LIGHTSQUARED VS. GPS
GPS Interference Test Results May Not Slow FCC Decision on LightSquared Deal [GNSS SIGNALS exclusive] Despite evidence of the likelihood for harmful interference to nearby GPS and other GNSS L1 signals, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) appears likely to push ahead with approval of a revised LightSquared Subsidiary plan to build a dense U.S. network of high-powered ground transmitters for wireless broadband service. (more) |
FAA Estimates $70+ Billion in Costs, Nearly 800 Deaths, Due to LightSquared Interference to GPS
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) "conservative" assessment of changes in civil aviation that would result from the effect of LightSquared's wireless broadband transmissions on GPS would exceed $70 billion dollars, largely because of delays and changes in the planned rollout of the Next Generation (NextGen) air traffic control (ATC) system. (more) |
EC Official Adds Galileo, EGNOS Worries to FCC's LightSquared-GPS Deliberations
Citing European Space Agency (ESA) studies that showed "harmful interference" to Galileo receivers operating up to 1,000 kilometers from LightSquared base stations, a European Commission (EC) official has told the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) about his "deep concerns" about the wireless broadband company's terrestrial transmissions in the 1525-1559 MHz band next to L1 GNSS frequencies. (more) |
GPS Program
Successful Launch for Second GPS IIF Satellite Boeing has received the first on-orbit signals from the second of 12 GPS Block IIF satellites it is building for the U.S. Air Force. GPS IIF-2, renamed Space Vehicle Number 63 (SVN-63), is functioning normally and ready to begin on-orbit maneuvers and operational testing. (more) |
USA Challenge
GNSS Experts to Judge 2011 Satellite Navigation Applications Idea Contest [GNSS SIGNALS exclusive] Six judges - satellite navigation engineering experts from Stanford University, the Air Force Institute of Technology, Overlook Systems, NovAtel, KLA Global, the Institute of Navigation, and Inside GNSS - will select the finalists in the 2011 USA Challenge, one of 23 regional contests in this year's European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC) (more) |
Other GNSS Programs
China Announces Successful Compass/BeiDou-2 Satellite Launch China launched another Compass/BeiDou-2 satellite at 5:44 on the morning of July 27 (Sichuan time zone). It is the ninth spacecraft in China's indigenous satellite navigation and positioning network and the fourth in inclined geosynchronous orbit. (more) |
