Photo: EGNOS

The European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) has released version 3.6 of its Safety of Life (SoL) Service for Aviation Service Definition Document (SDD), introducing several critical updates to enhance EGNOS satellite navigation-based operations.

SDD v3.6 describes improvements in EGNOS architecture for the space and ground segments. For the space segment, the document presents the latest technical information on the geostationary (GEO) satellites that deliver EGNOS services. In the ground segment, the ranging integrity monitoring station (RIMS) network has been expanded to include a new site in Kuusamo, Finland. The addition of this station in the far northern reaches of Europe extends coverage and heightens the robustness of SoL service in this remote and challenging environment.

SDD v3.6 also provides a detailed analysis of the impact of ionospheric activity during Solar Cycle 25, which began in December 2019 and is expected to peak around 2025. This extreme solar activity poses challenges to satellite navigation, and the document offers insights into how EGNOS maintains reliable performance under adverse ionospheric conditions.

The new updates aim to improve the precision, reliability and safety of satellite navigation services in aviation. The SoL service supports various transport domains, primarily focusing on civil aviation, covering localizer performance with vertical guidance (LPV) procedures.