Dimetor and SkAI Data Services are announcing a strategic partnership to increase global airspace security.
SkAI Data Services developed a real-time ADS-B GPS spoofing and jamming tracker — GPSwise. Dimetor is a global leader in connectivity and data analytics for the communications, defense and aerospace industry.
The companies aim to deliver a comprehensive, holistic solution for monitoring GNSS disruptions, covering both lower and upper airspace, for crewed and uncrewed flight operations and other users worldwide.
SkAI Data Services created GPSwise in partnership with the Zurich University of Applied Sciences – Centre for Aviation. The platform is already trusted by airlines, air navigation service providers, and authorities worldwide to provide ADS-B-based awareness of GPS threats.
Dimetor’s NAVSentry platform is an AI-powered solution for detecting GNSS disruptions in real time, combining different technology layers, and securing position, navigation and timing (PNT) data across autonomous and crewed systems, from multiple data sources, including:
Cellular network data
Satcom based detection mechanisms
Other network-based sensors
Dedicated ground-based receivers.
According to the company, this multi-layered approach delivers actionable, real-time intelligence to aerospace, critical communications, UTM/ATM, UAV operators, logistics, critical infrastructure sectors, law enforcement, spectrum authorities, defense and intelligence.
The companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to combine two fundamentally different yet highly complementary data streams, ADS-B-based information and data from terrestrial sensor networks such as 5G. The integration creates a unified view of GNSS health across the full airspace, both crewed and uncrewed, at all altitudes in real-time.
A joint report by Sweden and five neighboring countries warns that nearly 123,000 flights were disrupted between January and April by Russian jamming and spoofing of satellite navigation systems, according to EU Today. The countries submitted their report to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The disruptions were traced to Kaliningrad, St. Petersburg, Smolensk and Rostov. They affected flights operated by 365 airlines over Poland, the Baltics, Finland and Sweden. In April, more than 27% of flights in the region experienced interference, with some areas experiencing rates above 40%. Effects range from false position indications to cascading system faults that can persist for the remainder of a flight, even after leaving the most affected zones.
Authorities have issued warnings to airlines, while Sweden’s defence minister said the government is prepared for continued threats.
QinetiQ and Xona Space Systems have demonstrated how GPS navigation can be bolstered by using low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, in the first UK tests of Xona’s new satellite navigation system, Pulsar.
This marks a major milestone in the development of next-generation positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) capabilities, increasing resilience against jamming and spoofing, as well as improving GPS availability in congested or challenged environments.
In the tests, QinetiQ’s Q40 multi-constellation GNSS receiver acquired and tracked signals from Xona’s first production-class satellite, Pulsar-0. The tests demonstrated that, by supplementing GNSS with LEO satellite signals like the Pulsar X1, enhanced resilience in contested or poor-signal environments can be achieved.
A recent software upgrade to QinetiQ’s Q40 was developed under the European Space Agencies’ Navigation Innovation and Support Program (NAVISP) in the GNSS Receiver with Advanced Pulsar Enhancement (GRAPE) project.
GRAPE is a collaboration between QinetiQ and Xona, supported by the UK Space Agency and European Space Agency. Its goal is to explore how new LEO-based signals can be integrated with existing GNSS, to enhance the accuracy and resilience of navigation services for defense, critical infrastructure and future autonomous applications.
“For the first time, we have demonstrated how signals from new LEO satellites can be used alongside existing GNSS to give users stronger, more resilient timing and position information,” said Chris Walker, Managing director, Mission Systems Division, QinetiQ. “This is a huge step in increasing the protection of our defence, critical infrastructure and future autonomous systems against interference.”
Spire Global Inc., a global provider of space-based data, analytics and space services, was awarded a $11,190,900 contract from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to provide GNSS radio occultation (RO) data for a one-year period from Sept. 18, 2025, to Sept. 18, 2026.
The company’s near-real-time GNSS-RO data consists of vertical profiles of atmospheric measurements, including pressure, humidity and temperature, that can reach all points of the globe. NOAA, together with NASA, the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy, will integrate Spire’s GNSS-RO data into their weather and space weather models, while additional U.S. and international agencies will leverage the data to strengthen forecasts and advance climate research.
“Spire’s satellites and radio occultation data are uniquely positioned to deliver the atmospheric insights needed to tackle today’s complex weather challenges,” said Theresa Condor, CEO at Spire Global. “Our continued work with NOAA underscores the importance of government–commercial partnerships in advancing weather forecasting and highlights NOAA’s commitment to harnessing innovation to improve forecasts and build climate resilience.”
The award is part of an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for NOAA’s Commercial Weather Data Program Radio Occultation Data Buy II.
Safran Electronics & Defense has unveiled Skydel AI, a breakthrough in GNSS simulation technology that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to automate and simplify simulation scenario setups.
Skydel AI streamlines GNSS simulation scenario creation through intelligent automation and an intuitive interface. Using natural language commands, Skydel AI allows users to query GNSS/Skydel topics, request assistance and dynamically configure simulation parameters by creating Python code for use by Skydel. The technology eliminates complexity and significantly reduces setup time.
“Soon available as part of Safran’s Support offerings, Skydel AI can help customers drastically improve their development cycles by accelerating manual scenario tuning and reducing long test cycles within Skydel,” said Pierre-Marie Leveel, program director for PNT at Safran. “Already established as the most flexible, robust, and accurate GNSS simulation engine, Skydel never stops innovating and delivering what the market requires – whether it is more realism, higher accuracy, more environment complexity, or ease of use.”
The company also introduced an AI-powered tropospheric model that enhances Skydel’s tropospheric simulation using real-time weather data and AI predictions to improve wet delay accuracy. Integrated with the Open-Meteo API and Skydel’s system, it relies on a neural network trained on 14 million samples from 221 GNSS stations, delivering up to 88% more accuracy. This model will be available in a future Skydel release.
The technical breakthrough reflects Safran Electronics & Defense’s commitment to redefining GNSS simulation with intelligent, adaptable and high-performance solutions for mission-critical applications.
The GEO-3 satellite Eutelsat 5 West B (PRN 121) is now part of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) operational platform and broadcasts the Operational Signal-in-Space.
PRN 121 began broadcasting operational signals Aug. 25 as part of EGNOS System Release 2.4.3. The upgrade seeks to strengthen service continuity and prepare the system for future enhancements.
The transition involved swapping satellite roles within the EGNOS constellation. On Sept. 5, the GEO-2 satellite ASTRA 5-B shifted from operational to test status, creating a new configuration with GEO-1 and GEO-3 handling operational duties while GEO-2 serves as the test platform.
The changes will not disrupt service or affect coverage areas, officials said.
“Eutelsat is proud of its long-standing collaboration with EUSPA,” said Arlen Kassighian, chief engineering officer of Eutelsat. “We are delighted to host this payload, which will continue to significantly enhance the performance of global navigation satellite systems across Europe in the coming years.”
The system release represents preparation for EGNOS V3, the next-generation platform that will offer enhanced performance, improved robustness and dual-frequency multi-constellation capabilities for European satellite navigation services, according to Jean-Marc Pieplu, head of EGNOS Exploitation Department.
The European Union Agency for the Space Programme manages the EGNOS space segment, system upgrades and service provision. The agency’s integration of the GEO-3 satellite ensures EGNOS continues providing reliable augmentation services for safety-critical and professional applications throughout Europe.
Advanced Navigation is moving forward with plans to establish international positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) Centers of Excellence, with the UK location selection process currently underway.
The company is evaluating potential sites based on access to technical talent, logistics capabilities and proximity to major international airports. The final UK center location will be announced in late 2025, with additional global centers confirmed in early 2026.
Over the past year, Advanced Navigation has doubled its workforce and significantly expanded manufacturing capacity to address surging defense sector demand. The international COE network represents the next phase of the company’s growth strategy, positioning it to double its team again within 12 months.
“In an era of increasing complexity and contested environments, the ability to navigate with absolute certainty is becoming the world’s most critical strategic asset,” the company stated.
Building Supply Chain Resilience
To complement its Australian operations and establish robust onshore supply chains meeting local standards and security requirements, Advanced Navigation plans to partner with regional specialists in critical PNT sensing technologies, including:
Inertial sensing (optical gyroscopes and MEMS)
Vision-based sensing
Lidar and radar sensing
Acoustic Doppler velocity log sensing
The company emphasizes that navigation’s future depends on integrating diverse, adaptable sensor suites rather than relying on single technologies. Through its multi-sensor approach centered on inertial systems, the company aims to deliver resilience even in severe GPS-contested environments.
The expansion will accelerate innovation cycles, strengthen quality assurance and create opportunities for partners and research institutions across America and Europe to collaborate on breakthrough technologies.
Strengthening NATO Capabilities
The strategic expansion directly addresses NATO forces’ evolving operational needs. By establishing presence within U.S. and European industrial landscapes, Advanced Navigation aims to bolster critical infrastructure resilience while creating collaboration opportunities and jobs.
Beyond scaling production, the centers will focus on enabling seamless interoperability across NATO’s land, sea and air platforms, reducing integration time and costs for member nations. The COE network positions the company to power the next generation of autonomous systems and alternative PNT solutions worldwide.
Advanced Navigation said the Boreas D90 FOG INS represents the type of technology that will be developed and manufactured at these new facilities.
TomTom has launched its Automotive Navigation Application, a navigation solution designed for automakers that combines TomTom Orbis Maps with an enhanced user interface layer built on the company’s Navigation SDK. The company said the integrated solution allows car manufacturers to deploy navigation systems more quickly while reducing development costs and timelines.
The application addresses growing demand in the automotive industry for software-defined vehicles (SDVs), where rapid integration capabilities have become essential for meeting market expectations. TomTom designed the system to help automakers focus on delivering innovative solutions rather than spending extensive resources on navigation development.
The company conducted comprehensive testing of the application on automotive-grade hardware, including end-to-end evaluations performed directly in vehicles. This testing process ensures automakers receive a production-ready application that meets industry quality standards.
The solution provides automakers with three key components: an off-the-shelf navigation application, a user experience library for customizing driver interfaces, and a vehicle integration library with documentation that enables independent connection between vehicles and the application. This structure seeks to streamline the integration process for manufacturers and their partners.
Built on TomTom Orbis Maps, the application uses updated map data designed to provide accurate and reliable navigation information. The system includes dynamic caching functionality that delivers continuous updates, ensuring drivers receive current route information. Automakers can customize the navigation experience to align with their brand identities through the Mapmaker tool, which simplifies the customization process without requiring extensive development time or costs.
The application incorporates 3D visualization and electric vehicle-optimized navigation features. For electric vehicles, the system integrates with the vehicle’s battery status to provide charging stop recommendations. The charging finder feature helps drivers locate charging stations based on their subscriptions and preferences, while advanced filters allow trip planning that includes access to desired amenities along routes.
TomTom continues to offer its standalone Navigation SDK alongside the new application. The SDK has customizable features for in-house developers who prefer to build their own navigation systems, giving manufacturers options based on their specific requirements and development capabilities.
Aerospace and defense applications depend on position, navigation and timing (PNT) technology for mission-critical accuracy and reliability. But integrating PNT into designs requires extensive specialized knowledge.
To accelerate development, Microchip Technology has introduced a portfolio of GNSS Disciplined Oscillator (GNSSDO) modules that integrate the company’s atomic clock and oscillator technologies, including the Chip-Scale Atomic Clock, Miniature Atomic Clock and Oven-Controlled Quartz Crystal Oscillators.
The GNSSDO modules process reference signals from GNSS or alternative clock sources and discipline onboard oscillators to reference signals, enabling precise timing, stability and holdover performance based on application requirements. The modules serve military and defense applications including radar, satellite communications, mounted and dismounted radios, vehicle platforms and other critical PNT applications, including GNSS-denied environments.
A GNSSDO module functions as a PNT subsystem within larger system designs or as a standalone system, providing precise timing critical to high-performance systems. Microchip engineers and manufactures the local oscillators used in the modules. Other Microchip components include 32-bit microcontrollers and SmartFusion 2 field-programmable gate arrays.
MD-013 ULTRA CLEAN: Microchip’s highest-performance standard GNSSDO module supports multiple GNSS constellations or external reference input. The module uses a high-performance OCXO that enables outputs with ultra-low phase noise and short-term frequency stability. Phase noise performance specifications are minus 119 dBc/Hz at 1 Hz offset and noise floor of minus 165 dBc/Hz. Short-term frequency stability, measured by Allan Deviation, is 3E-13 at 1-second tau, 6E-13 at 10-second tau and 9E-13 at 100-second tau. The module generates 1 PPS TTL, 10 MHz sine wave and 10 MHz square wave outputs disciplined to an embedded 72-channel single-band GNSS receiver, with optional upgrade to configurable L1/L2 or L1/L5 dual-band, multi-GNSS receiver.
MD-300: Designed for harsh environments in a 1.5 in-by-2.5-in footprint, the MD-300 features an embedded MEMS OCXO or TCXO as the local oscillator, enabling low g-sensitivity, high shock and vibration tolerance and low thermal transient response. Its size, weight, and power performance make it suitable for applicationssuch as drones and manpacks. The module disciplines to embedded GNSS receivers or external references and outputs high-performance 10 MHz and 1 PPS signals.
LM-010: A PPS disciplined module providing precise timing for Low Earth Orbit applications requiring radiation tolerance with stability and holdover capability. The standard platform module provides 1 PPS TTL and 10 MHz sine wave outputs disciplined to an external reference input. The module contains Microchip’s digitally corrected OCXO or low-power CSAC SA.45.
The GNSSDO modules use common serial communication protocols and graphical user interfaces for command and control. Software can configure various parameters, including inputs, outputs, auto switching, holdover parameters, GNSS tracking and observables, and reporting messages from the serial interface.
The intriguing paradox about the information age is that it relies on semiconductor chips, which are fundamentally made from sand (silicon dioxide) — the most tangible and seemingly infinite resource on Earth. Yet, in 2023, the global digital storage capacity reached 110 zettabytes (110 followed by 21 zeros), which is a staggering figure; in fact, it is 15,000 times more than the number of grains of sand on Earth and it’s doubling every three years. The information age is suffering from excess information. Data is consuming the universe.
The velocity and quantity of information are overloading the ability to process it. This causes data-driven decision-making systems to fail. The limiting factor is human cognitive capacity to select, prepare and process the data, plus the ability to analyze it for meaningful insights. It is reminiscent of the early days of the Corona satellites of the TALENT KEYHOLE (KH) mission series that began in the 1950s during the height of the Cold War.
Understanding activities behind the Iron Curtain was critical for national security. The KH satellites were expensive to launch and had short life spans. They used rolls of wet film dropped from space and captured by specialized aircraft with hooks to catch the canisters in mid-air. The low-resolution images (3 m to 5 m per pixel) were processed manually in darkrooms. Teams of 100 specialists, using razor knives and scotch tape, meticulously pieced together image strips into massive mosaics spanning several square meters. Working around the clock, assembling the full image would take up to five days, with subsequent analysis requiring another week. In total, from catching the film canister to delivering a final intelligence report, it took 17 days — a testament to imagery intelligence in the industrial era, characterized by massive operations demanding significant time and manpower, but it was too expensive and unsustainable.
Photo: PRESIDENT EISENHOWER awards Capt. Mitchell, USAF, C-119 pilot, the Distinguished Flying Cross for the first ever capture of
a film cartridge dropped from space, in a photo circa 1960. cia.gov/resources/csi/static/corona.pdf
“We live in a world where there is more and more
information, and less and less meaning.”
— Jean Baudrillard,
“Simulacra and Simulation,” 1994
In 1976, the technological landscape shifted dramatically with the launch of the KH-11 satellite, which could transmit 15 cm resolution images digitally to ground stations and was capable of distinguishing objects as small as a dinner plate. The satellite dramatically compressed intelligence-gathering timelines. Processing and analysis time decreased from 17 days to mere hours. The first digital image was shown to President Carter. That first image is believed to be of ongoing tensions in the Middle East, but it symbolized more than the triumph of technology; it represented a fundamental shift marking the end of the industrial era and ushered in the information age.
Advancements in imagery were paralleled by developments in mapping, driven by the need for accurate spatial referencing. Various technologies throughout the 1970s offered partial solutions, but a solution did not happen until 1981 when Esri introduced Arc/INFO, a breakthrough geographic information systems (GIS) software that could operate on minicomputers instead of huge mainframes. That formed the basis of modern spatial analysis and visualization technologies; coming together with digital imagery is what allowed the information age to overtake the industrial era.
In 2025, a similar technological transformation currently is underway. As the amount of information overwhelms existing systems, artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as the solution. The information age is transforming into the intelligence age, where big processing meets big data. Advanced algorithms, machine learning and large language models (LLM) can swiftly and efficiently handle vast amounts of information. So, with data being the new oil, AI is the refinery.
TheEsri Federal GIS Conferencein February could have been promoted as the “Dawn of GeoAI” conference. The term Geo AI is a subset of Spatial AI, and it is in its infancy. Esri is incorporating AI into many of its applications. Companies at the expo were teasing Spatial AI solutions in their products and services.
What is Spatial AI?
When the transformative power of AI is combined with spatial information systems, magic happens. Value is created that did not exist before.
Spatial intelligence is the ability to think, visualize and understand in three dimensions. It is one of the primary types of intelligence. Currently, Spatial AI is capable of interacting with analysts using natural language to build models and perform tasks. Similar to so much else happening with AI, its capabilities are increasing rapidly.
Photo: A CORONA SATELLITE image of Moscow captured May 28, 1970, as part of the TALE…
With iterative learning, the AI repeats a task millions of times on various training data to perfect its abilities, running through different scenarios multiple times with different datasets while completing multiple tasks. The AI quickly learns and can eventually surpass humans. This makes AI a super tool.
Combine that capability with AI’s ability to access and infer an entire compendium of knowledge on a subject. The AI is able to ingest text, images, audio and video in minutes, and then reason and understand them all within the context of the parameters provided. Through its own AI agents, it will automatically run functions to garner insights, and then communicate those results through data visualizations, text, audio and natural speech. Spatial AI is an evolved form of AI able to understand data in the context of space and time within the body of knowledge it can access. It will monitor everything in real time to identify anomalies and hidden patterns and provide deep insights. It doesn’t just solve the information overload dilemma for data-driven decision-making, but it enhances it far beyond expectations.
The Coming World of AI Assistants
The future is already here. Reality is approaching science fiction at warp speed. A person living 100 years ago would only be able to understand the world of today as magic; and likewise, the world 20 years from now will appear magic to us.
Interfacing with a Spatial AI system is similar to the multi-dimensional world we already exist within. Flat screens, keyboard and mouse will be secondary tools behind natural language and natural gestures and immersive experiential environments. The Spatial AI- enabled world will blur the lines between what is virtual and what is real. Jobs, businesses and the economy already are transitioning. The most well capitalized businesses are investing in this new technology.
One of the industries at the forefront is healthcare. Imagine you are a neurosurgeon. Your patient has a glioblastoma identified by the MRI/CT scans uploaded into the Spatial AI Medical Assistant called SAIMA (pronounced Sāmă; when speaking with the system, you call it “Sammi”). The MRI/CT scans show a 3D model of the patient’s brain, highlighting the glioblastoma in red. Placing the integrated augmented reality (AR) glasses on, you can zoom in on the glioblastoma to see the extent of the growth and view it from any angle. This helps formulate a surgery plan. The patient’s medical records are in SAIMA along with the corpus of knowledge about glioblastomas. SAIMA is regularly updated with the latest algorithms and models. After reviewing the preliminary data, you have SAIMA run the spatial analytics and all the applied functions on the data. It takes approximately 35 minutes to complete. During that time, you review the SAIMA updates and go to lunch. You receive a text message from SAIMA after it completes its processing, letting you know it is finished without encountering any issues. SAIMA works with a system called VisAR, which is a precision surgical navigation system. After returning to your office, you put on the VisAR glasses to begin the review. Sammi begins by showing you the glioblastoma and pointing out it is a large, heterogeneous mass located in the frontal lobe and appears to be 4 cm to 5 cm in diameter, in an irregular shape with nodular and cystic components. As it goes through the review, it zooms in and rotates the 3D image, highlighting the exact area being talked about. You interrupt Sammi during this review and ask if the patient has been experiencing motor function issues since the tumor is in the frontal lobe, and you continue to probe further in a natural conversational tone as you delve deeper into the analysis. The conversation between you and Sammi is recorded and added to the file.
The review with Sammi takes several hours, during which a high-confidence surgery plan is developed that you will present to the multidisciplinary tumor board, who will further query SAIMA. This thorough process ensures the best results and further trains SAIMA about glioblastomas, which will be used for a post-surgery debrief and for insurance purposes. Following a successful board meeting, SAIMA proceeds to reserve the operating room, schedule the patient, and create a detailed surgery plan with specific duties and exact times for each member of the surgical team. This plan is then disseminated to all members of the surgical team and preoperative staff. A detailed surgical procedure file is generated, which serves as a navigation file, similar to Waze or Google Maps, providing step-by-step instructions to guide the surgery. This file will be loaded into ROSA (Robotized Surgical Assistant), a high-precision robotic surgeon.
On the day of the surgery, you wear special Bluetooth gloves that are synced with the SAIMA/VisAR glasses and ROSA. In real-time, magnified between 15x and 40x, you observe ROSA surgically removing the cancerous tissue. Overseeing the process, you see a tumor that has spread beyond the original CT/MRI scan and zoom-in on the tumor, and you take control of ROSA to manually remove the tissue. The surgical system uses a “differential engine” concept to scale down the surgeon’s movements to match the magnification level of the procedure, allowing for precise and delicate tissue removal. This means that the surgeon’s natural movements are reduced to a smaller, more precise scale, enabling accurate and intricate procedures. For example, a 1 cm movement by the surgeon might be translated into a 0.1 mm movement of the robotic arm, allowing for high-precision work. The system is dependent upon a high-level of spatial intelligence to make those calculations in real-time.
Afterward, you return the surgery back to the automated control of ROSA to follow the surgical procedure file plan. Throughout the fully immersive procedure, you speak with Sammi in a calm, natural language and responsive manner.
The patient, a married middle-aged father of two, not only survives but thrives because of the accurate analysis of SAIMA and the precision of ROSA, with you overseeing the entire process. The Spatial AI-based surgical system allows you to do what you wanted to do as a neurosurgeon and save people’s lives.
Nothing is Permanent Except Change
Breakthrough innovations, such as the internet, have changed the world. Spatial AI is going to do the same. These technologically driven schisms are huge opportunities. One can only speculate how it will alter the future. Once a technology takes hold, and it becomes obvious there is no going back, its adoption will accelerate, and in those moments, careers make exponential leaps. Those in front of it will make substantial gains. Position yourself accordingly. Learn about Spatial AI and Geo AI. Carve out your own specialty, such as Spatial AI/AR (augmented reality), Spatial AI/VR (virtual reality), Spatial AI/XR (mixed reality), and Spatial AI/FMV (full motion video). The future is yours to imagine.
Photo: William Tewelow
WILLIAM TEWELOW is a designated Geographic Information Systems Professional. He has a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership with a focus on Performance Management, a bachelor’s degree in Intelligence Studies focused on geospatial intelligence, and an undergraduate degree in Geographic Information Technologies. William retired from the Federal Aviation Administration in 2025 after 16 years in various roles supporting geospatial information for aviation operations in the national airspace. He is a graduate of the management fellowship Program for Emerging Leaders where he served on special assignment to the Department of Transportation, leading a national strategic geospatial initiative under the authority of the White House Open Data Partnership.
The future of positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) technology takes center stage this month at ION GNSS+ 2025, running Sept. 8-12 at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor.
The Institute of Navigation’s flagship conference has evolved beyond its original focus to embrace all PNT technologies that complement satellite navigation — a shift GPS World readers will recognize, as we expanded our coverage in the same direction years ago.
This year’s program tackles evolving topics including low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites for PNT, resilient navigation in satellite-denied environments, autonomous systems and lunar navigation. International researchers will present hundreds of technical papers while exhibitors demonstrate breakthrough technologies and services.
GPS World staff will be on-site throughout the event, connecting with readers, contributors and industry partners while gathering insights on emerging developments. Click here to follow along with our coverage.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has confirmed plans to launch the first two satellites in its low-Earth orbit (LEO) positioning navigation and timing (PNT) constellation in the second half of December 2025. The launch will use a Rocket Lab Electron Vehicle, marking Europe’s first venture into LEO-based satellite navigation.
The LEO-PNT in-orbit demonstrator mission, called Celeste, aims to test satellite navigation capabilities in LEO and evaluate its integration with existing medium-Earth orbit (MEO) systems.
Celeste features a constellation of ten satellites that will fly close to Earth to test innovative signals across various frequency bands. The first two Celeste satellites, built in parallel by GMV and Thales Alenia Space, are set to launch in the coming months.
The dedicated Electron rocket launch will place both satellites in orbit at 510 km altitude. The launch window extends for three months beginning in mid-December 2025, with operations conducted from Rocket Lab’s New Zealand facility.
ESA Director of Navigation, Javier Benedicto, said, “We are thrilled to see the LEO-PNT demonstration advancing so quickly, with less than two years between mission kick-off and launch. This launch ensures the first European LEO-PNT satellites are in space before spring 2026, crucial for bringing the frequencies into use in compliance with the International Telecommunications Union.”
Galileo’s “Daughter Mission”
The name Celeste pays homage to Maria Celeste, Galileo Galilei’s daughter, as the two shared a strong emotional and intellectual bond, with the daughter honoring her father’s astronomical interest. This symbolic connection links the pioneering work of the father of modern astronomy to contemporary navigation systems, with Celeste serving as a bridge between Galileo’s groundbreaking discoveries and today’s satellite-based positioning technology.
The demonstrator satellites for Galileo, launched in 2005 and 2008, were called GIOVE, after the Italian word for Jupiter. This name also paid tribute to Galileo’s achievements in discovering the planet’s four largest Moons which were used to determine longitude from anywhere on Earth.
System Advantages
The initial Pathfinder A satellites are CubeSats measuring 12U and 16U formats, comparable to suitcase size and weighing approximately 20 kg to 30 kg. These satellites will broadcast in L-band and S-band frequencies and operate for at least six months following orbital commissioning.
The larger, more complex Pathfinder B satellites will follow, incorporating additional payloads to test innovative signals across multiple frequency bands and demonstrate expanded services.
LEO-PNT satellites will supplement existing GNSS constellations by providing enhanced coverage in challenging environments. The system aims to improve navigation services in deep urban areas, under heavy foliage, in polar regions and potentially indoor locations where current MEO satellites face limitations.
The complete demonstrator constellation, expected to be operational by 2027, will assess how LEO navigation systems can integrate with existing GNSS infrastructure. The mission will also test interoperability with 5G and 6G communication standards.
Preparing for Launch
Satellite integration and testing of Pathfinder A hardware and software continues ahead of the December launch. ESA and industrial teams plan to complete testing during summer 2025, with qualification and acceptance reviews scheduled for autumn.
“Pathfinder A satellites have already paid off, even before launch,” said Roberto Prieto-Cerdeira, ESA’S LEO-PNT project manager. “The experience gathered during their development is helping to identify critical technologies, system design trade-offs, design choices and optimised approaches and processes, paving the way for future phases of LEO-PNT. Having them in orbit and validating their signals and algorithms is a major additional achievement.”
Future Plans
Following the demonstrator mission, ESA plans to propose an in-orbit preparatory phase at the agency’s November Ministerial Council meeting. This phase would focus on technology development and industrialization, potentially leading to an operational system integrated with EU GNSS infrastructure.
The Celeste demonstrator is part of FutureNAV, an ESA Navigation program designed to maintain Europe’s position at the forefront of satellite navigation technology.
The mission receives backing from 15 ESA member states: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. More than 50 entities from 14 countries participate in the two development consortia awarded contracts in 2024.
