinetiQ achievements including:

    • First laboratory demonstration of the PRS signal acquisition and tracking in QinetiQ (Malvern, UK, 2006).
    • Successful RF compatibility test between a Galileo payload and the TUR-P (Portsmouth, UK, 2010).
    • Successful Galileo end-to-end system test including the Galileo Ground Mission Segment (GMS) and its key management facilities, satellite and TUR- P (Rome, Italy, 2011).
    • First successful reception and processing of the PRS signal from space (Fucino, Italy, 2012).

    As key, long-term contributors to the Galileo program, Septentrio and QinetiQ have worked closely with ESA, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) and European industrial partners since 2003.

    “Following last year’s first successful reception and processing of PRS signals from Galileo satellites, I am very pleased to see the program moving forward successfully,” said Leo Quinn, CEO of QinetiQ. “Achieving a first PRS-only Galileo navigation solution is a major achievement. With positioning, navigation and timing services increasingly critical to the safety, security and economic activity of UK and our European neighbours QinetiQ are very proud to be contributing to the development of Europe’s first secured satellite navigation services.

    “This milestone is another important step towards the launch of operational Galileo services and will continue to build confidence in both prospective users and the industrial supply base. It showcases QinetiQ’s capabilities in this field and signals the way towards the production of exciting new solutions for critical navigation and timing applications.”

    “Today, together with our partners, we take another decisive step in the early availability of commercial PRS receivers and Septentrio is extremely proud of this historic milestone for the Galileo program,” commented Peter Grognard, Septentrio’s founder and CEO. “This builds on a list of major achievements for Septentrio since the reception of the first Galileo signal from space in 2006. We are delighted to continue the excellent collaboration with ESA and to contribute to this ambitious European project.”