GPS World

Tag: satellite navigation system

  • Topcon secures early access to Xona’s Pulsar satellite navigation service

    Topcon secures early access to Xona’s Pulsar satellite navigation service

    Topcon Positioning Systems has signed a commercial agreement with Xona to secure early-adopter access to Pulsar, Xona’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite navigation constellation. This agreement positions Topcon among Xona’s first commercial customers preparing to integrate Pulsar into future high-precision positioning workflows. 

    “The letter of agreement reinforces Topcon’s long-standing commitment to innovation and customer-driven technology leadership,” said Ron Oberlander, head of the Topcon Geomatics Platform. “It lays the groundwork for a new era of high-precision performance possibilities as LEO satellites come online. By proactively adopting next-generation navigation infrastructure, we strengthen our commitment to provide reliable, resilient, and future-proof solutions for our customers.”

    “Topcon understands where accuracy, continuity and confidence matter most for operators in the field,” said Bryan Chan, co-founder and VP of Strategy at Xona. “By adding a modern navigation layer into Topcon’s offerings, Pulsar will strengthen signal performance and resiliency in even the most challenging environments, ensuring Topcon customers can operate with greater confidence wherever their work takes them.”

  • Will Britain launch its own Galileo? Maybe not

    Will Britain launch its own Galileo? Maybe not

    When Brexit happened, many in Britain thought the country should have its own satellite navigation system, because it was no longer going to be a participant in Galileo, created and run by the European Union.

    Now the Telegraph reports that officials have concluded that such plans should be scrapped because the £5 billion project would be a waste of taxpayer funds.

    The Telegraph reports that members of the Cabinet Office and Department for Business are pressing ministers to shut down work on the program, which was set up after Brussels froze the U.K. out of the EU’s Galileo satellite program.

    In 2018, then-Prime Minister Theresa May announced £92m for a feasibility study into the U.K. satnav, reports Engineering & Technology. Much of that money has already been spent, it is believed. In March 2020, it was reported that the project had been delayed for at least six months over concerns about its scope and multi-billion-pound cost.