The 2nd Space Operations Squadron decommissioned Satellite Vehicle Number 38, to give way to the next generation of GPS III satellites at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, Oct. 9, 2019. First Lieutenant Kristina Brandes, 2nd SOPS chief bus system analyst, said the squadron was disposing of the satellite because it is at the end of its operational life. “It’s one of our oldest satellites that launched 22 years ago,” she […]

Speaking at the annual Stanford Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Symposium, a Chinese representative described how her nation is building the world’s first resilient and robust, and, in her words, “comprehensive” PNT architecture. Xiaochun Lu presents at Stanford PNT Symposium on Oct. 30, 2019. (Photo: Stanford University) Xiaochun Lu of China’s National Timing Service Center described a multi-source PNT system that will be “more ubiquitous, more integrated, more intelligent.” Centered around continually upgraded BeiDou GNSS […]

November 18, 2019 The start line for the Stagecoach Line 100-mile race cuts across a grassy field surrounded by ponderosa pine trees at Hotshot Ranch, just outside Flagstaff, Arizona. Despite the inevitable early morning start time required by ultra-race distances, the runners — at least those able to calm prerace jitters long enough to notice — are treated to an unobstructed view of Humphreys Peak, which, at an elevation of 12,633 feet, is the highest natural point in […]

Lockheed Martin received a $25 million initial contract award for engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) for the GPS Spatial Temporal Anti-Jam Receiver (GSTAR) system that will be integrated into the F-35 as part of its modernization phase, also known as Block 4. The GSTAR system will replace the current Antenna Electronics Unit (AEU) and will provide enhanced capabilities including the next-generation, anti-jam solution and provide a significant weight and cost reduction to […]

First place winners ARGEO accept their prize. (Photo: GSA) News from the European GNSS Agency The winners of this year’s MyGalileoApp competition were announced at aceremony held at the European GNSS Agency (GSA) headquarters in Prague onNov. 7. First prize of EUR 100,000 went to ARGEO, a mobile app based on geolocation, augmented reality and blockchain that allows users to discover content such as prizes, coupons and shopping cards geo-located around the streets of a […]

November 15, 2019 When Todd and Kerri Mozinski left for the Northwest Territories of Canada for a weekslong canoe trip, they told friends and family to expect them back in 40 days. Five days in, sitting awake through the night as an 8’ grizzly bear circled their camp, they realized that perhaps they had misjudged that guidance. Their only mode of transportation had been torn apart by the claws of the bear — along with […]

Hilton Oceanfront, Grand Ballroom 1550 North Atlantic Avenue, Cocoa Beach, Florida 32931 8:30 – 8:35 BOARD CONVENESCall to Order, Logistics, & Announcements Mr. James J. Miller, Executive Director, National Space-Based PNT Advisory Board, NASA Headquarters 8:35 – 9:30 Welcome & Kick-Off of 24th PNTAB MeetingPriorities & Proposed Topic Focus Areas Concise Roundtable Discussion ADM Thad Allen, Chair; Hon. John Stenbit, Deputy Chair; Dr. Bradford Parkinson, 1st Vice-Chair; Governor Jim Geringer, 2nd Vice-Chair 9:30 – […]

By Rick Hamilton, CGSIC Executive Secretariat, U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center The 59th meeting of the U.S. Civil GPS Service Interface Committee was held Sept. 16-17 at the Hyatt Regency Miami hotel in Miami, Florida, in conjunction with the Institute of Navigation’s GNSS+ (ION-GNSS+) conference. For readers who were unable to attend, a synopsis of the meeting is provided below. The full agenda and presentations are available for download from the GPS.gov website. The meeting […]

November 14, 2019 Flying plays an interesting role in each of our lives. For some it’s a career and a way of life. For others it’s more of a hobby or pastime. No matter what role it takes, there are occasionally times when it gets pushed to the bottom of the priority list. That was the case for Garmin TeamX engineer Bob Godsy. After earning a private pilot license in high school, flying would take […]

Russia plans to launch into orbit a spherical glass satellite for measuring Earth’s gravity field by the end of December, documents revealed. The BLITS-M retroreflector satellite will be launched together with three Gonets-M communications satellites using the Rokot carrier rocket, scheduled to take off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome on December 25. The BLITS-M satellite is an improved version of the Russian BLITS (Ball Lens In The Space) satellite. It is […]