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On May 31, the European Space Agency (ESA) announced the main procurement batch of Galileo Second Generation (G2), initiated in summer 2022, has been finalized. The system is now ready for its on-orbit validation development phase.

Following the opening session of the European Navigation Conference (ENC), Javier Benedicto, director of navigation for the ESA, invited Thales Alenia Space, Airbus Defence and Space, and Thales Six GTS  to sign contracts commencing system engineering support for the next generation of Europe’s navigation satellite system.

Satellite-building contracts were awarded in May 2021 to Thales Alenia Space and Airbus Defence and Space to create two independent families of satellites amounting to 12 G2 satellites in total. Separate contracts were also awarded to Safran Electronics and Defence-Navigation and Timing and Leonardo to provide the ultra-precise atomic clocks carried aboard.

Employing electric propulsion for the first time, and hosting a higher-strength navigation antenna, the G2 satellites will incorporate six (rather than four) enhanced atomic clocks as well as inter-satellite links to communicate and cross-check with one another. They will be controllable with an increased data rate to and from the ground and will operate for 15 years on orbit.

In addition, G2’s fully digital payloads are being designed to be easily reconfigured on orbit, enabling them to respond to the evolving needs of users with novel signals and services.

There are 28 Galileo satellites on orbit, making it the most precise satellite navigation system —providing meter-level accuracy to more than four billion users around the globe. There are 10 Galileo satellites due to be launched, after which the first of the G2 satellites with enhanced capabilities are expected to join the constellation in the next few years.

Xona Space Systems has fully certified Spirent Federal System’s SimXona, a Xona satellite constellation simulator. Spirent will launch SimXona at the ION Joint Navigation Conference, June 12-15, 2023, in San Diego, California.

SimXona can simulate the Xona low-Earth orbit (LEO) constellation on its own, and in tandem with Spirent’s positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) and threat simulation capabilities. Spirent has developed LEO simulation solutions for both the military and commercial sectors, including modeling software that combines the simulation of precise LEO orbits and highly accurate GNSS signals — delivering greater realism for applications that have no margin for error.

Spirent will be accepting orders for SimXona soon.

The European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) and Naviair — a company that specializes in air navigation and related infrastructure services and is owned by the Danish state and represented by the Ministry of Transport — have partnered to strengthen the monitoring capabilities of the Galileo search and rescue (SAR) service by adding a new site in Greenland.

The partnership between EUSPA and Naviair will expand the ground segment and current SAR capabilities. As part of the agreement, Naviair will contribute to the Galileo Programme objectives by procuring, deploying, hosting, and operating a reference beacon (REFBE) near the Kangerlussuaq Airport in Greenland.

The new SAR/Galileo site and REFBE will be located around the margins of the declared service coverage area and will be fully integrated into the SAR ground segment, bringing the number of REFBEs to eight. The REFBEs provide data for service performance monitoring.

There are currently five REFBEs in the European coverage area and two in the Indian Ocean coverage area.

The REFBEs are fitted with vertical linear polarized antennas that transmit timely, synchronized signals equivalent to a standard 406 MHz Cospas-Sarsat beacon. This, combined with their well-known position, enables specific SAR/Galileo Service performance indicators to be derived.

The new site will be ready by the fourth quarter of 2023.

The SAR/Galileo component of the EU Space Programme plays a crucial role in the detection of emergency signals transmitted by distress beacons in support of the internationally recognized SAR Cospas-Sarsat program. As part of this program, the Galileo SAR Service utilizes SAR instruments onboard Galileo satellites, medium-Earth orbit local user terminals, and a network of SAR REFBEs located across Europe.

Which GNSS constellations do most receivers currently use? How is that mix changing?

“Most modern commercial receivers today are moving to receive all GNSS signals: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS, IRNSS and so forth. Also important, in which bands does the receiver operate, and how many channels does it have for optimum accuracy and quicker cold start? Application and location for local stability are also factors. If the operation is in India, IRNSS would be important, in Japan QZSS, and so forth.”

— Ellen Hall
Imminent Federal

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“The current standard in commercial receivers is to exploit the interoperability between the various GNSS signals and to make use of all satellites in view, regardless of their constellation. While the L1/E1/B1 frequency band continues to be the primary frequency in almost all GNSS systems, the legacy L2 band is gradually losing its importance as most satellites are already broadcasting more advanced signals in the L5/E5 band.”

— Jean-Marie Sleewaegen
Septentrio

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“The newest phones offered by Google and the largest manufacturers in the world — Apple, Samsung, OPPO and Vivo — support the following positioning systems: Google — Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS, and other // Apple — iPhone 14: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou // Samsung — S23 and most other recent versions: GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, and BeiDou // Xiaomi — Xiaomi 13 Pro: GPS (L1+L5), Galileo (E1+E5a), GLONASS (G1), BeiDou, NavIC (L5A-GPS supplementary positioning) // OPPO — F21: GPS, A-GPS, BeiDou, GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS // Vivo — Vivo X90: GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS, NavIC, Cell ID, Wi-Fi. // For farming, John Deere’s SF-RTK uses GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou and Galileo.”

— Bernard Gruber
Northrop Grumman

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“All modern generation cell phones use virtually all GNSS signals. This includes GPS, Galileo, GLONASS and BeiDou. In addition, they receive the correction signals, such as WAAS and EGNOS. This capability is embedded in the chips that are currently used. We are told that they have the capability to track on the order of 50 satellites at once. We expect that dual frequency is close to realization and the use of the new civil L5 signal will make cell phones even more capable.”

— Bradford W. Parkinson
Stanford Center for Position, Navigation and Time 

Colorado Springs, Colorado, and its vicinity are home to several key U.S. military organizations.

To the northwest is the U.S. Air Force Academy, which educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force.

To the southwest, deep inside Cheyenne Mountain, is the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), a United States and Canadian organization charged with detecting, validating and warning of attacks against North America, whether by aircraft, missiles, or space vehicles. In a crisis, the four-star general in command of NORAD would pick up a direct line to the White House and tell the president whether nuclear armed missiles were on their way to the United States. He also commands the United States Northern Command, which is charged with defending the continental United States and Alaska.

I visited these two facilities 35 years ago, when I was a graduate student in international security at MIT. (The Air National Guard flew our group of MIT and Harvard students from Hanscom Air Force Base, near Boston, to Colorado Springs, with a stop at Offutt Air Force Base, home of the U.S. Strategic Command. One of the first Northrop B-2 Spirit, aka the Stealth Bomber, was there, under a tarp. A Harvard student decided to use the stop to go for a run. The MPs promptly arrested him and his professor had to bail him out, much to the amusement of us MIT students.)

In the southeast corner of the city is Peterson Space Force Base. To the east is the one that is of greatest interest to readers of this magazine: Schriever Space Force Base, the home of the GPS Master Control Station.

I recently visited the MCS at the invitation of Lt. Col. Robert O. Wray, Commander, 2nd Space Operations Squadron, which operates it. You can read excerpts of my interview with him here.

Wray gave me a tour of the MCS operations floor. During the tour, I was able to look at the dozens of computer monitors used by the GPS operators and to ask them many questions about their jobs. At any moment, 10 of them are on duty — eight uniformed military personnel and two civilian contractors. Later, I followed up with two members of the GPS Warfighter Collaboration Cell, which supports warfighters, combatant commands and, through the U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center, more than four billion global civilian users.

Near the end of the tour, Wray surprised me with a question: “Would you like to send a command to a GPS satellite?” You can imagine my prompt answer. A moment later, I was seated at one of the consoles and entering an alpha-numeric string that I was copying from one of the screens. I was so delighted by the opportunity and so focused on entering the sequence correctly that I forgot to ask what command I was sending! Whatever it was, I assume it will help you get to your destination.

Matteo Luccio | Editor-in-Chief
mluccio@northcoastmedia.net

“Seen & Heard” is a monthly feature of GPS World magazine, traveling the world to capture interesting and unusual news stories involving the GNSS/PNT industry.

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GNSS records Alaska earthquake data 

Researchers in Alaska were able to compare the quality of GNSS and seismic station data when assessing the magnitude 8.2 Chignik earthquake near Dillingham, Alaska. Research recorded by Revathy Parameswaran and colleagues at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, shows that GNSS and acceleration seismic data can be used interchangeably or in tandem to estimate rapid magnitude or ground motion. The research showed the Chignik earthquake velocity records were almost identical at co-located GNSS and seismic stations for observations at frequencies of less than 0.25 Hz.

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No more high-speed chases

The Old Westbury Police Department of Long Island, New York, has chosen a high-speed pursuit alternative — GPS-equipped darts that relay the current location of suspects, reported CBS New York. It took $36,000 to equip six patrol cars with the air-powered dart launcher, called StarChase, which can be activated from inside the patrol car. When the launcher is activated, it shoots onto the suspect’s vehicle a dart with a GPS receiver inside and an adhesive exterior. It is considered a safe alternative to high-speed chases and safe to use around pedestrians.

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TikTok CEO says app doesn’t track 

Shou Zi Chew, CEO of the popular app TikTok, testified before Congress that TikTok does not collect precise location data from its users. During the hearing, which lasted for more than five hours, Chew assured committee members the app does not collect nor distribute location data. TikTok is under fire as a bipartisan Senate proposal is aimed at banning the social media app, arguing it poses cybersecurity risks. The House Committee interrogated Chew regarding the app’s algorithmic feed, policies for young users and — given TikTok’s Chinese ownership — the amount of access the Chinese government has to user data.

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Just some water, please 

Satellite mapping data analyzed at Graz University of Technology’s Institute of Geodesy has revealed long-term drought conditions in Europe, reported GIM International. The data confirmed groundwater levels have been low consistently since 2018. The drought situation was originally published by Eva Boergens in “Geophysical Research Letters” in 2020 when she noted there was a severe water shortage in Central Europe during the summers of 2018 and 2019. There has been no significant rise in groundwater levels since then, and groundwater levels have stayed constantly low. 

A roundup of recent products in the GNSS and inertial positioning industry from the May 2023 issue of GPS World magazine.

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SURVEYING

Corrections Program

Provides documentation for GNSS receivers

The Agnostic Correction Partner Program facilitates the use of Septentrio GNSS receivers with high-accuracy services that provide varying levels of accuracy, coverage and delivery methods. This enables users to select the service that suits specific applications and business models. The program — which includes Polaris from Point One, Skylark from Swift Navigation, and PointPerfect from u-blox  — provides documentation for the use of Septentrio receivers with these high-accuracy services. Agnostic corrections are useful in situations where multiple types of GNSS receivers are being used, such as in a large-scale surveying project.

Septentrio, septentrio.com

Multi-Application IMU

A compact, self-contained strapdown, advanced tactical-grade IMU device

The IMU-FI-200C measures linear accelerations and angular rates with its three-axis, tactical-grade, closed loop, fiber-optic gyroscopes and three-axis, high-precision MEMS accelerometers in motionless and high dynamic applications. The IMU-FI-200C is fully calibrated, temperature compensated and aligned to an orthogonal coordinate system. It contains more than 0.5°/hr gyroscopes and less than 2 mg bias repeatability over operational range accelerometers with low noise and high reliability. Continuous built-in test, configurable communications protocols, electromagnetic interference protection, and flexible input power requirements make the IMU-FI-200C suitable for a wide range of integrated system applications.

Inertial Labs, inertiallabs.com

MEMS IMU

Suitable for applications such as antenna and line of sight stabilization systems, GPS-aided INS and more 

The inertial measurement unit-P (IMU-P) is an advanced MEMS sensors-based, compact, self-contained strapdown, industrial- and tactical-grade inertial measurement system and digital tilt sensor that measures linear accelerations, angular rates and pitch-and-roll with three-axis, high-grade MEMS accelerometers and three-axis, tactical-grade MEMS gyroscopes. Angular rates and accelerations are determined with high accuracy for both motionless and dynamic applications. The IMU-P is fully calibrated, temperature compensated, and mathematically aligned to an orthogonal coordinate system. IMU-P demonstrates less than 1 deg/hr gyroscopes and 0.005 mg accelerometers bias inrun stability with low noise and high reliability. The IMU-P models collect data from an external source of GNSS to output full spectrum inertial navigation system data consisting of positions, attitude, velocity and time.

Inertial Labs, inertiallabs.com

AUTONOMOUS

Hybrid GNSS+INS Sensor

Navigates challenging environments 

The CGI-610 GNSS/INS sensor is an advanced dual-antenna receiver designed for reliable and accurate navigation and positioning in challenging terrestrial, marine or airborne applications. Designed to meet the needs of 3D positioning and autonomous vehicle guidance applications, it provides high performance in urban canyons and other harsh environments where GNSS signals are lost or degraded. Incorporating GNSS technology and an industrial-grade inertial measurement unit, the sensor delivers accurate hybrid position, attitude and velocity data up to 100 Hz, driven by CHC Navigation algorithms. Its rugged and lightweight package ensures uninterrupted performance and meets high protection standards.

CHC Navigation, chcnav.com

Remote ID Module 

Meets FAA standards

The pingRID meets the Part 89 remote ID standards of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which will become effective on Sept. 16, to keep operators safe and compliant throughout a flight. The pingRID comes pre-configured and ready for use out of the box. After assigning the pingRID unique identification number to the aircraft’s registration with the FAA, operators can attach the battery-powered device to their UAV and prepare for flight. A set of LED indicators provides status on the battery charge, device readiness for flight and inflight operations. The compact, lightweight design fits most aircraft without significantly impacting performance. The module also can be quickly recharged via USB-C. The FAA’s final rule on remote ID requires all UAV pilots to meet the operating requirements of Part 89. For most operators, this will require flying a UAV equipped with standard remote ID, a remote ID broadcast module such as the pingRID, or flying at a Federally Recognized Identification Area.

uAvionix, uavionix.com

MOBILE

GNSS Simulator 

A positioning, navigation and timing test solution

GSG-7 delivers GNSS signal testing for location-aware applications and systems that require navigation or timing. The GSG-7 GNSS simulator features high-end performance with a 1,000 Hz simulation iteration rate, high dynamics, real-time synchronization, and simulation of all-in-view satellite signals. The GNSS simulator is suitable for development and integration projects that require high performance and an increased number of constellation licenses and satellites in view for a single antenna or trajectory. GSG-7 supports multi-constellation and multi-frequency GNSS simulations. It can be programmed to simulate operations with all current and future GNSS signals. 

Orolia, safran-navigation-timing.com

GNSS Receiver 

Supports Galileo HAS

The Arrow Gold+ enables users to achieve better than 20 cm accuracy with 95% confidence using Galileo HAS. The Arrow Gold+ is one of the first high-accuracy GNSS receivers that supports Galileo HAS and is designed for the GIS market. Additional signal support for Arrow Gold+ includes: the concurrent use of the BeiDou B3 and GPS L5 signals as well as GLONASS, BeiDou, QZSS and IRNSS signals.

Eos Positioning Systems, eos-gnss.com

 Mil-Spec GPS/GNSS Antennas 

Meets military specifications for use in several small form factor and mobile applications

The PEANGPS1006, PEANGPS1007, PEANGPS1008 and PEANGPS1009 mil-spec GNSS antennas are engineered for environmental performance according to the MIL-STD-810G standard and include multi-standard GPS L1, Galileo E1 and GLONASS options. They are IP67 rated and available in passive and active versions and provide coverage from 1,597 MHz to 1,607 MHz. The GNSS antennas feature linear polarization for cross-polarized isolation, nominal gain options of -3 dBic and 10 dBic, and SMA mounts. The mil-spec GNSS antennas are available now.

Pasternack, Pasternack.com

Images: Taoglas

Near-Invisible Antennas 

Supports cellular Wi-Fi and GNSS technologies

The TFX62.A, TFX257.A and TFX125.A offer an alternative to standard opaque antennas, with  “peel and stick” mounting capabilities to any nonmetal surface. The TFX62.A, TFX257.A and TFX125.A come with an adhesive and have an enclosed carrier terminated with a FAKRA connector for easy installation. The TFX series antennas leverage a sub-millimeter thick hybrid transparent conductive film that offers designers an invisible antenna solution. They are suitable for mobility, public infrastructure, medical devices, transportation and emerging IoT applications. Use cases for the antennas include electric vehicle chargers and parking meters, smart buildings and transportation vehicles.

Taoglas, taoglas.com

 3D Grade Control System

For motor graders

The TG63 comes with a tightly coupled dual-GNSS positioning system and inertial sensor, and provides reliable 3D positioning and heading to ensure accuracy of the grader blade within ±2 cm. The TG63 is designed to withstand the harsh environment of construction sites and supports multiple applications, including real-time kinematic networked transport of RTCM via internet protocol and ultra-high frequency base stations.

CHC Navigation, chcnav.com 

OEM

GNSS Modules 

Now compatible with Galileo HAS 

K8 series GNSS modules can use the Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS) precise-point positioning (PPP). The PVT algorithm upgrade to the K8 series module supports Galileo HAS with an accuracy of 20 cm horizontally and 40 cm vertically. Galileo HAS provides free access to information necessary to estimate accurate positioning using a PPP algorithm in real-time through the Galileo signal E6-B and an internet connection. The improved performance capabilities provide a higher level of accuracy for industries such as UAV, autonomous driving, intelligent transportation, agriculture and more.

ComNav Technology, comnavtech.com

Development Kit 

Designed for GNSS-related development integration

The DK100 development kit is a multi-functional kit with selectable single-antenna and dual-antenna modules, full constellation tracking and centimeter-level positioning. It is a ready-to-use kit designed to simplify integration efforts and increase compatibility with a variety of applications. The DK100 reserves standard adapter board interfaces to connect different GNSS modules and radio modules to meet specific needs. The development kits are coupled with a 4G module, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet modules, large memory and status indicators on a single PCBA. The DK100 comes with a web page for easy configuration. With Ethernet and Wi-Fi access, users can monitor device status and configure working mode and data transmission settings on the web page. The centimeter-level DK100 can be integrated in a range of horizontal and vertical applications, such as CORS construction, precision agriculture, construction machinery, smart navigation, monitoring, robotics, unmanned systems and more. 

Singular XYZ, singularxyz.com

Digital MEMS Gyroscope 

A high stability and vibration-tolerant gyroscope for dynamic applications

The GYPRO4300 features a ±300°/s input measurement range, 200 Hz bandwidth, and 1 ms latency with a closed-loop architecture that enables high linearity and stability. The GYPRO4300 has bias instability of 0.5°/h as a typical value and a maximum value of 2°/h. The GYPRO4300 is suitable for applications such as railways, land vehicles, vertical take-off and landing aircraft and UAVs, marine and subsea systems, borehole drilling and surveying instruments. The GYPRO4300 is available now for sampling and customer evaluations. Evaluations of the sensors also can be made with an Arduino-based evaluation kit that provides built-in testing functionalities such as output reading and recording, recalibration and digital self-tests.

TDK Corporation, tdk.com 

GNSS Antenna

Small, light, and dual-band 

The SSL889XF employs Tallysman’s Accutenna technology providing GPS, QZSS L1/L2, GLONASS G1/G2/G3, Galileo E1/E5b, and BeiDou B1/B2b coverage. The SSL889XF antenna is designed for precision dual-frequency positioning where a light weight and a low profile are important. The SSL889XF antenna element is 48 mm in diameter and 20 mm tall and weighs ~50 g. It has a tight average phase center variation of less than 10 mm for all frequencies and overall azimuths and elevation angles. The SSL889XF is available in three versions. Model SSL889XF-1 has an integrated 61 mm ground plane and two mounting holes. Model SSL889XF-2 has a mounting collar, and model SSL889XF-3 is the antenna only and is attached using adhesive tape. All models have a female MCX connector. The SSL889XF antenna also supports Tallysman’s eXtended Filtering (XF) technology. 

Tallysman Wireless, tallysman.com 

Datalink Module 

Suitable for GNSS-based systems 

The U702 datalink module is a RX/TX data link module that supports the LoRa modulation technique. Its compact, surface-mounted design and robust electromagnetic compatibility enable easy integration into GNSS systems such as robotic lawn mowers. With the LoRa modulation technique, the U702 has low power consumption, reception power of 0.025 w, and a working distance up to 1.5 km. It also enhances the ability to protect GNSS systems against various interference — making it possible to have high reception sensitivity, a low error rate, and high reliable data transmission even in harsh environments. 

ComNav Technology, comnavtech.com

 Fleet management device

For air, land and sea vehicles

CGConnect can securely connect UAVs and vehicles into one autonomous fleet across land, sea and air, regardless of manufacturer or model. This provides mission planners and operators with full situational awareness for search and rescue, emergency response and disaster relief. Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms are running in the cloud, relaying real-time camera feed data to the end user to support missions such as object detection, tracking and thermal imaging. The flexible and customizable open platform is operating on industry standards, which multiplies potential product applications and enables diverse autonomous vehicles and payloads to operate as a coordinated fleet. High-grade security safeguards data and IP from vulnerabilities and security breaches, helping users meet compliance obligations. Additionally, CGConnect supports edge AI to perform intensive object identification and classification directly on the vehicle for dynamic missions. CGConnect is available for pre-order. An OEM option is available.  

Cloud Ground Control/Advanced Navigation, cloudgroundcontrol.com/advancednavigation.com

1.  Anti-interference technology introduction

Low-power anti-interference (LAI) technology is ComNav’s patented advanced technology to counter, narrowband and continuous-wave interference. The SNR can reach 60 dB and the power consumption is only 0.1 W when enabled.

LAI technology can quickly detect and mitigate interference through simple setup to ensure the safety of equipment during operation.

In latest firmware version, K8-series receivers have added advanced interference detection and suppression features, which can detect and suppress radio interference sources. ComNav has also added technology that can output interference source spectrum data, which can be used to detect interference types and possible interference sources.

2.  Spectrum function in MyPort software

Clients can use ComNav MyPort software to detect and mitigate interference.

To do this, open MyPort, select Spectrum in the software, check the scan frequency and scan range, and adjust the scan frequency manually.

Then select Observation (BD2/BD3) in Setting.

Users can set the scanning frequency and range in Frequency Spectrum Setting.

To set anti-interference, users can select the mode as needed.

When CWI Manual is not selected, the frequency, channel and switch are not selectable. When CWI Manual is selected, users can manually configure the frequency, channel and switch.

3. Example

Here is an example that shows all these steps.

We added 60 dBm interference at 1.57542 GHz (GPS L1) using an RF signal generator as interference.

The device is connected as shown in the figure below. The satellite signal and the interference signal provided by the RF signal generator are sent to the module to be tested by the confluence. The signal-to-noise ratio and positioning status are concerned.

Note that the default scan number is 200.

4. Data analysis

If the user needs data further analyzed, it can be decoded using the Binary_MsgDecode tool. A column of data can be obtained by decoding, and the data can be imported into Excel for plotting. The horizontal coordinate is the scanning frequency, which can be obtained according to the scanning frequency and scanning range of the central point set by the user. The ordinate is the interference intensity, which can be obtained by the formula dBm=20log(A) (A is the scan value).

4.1 Commands introduction

Command format 1:

SCANSPECTRUM <center-freq> <scan-range> <scan-times>

Command format 2:

SCANSPECTRUM <mode>

Descriptions:

This command is used to set spectrum scanning parameters.

Parameter:

center-freq: Set the scanning center frequency, unit: KHz

scan-range: Set the scanning range, unit: KHz

scan-times: Set the number or the scan points

mode: L1/L2/L5, according to the center frequency of L1, L2, L5 frequency points, the scanning range is 8000KHz, 200 points scanning.

Example:

SCANSPECTRUM 1575420 8000 200

Message:

Message structure：

4.1 Data playback

MyPort software supports data playback function. Users can play back the saved data according to their needs.

To do this, disconnect the connection, select File Process, then click Connect, and the folder will automatically appear; users can choose the appropriate sub-folder from there.

4.2 Data decode

Open Binary_MsgDecode software, drag the file in, then click Enter and it will auto decode a file named Message2264.log, which the client can use for further analysis.

On June 28-29, the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) will host Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS) Days for users, industry stakeholders, application developers and international experts to learn more about HAS. This event provides an opportunity for all attendees to discuss and share expectations of Galileo HAS, its challenges, and benefits.

Over two days, participants will learn more about the status of Galileo HAS, including current performance, evolution plans and key user applications. There will also be dedicated user sessions, including live demonstrations allowing participants to experiment the Galileo HAS capabilities.

In addition, participants will visit the European GNSS Service Centre (GSC), the single interface between the Galileo system and the users. The GSC is a center of expertise, knowledge sharing, custom performance assessment, information dissemination and support to the provision of value-added services enabled by the Galileo services.

The GSC hosts the high accuracy data generator, which computes the HAS orbit and clock corrections as well as the signal biases that are broadcast through the Galileo constellation and over the internet.

This first edition of the Galileo HAS Days will be held as a hybrid event, so attendees can join either online or physically at the Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), in Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain.

The draft agenda is available here.

Registration for the event is open until June 16 for those willing to attend onsite. Click here for more information.

The newest addition to the network of Galileo sensor stations (GSS) is up and running in Wallis and Futuna, a French territory in the South Pacific consisting of three main islands and many tiny islets. It enables increased Galileo coverage in the southern hemisphere.

The European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) reported that the decision for the new station was made in June 2020; however, due to COVID-19, its deployment did not begin until summer 2022. In October 2022, the second mission to Wallis and Futana took place to complete the deployment and connect the station to the ground mission segment network for data collection.

The GSS is a network of antennas deployed at remote locations around the world. They have small, omnidirectional receiving antennas 50 cm high that check the accuracy and signal quality of individual satellites and pinpoint current satellite orbits. Establishing GSS is difficult and requires security accreditation by EUSPA’s Security Accreditation Board.

To make the best use of the Galileo services, users rely on more than just the satellites. Dedicated facilities such as the Galileo control centers, sensors, and uplink stations are important components that make up the Galileo ground segment — which supports the service provision of Europe’s GNSS. The GSS is an important element of Galileo’s ground segment.