In 2011 the European GNSS Agency (GSA) awarded GMV the EEGS2 project (EGNOS Extension to Eastern Europe). The main objective of the project is to demonstrate through flight trials the benefits of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) in areas of Eastern Europe where it is not yet available, such as Poland, Romania, Ukraine, Moldova and Russia, and to prepare the civil aviation authorities and air navigation service providers for future use of the system.

GMV’s magicSBAS solution.

In the context of this project, after the tests conducted in Spain, the maiden flights have been successfully carried out in Moldova, using the equipment and tools developed by GMV. The Moldova demonstrations have given pilots and service providers a clear idea of the potential benefits of EGNOS and the flying procedures of the near future, GMV said.

Four flights had previously been conducted in Spain in November, December and February. The satisfactory results of these flights then paved the way for the demonstrations in Moldova.

The magicLPV system, developed under this project, enables LPV approaches (localizer performance with vertical guidance) to be carried out using the signal generated by the magicSBAS application. This test environment allows any region of the world to analyze the air-navigation benefits to be obtained with deployment of a Space Based Augmentation System (SBAS). This signal is read by Internet and transmitted by radio frequency in the vicinity of the airport, allowing LPV approaches to be made in places where SBAS is either completely unavailable or available only on a very limited basis.

Eight flights in all were carried out in various Moldovan airports, including Chișinău International Airport. Test results were highly satisfactory, demonstrating the simplicity of equipment configuration and operation, and the performance of the magicSBAS signal, GMV said.

“These trials are an important milestone for GMV, for the project and, fundamentally, for the use of EGNOS in the countries of Eastern Europe in the near future,” said Miguel Romay, executive director of GNSS–Aerospace.

GMV will continue with these demonstrations in other countries of Eastern Europe. The next trip in two weeks will be to Romania, where new flights are expected to be just as successful.

ION GNSS+ 2013 is the 26^th International Technical Meeting of the ION Satellite Division and the world’s largest technical meeting and showcase of GNSS technology, products and services.

ION GNSS+ brings together international leaders in GNSS and related positioning, navigation and timing fields to present new research, introduce new technologies, update current policy, demonstrate products and exchange ideas. The addition of “+” to the conference name reflects the growing emphasis on GNSS and the rapidly evolving field of alternative navigation methods.

This year’s conference will feature pre-conference tutorials September 16-17, policy and panel discussions, commercial and applications oriented sessions, and more than 250 technical papers on a diverse array of topics including:

• Advanced Inertial Sensing and Applications
• Advances in Military GNSS Systems and Applications
• Algorithms and Methods
• Alternatives and Backups to GNSS
• Aviation Applications
• Clock/Timing and Scientific Applications
• Emerging GNSS (Galileo, COMPASS, QZSS, IRNSS) (both a Panel Discussion and a technical session)
• Future PNT and Its Applications
• Geodesy, Surveying and RTK for Civil Applications
• GNSS Algorithms and Methods
• GNSS and the Atmosphere
• GNSS Compatibility, Interoperability, and Interchangeability
• GNSS Ground Based Augmentation Systems (GBAS)
• GNSS Simulation and Testing
• GNSS Space Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS)
• GNSS-MEMS Integration
• GNSS Program Updates (Panel Discussion)
• GPS and GLONASS Modernization
• High Integrity Systems (Panel Discussion)
• Indoor Navigation and Timing
• Interference and Spectrum Issues
• IP Policies Related to GNSS (Panel Discussion)
• Land Based Applications
• Marine Navigation and Applications
• Multi-Constellation/Portable Navigation Devices
• Multi-Sensor and Integrated Navigation in GNSS-Challenged Environments
• New Products and Commercial Services (both a Panel Discussion and a commercial applications oriented session)
• Next Generation GNSS Integrity
• Non Traditional PNT Applications
• Portable Navigation Devices
• Precise Point Positioning
• Receiver/Antenna Technology
• Remote Sensing with GNSS and Integrated Systems
• Safety Critical Applications
• Software Receivers
• Space Applications
• Standalone GNSS Services in Challenging Environments
• Timing and Scientific Applications
• Unmanned GNSS (Panel Discussion)
• Urban Navigation Technology

New this year will be two For Official Use Only (FOUO) U.S. only sessions: Multi-Sensor Integrated Navigation and Networked-Related Navigation. These sessions are sponsored by the ION’s Military Division and The MITRE Corporation.

The reliable performance of the receiver impressed the expedition team. “The fast-searching satellites speed and the accurate positioning result saved us lots of time in the extreme cold field,” said one team member. It was the first time that a BeiDou receiver was used in the Antarctic, according to ComNav.

The research vessel left the southern port city of Guangzhou on November 5, 2012, for Antarctica. It covered 29,000 nautical miles over its 156-day southern voyage, among which 6,000 nautical miles were in ice regions. A total of 239 researchers on board completed 53 research tasks on biology, ecology, geophysics, ocean, climate, environment and glacier, and engineering construction missions.

The next GPS satellite launch is scheduled for May 15 with the launch window extending from 21:39 to 21:58 UTC. An Atlas 5 rocket will be used to place the satellite, GPS IIF-4, into orbit from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

This is the first time in almost 28 years that an Atlas rocket will be used to launch a GPS satellite. All of the prototype or Block I satellites were orbited with Atlas rockets. Since then, Delta rockets have been used exclusively for GPS launches. The IIF satellites are being launched with a mixture of Atlas and Delta rockets.

The IIF-4 satellite, also known as SVN66, will operate as PRN27. SVN66/PRN27 will eventually occupy the C-2 slot, replacing SVN33/PRN03, a Block IIA satellite launched in 1996. Reportedly, SVN66/PRN27 will go through an extended period of testing following launch, and is not expected to be set healthy until August. SVN33 will become a reserve or backup satellite.

Ground Stations: ER = Eastern Range; BOSS = Call sign of New Hampshire Station, New Boston Air Force Station, New Hampshire; LION = call sign of Telemetry & Command Station, Royal Air Force Oakhanger, Hampshire, U.K.; Diego Garcia = Diego Garcia Station (call sign REEF), British Indian Ocean Territory; Guam = Guam Tracking Station (call sign GUAM), Dededo, Guam.
TDRS: Tracking and Data Relay Satellite
MES1: Centaur first main engine start
MECO1: Centaur first main engine cutoff
MES2: Centaur second main engine start
MECO2: Centaur second main engine cutoff
At spacecraft separation, the GPS satellite’s orbit will be circular with a height of 11,047 nautical miles or 20,459 kilometers and an inclination of 55 degrees.

(Courtesy of SpaceFlight Now) This is the 45th Launch Support Squadron crew patch for the GPS 2F-4 mission, which is Boeing’s Space Vehicle (SV) #5. Each SV is a named for a navigation star and its constellation. SV-5 is named Vega, with constellation Lyra. On the patch, they are the large star and constellation in the background of space. The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket is shown lifting the satellite from the Eastern Launch Site at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The Squadron mascot is a gator, and a lyra is a Greek harp. SSgt Thomas Hogan drew a “Toga-Gator” and Lt Ken Stuart did the patch design.

The theme of ISGNSS 2013 is “Connecting Continents through GNSS where Europe and Asia Meet.” As for all the past symposiums on GNSS, this symposium will provide opportunities to connect scientists, researchers and professional all around the world, as Istanbul connects the continents.

Organizers invite presenters to submit abstracts and papers until July 21. Paper topics include those listed below, or any other related topic.

• GNSS Current Status, Organizational and Governance Issues
• Regional Navigation Satellite Systems
• Atmospheric Effects on GNSS
• GNSS Augmentation Systems
• GNSS-Related Remote Sensing and GIS
• GNSS Policy, Services and Opportunities
• CORS
• Surveying, Mapping and Geodesy
• Indoor Positioning
• GNSS Receivers, Antenna, Algorithms and Products
• Signal Processing, Interference, Multipath
• Land applications and Intelligent Transport Systems
• Aviation, Marine and Space Applications
• Inertial Navigation
• Sensor Networks
• Precise Point Positioning
• RTK and e-GNSS
• LBS and Telematics
• Alternatives and Backup to GNSS
• Timing and Scientific Applications
• Engineering applications
• Multisensor Fusion
• International GNSS Applications and Developments
• Agriculture, Mining and Rural Industries
• Consumer and Urban Applications
• Machine Automation and Control

For more information, email isgnss2013@vip.com.tr

For the tenth time, the annual competition is looking for services, products, or business innovations that use satellite navigation in everyday life. Around EUR 1 million in prizes is up for grabs, including cash prizes, business incubation, coaching, patent consulting, prototyping and marketing support, access to customers and user communities, and publicity in the satellite navigation network.

Individual entrepreneurs or teams from a company, research institute, or any other organization are invited to sign up. To participate, first select the region whose prize would best support the business case from the more than 20 regional partners worldwide in the section Regional Prizes. Then see what this year’s Special Prize partners are offering in the section Special Prizes.

The overall winner — the Galileo Master — will be selected from among all the regional and special-prize winners by a panel of experts. He or she will be granted an additional cash prize of EUR 20,000 and the opportunity to realize the winning idea as part of a six-month incubation program in the region of their choice.

Submissions are open until June 30.

Dirk Elias, Galileo Master 2012

In 2012, Dirk Elias of Portugal was named Galileo Master for his entry, “Seamless Navigation Through Ultra Low Frequency Magnetic Field Communication (ULF-MC).”

Begun in 2004 with three partner regions, the European Satellite Navigation Competition has grown into a leading global network of innovation and expertise in GNSS, with more than 20 regions and 190 industry and research experts around the world.

The goal is to promote innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit along the GNSS value chain to benefit the citizens of Europe and the rest of the world. Many of the business cases submitted in previous years have been implemented and successfully brought to market, organizers said.

The new version 2.0 of the European Commission’s EGNOS SDD (Open Service Definition Document) reflects recent improvements implemented for the EGNOS service. The document shows significant improvements in the geographic coverage of the EGNOS Open Service as can be seen from the map on this site.

The update is of particular interest to receiver manufacturers, GNSS applications developers and users.

EGNOS is the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service and is the European Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) that complements the GPS system by improving the accuracy and providing integrity for the signal.

Both European businesses and citizens are benefiting from EGNOS. It can support new applications in many different sectors such as agriculture (for high-precision spraying of fertilisers) or transport (enabling automatic road-tolling or pay-per-use insurance schemes). EGNOS can also support much more precise personal navigation services, both for general and specific uses.

GLONASS-M satellite No. 47 was launched from the Plestesk Cosmodrome on April 26 at 05:23:41 UTC by a Soyuz 2-1b rocket.

“At 12.55 [08:55 UTC] the GLONASS-M spacecraft was taken under management by the Titov Main Test and Space Systems Control Centre. The spacecraft is installed [in orbit] and has maintained stable telemetry, and its onboard systems are operating normally,” said Colonel Alexei Zolotukhin of the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces.

The satellite, also known as Kosmos 2485 and GLONASS 747, was placed in orbital plane 1 and is drifting to its designated slot.

Initial two-line element set for the satellite:

1 39155U 13019A   13117.72709898  .00000014  00000-0  00000+0 0    85
2 39155 064.8833 235.0937 0113505 116.3660 245.7001 02.09126432    35

ISS Reshetnev, the manufacturer of the satellite, reported that the first communication session confirmed that the spacecraft is operating as designed, its mechanical systems deployed, and Sun and Earth acquisition was completed successfully.

According to the CEO – Chief Designer of ISS Reshetnev, Nicholas Testoedova, this GLONASS-M satellite will be a reserve. The following year, after the completion of the examinations and tests, it will replace one of the older exhausted units.

After reaching a designated orbit, likely slot 2 in orbital plane 1, the satellite will complete several weeks of commissioning and testing before entering regular service. There are currently 24 operational GLONASS satellites. The GLONASS-M satellite is the second generation GLONASS satellite.