GPS World

Tag: Xona PULSAR

  • Rohde & Schwarz enables Xona Pulsar signal simulation for next-generation navigation devices

    Rohde & Schwarz enables Xona Pulsar signal simulation for next-generation navigation devices

    New test capability supports device manufacturers preparing for Xona’s commercial LEO navigation constellation.

    Rohde & Schwarz is providing signal simulation capabilities supporting Pulsar, the next-generation satellite navigation service developed by Xona.

    The new functionality enables manufacturers to test Pulsar capabilities in production settings using Rohde & Schwarz signal generators, providing an accessible pathway for validating and scaling devices with next-generation positioning, navigation and timing (PNT).

    As demand grows for more precise and resilient navigation technology, the industry is preparing for a new generation of satellite signals. Xona’s Pulsar constellation, operating in low Earth orbit (LEO), is designed to complement existing GNSS infrastructure such as GPS by delivering stronger signals, improved accuracy, and enhanced resilience against threats and interference.

    The capability will be available as a new software option for the R&S SMBV100B and R&S SMW200A vector signal generators, allowing engineers and manufacturers to test receiver compatibility with Pulsar signals as the new constellation enters scaled deployment. By adding Pulsar simulation to its test portfolio, Rohde & Schwarz enables device developers and manufacturers to begin validating compatibility with the emerging service.

    “Navigation technology is entering a period of rapid evolution,” said Matt Hammond, North America satellite technology manager, Rohde & Schwarz. “By adding Pulsar signal simulation to our signal generator portfolio, Rohde & Schwarz is preparing our customers for the next evolution of satellite navigation. Our goal is to provide the scalable test infrastructure needed to bring these innovations from development into deployment.”

    “Pulsar is designed to upgrade the global navigation infrastructure while remaining compatible with GNSS devices already in use today,” said Bryan Chan, co-founder and VP of strategy at Xona Space Systems. “Test and measurement solutions play an important role in enabling device manufacturers to evaluate compatibility as new signals become available. Rohde & Schwarz brings deep expertise in precision signal generation that helps make this possible.”

    The R&S SMBV100B and R&S SMW200A vector signal generator will soon join Pulsar’s verified ecosystem program recognizing devices and testing solutions validated for compatibility with Pulsar signals. Rohde & Schwarz will showcase its navigation test solutions at Space Symposium 2026, taking place April 13-16 in Colorado Springs.

  • 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.”

  • Furuno and Xona Space Systems sign MoU to develop innovative LEO PNT solutions

    Furuno and Xona Space Systems sign MoU to develop innovative LEO PNT solutions

    Furuno Electric and Xona Space Systems have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on solutions using Xona Pulsar, a low-Earth-orbit positioning, navigation and timing (LEO PNT) service for next-generation satellite navigation.

    Through the agreement, both companies will leverage their respective technological expertise and business strengths to explore opportunities for delivering advanced and promising LEO PNT solutions.

    Furuno has been actively pursuing LEO PNT as a promising technology capable of complementing or even substituting for GNSS.

    LEO PNT refers to systems that use a satellite constellation of 200 to 400 satellites deployed in low Earth orbit at an altitude of 500 km to 2,000 km. The LEO constellation is designed for PNT rather than non-terrestrial networks to provide global positioning and timing services similar to GNSS, but with significantly better performance.

    Xona is a pioneer in LEO PNT technology and offers a commercial service called Pulsar, which uses a dedicated LEO PNT constellation of 258 satellites. Compared to conventional GNSS, this service enhances resiliency and improves the accuracy of positioning and timing — the proximity of LEO satellites to Earth makes their signal power about 100 times stronger.

    Pulsar adopts a signal architecture similar to GNSS for compatibility, making it easy to integrate into existing GNSS products. Integrating Xona Pulsar into Furuno’s products will provide an alternative to GNSS while significantly boosting performance by complementing existing GNSS services.

    Furuno’s Pulsar-enabled timing solutions allow users to maintain accurate synchronization even when GNSS is degraded due to unexpected failures, including jamming and spoofing, the companies said.

  • Xona secures first customers to modernize precision timekeeping

    Xona secures first customers to modernize precision timekeeping

    Xona has reached three new commercial agreements with precision timing innovators Hoptroff, Fibrolan and Timebeat, marking its official entry into the precision timekeeping and synchronization market. These partnerships seek to enable end users to leverage Xona’s Pulsar satellites to provide independent, secure, and resilient timing infrastructure amid mounting global complexity and risk.

    Satellite navigation provides far more than positioning — it’s the world’s most accurate source of globally synchronized time signals underpinning nearly every critical system, including:

    • Emergency response coordination
    • Real-time power grid balancing
    • Transportation network resilience
    • Fair and trustworthy global financial trading
    • 5G network synchronization
    • Data center efficiency and security

    As infrastructure becomes more connected and distributed, timing is the backbone of data governance— determining who holds critical data, when it was held and for how long. A single second lost or spoofed can erode trust across every facet of daily life.

    Broadcasting nanosecond-level accurate time from low-Earth orbit, Pulsar provides a new alternative to vulnerable GNSS-based systems. With built-in authentication, secure signals, and up to 100x received  power of legacy GNSS, Pulsar ensures reliable reception even in low-rise buildings and urban environments — all without requiring specialized hardware, according to the company.

    “This is an important milestone — proof that next-generation satellite technology is no longer just promising innovation, but solving real, urgent problems today.” said Jay Wakenshaw, COO of Xona. “Seeing market leaders like Hoptroff, Fibrolan, and TimeBeat adopt Pulsar validates that there’s a genuine need and significant demand for what we’re bringing to market.”

    Pulsar testing and demonstrations in real-world environments will continue through this year and into early next year, with active field deployments planned from late 2026.

    “Our customers in critical national infrastructure rely on precision timing to keep their operations secure, compliant, and efficient.” said Tim Richards, CEO of Hoptroff. “The low-Earth orbit Ssatellite system provided by Xona will add additional redundancy to our global timing network, and complements our existing terrestrial timing infrastructure which is essential for next gen applications particularly in these uncertain times.”

    “We’re always seeking innovative alternatives to GNSS — because the future of timing depends on it.” said Shamir Stein, CEO of Fibrolan. “Pulsar is exactly the kind of breakthrough our industry needs: a powerful, dependable solution that will allow us to continue delivering simple, robust, and hassle-free timing to our partners and customers.”

  • Xona Pulsar satellites to leverage Astroscale tech for resilient and secure navigation

    Xona Pulsar satellites to leverage Astroscale tech for resilient and secure navigation

    Astroscale of the UK will provide Xona Space Systems with next-generation docking plates for integration into Xona’s growing constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. The collaboration supports two critical goals: building a resilient positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) infrastructure and keeping Earth’s orbit safe and sustainable.

    Xona is developing Pulsar, an advanced PNT satellite infrastructure based in LEO. Pulsar operates alongside legacy systems like GPS, delivering stronger signals, centimeter-level precision, and built-in protection against interference including jamming and spoofing. As threats to global navigation escalate, a more resilient and secure PNT architecture has become essential for national security, critical infrastructure and connected devices around the world.

    “Resilient PNT is a national and economic priority,” said Giorgio Taylor, Director of Business Development, Xona UK & Europe. “Pulsar delivers stronger, faster, and more secure navigational intelligence designed for the threats we face today. Our work with Astroscale reinforces our belief that space infrastructure should evolve to continue meeting user needs, not remain frozen in time.”

    Astroscale will provide docking plates for Xona’s future Pulsar satellites as the company scales to launch its full constellation, allowing for future in-orbit servicing, upgrades or safe deorbiting. This supports a more flexible and responsive satellite architecture and helps prevent space debris. These are both key parts of responsible space operations.

  • Xona satellite begins tests for commercial LEO navigation

    Xona satellite begins tests for commercial LEO navigation

    Xona Space Systems’ Pulsar-0 satellite, the company’s first production-class asset for a commercial navigation constellation, is now operational and undergoing in-orbit testing. Launched in March 2024 on SpaceX’s Transporter-10 mission, Pulsar-0 is designed to assess the performance of Xona’s Pulsar architecture, which aims to provide high-accuracy, resilient positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services from low-Earth orbit (LEO).

    According to Xona, Pulsar-0 is transmitting LEO-based PNT signals using a payload built to support signal authentication and increased resilience against interference — capabilities that have become more important as concerns about vulnerabilities in traditional GNSS systems grow. The system’s encrypted and authenticated signals are intended to mitigate risks from jamming and spoofing, and deliver stronger, more reliable service in environments where legacy GPS may be degraded.

    Xona’s Pulsar constellation is being developed as a commercial complement to GNSS, offering centimeter-level accuracy and greater resistance to interference through modernized signal design and LEO deployment. The company reports that its initial signal waveforms are already being used by select government and commercial partners for prototyping and validation.

    Pulsar-0’s technical objectives include:

    • High-precision GNSS corrections: Real-time correction data from LEO, targeting position accuracy within 10 cm.
    • Signal authentication: Cryptographically verifiable signals to reduce the risk of spoofing.
    • Jamming resistance: A signal strength up to 100 times greater than GPS, enhancing reliability in contested or congested radio frequency environments.
    • Stronger signals: Stronger signals designed to perform in obstructed locations, such as indoors or in dense urban areas.

    The Pulsar-0 mission is primarily focused on validating Xona’s core technology and enabling live sky testing with early partners, paving the way for future launches and eventual commercial operations. The company aims to launch a constellation of hundreds of satellites to provide persistent, redundant PNT coverage for sectors including defense, logistics, mining and autonomous systems.

    Further details on Pulsar-0’s performance are expected as data collection and testing continue throughout the year.

  • Xona Space Systems, QASCOM advance resilient PNT

    Xona Space Systems, QASCOM advance resilient PNT

    Xona Space Systems has partnered with QASCOM to integrate Xona PULSAR into QASCOM’s GNSS software-defined radio (SDR), the QN400-P. The integration is designed to strengthen positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) resiliency in the face of persistent threats.

    The partnership seeks to deliver security, jamming and spoofing resistance and next-gen accuracy for industries such as UAV navigation and defense.


    The QN400-P receiver offers multi-frequency, multi-constellation GNSS capabilities, including GPS and Galileo. Additionally, it includes measures for the mitigation of jamming and spoofing and is compatible with low-Earth orbit (LEO) PNT services, such as Xona’s PULSAR.

    The demand for more robust, secure and accurate navigation is increasing across various industries, including agriculture, construction and autonomous systems. The integration of Xona and QASCOM technologies aims to deliver solutions for these sectors, as well as for other relevant applications and use cases.

  • ION GNSS+ 2023: Spirent Communications

    ION GNSS+ 2023: Spirent Communications

    GPS World Editor-in-Chief, Matteo Luccio, met for an exclusive interview about Spirent Communications collaboration with Xona Space System‘s PULSAR, new releases, and more with Adam Price, Vice President – PNT Simulation, Spirent Communications.

     

  • Spirent to generate Xona PULSAR production signals via SimXona

    Spirent to generate Xona PULSAR production signals via SimXona

    Image: Spirent
    Image: Spirent

    Spirent has concluded a review of Xona Space Systems’ PULSAR production signals, and has deemed them feasibile for integration into the SimXona product line. Spirent will integrate the Xona production signals as an evolution of the SimXona platform.

    Support will become available to existing and new users throughout 2024.

    Xona is developing PULSAR, a high-performance positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) service built on low-Earth orbit (LEO) small satellites. Xona’s high-powered smallsat signals aim to improve PNT resilience and accuracy by augmenting GNSS while operating with an independent navigation and timing system architecture.

  • Syntony doubles multi-GNSS simulation solution computation power

    Syntony doubles multi-GNSS simulation solution computation power

    Image: Syntony
    Image: Syntony

    Syntony GNSS has doubled the SDR L1C/A equivalent signals of its multi-GNSS simulation solution, Constellator.

    With Constellator’s computation power doubled from 660 L1C/A equivalent signals to 1200, users can simulate a complex RF environment for GNSS testing with a powerful and high-fidelity machine, the company said. Additionally, users can now test equipment with multiple traditional GNSS constellations and new ones to come, such as Xona’s PULSAR.

    As a result of doubled computation, massive new constellations can be simulated. When fully deployed, the Xona constellation will count hundreds of satellites on multiple bands, in complex RF environments including specific atmospheric parameters, jamming, spoofing and multipath. It also introduces the controlled reception pattern antenna (CRPA) testing capacities of the device, when the demand is increasing for resilient multi-GNSS and low-Earth orbit (LEO) position, navigation and timing (PNT) solutions.

    Syntony said it was the first PNT services provider to integrate all Xona demo signals into Constellator, in 2022. However, to offer a full testing solution, Syntony also developed a Xona-enabled GNSS receiver.