Satellite navigation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A satellite navigation or satnav system is a system of satellites that provide autonomous geo-
spatial positioning with global coverage. It allows small electronic receivers to determine their
location (longitude, latitude, and altitude/elevation) to high precision (within a few metres) using
time signals transmitted along a line of sight by radio from satellites. The signals also allow the
electronic receiver to calculate the current local time to high precision, which allows time
synchronisation. A satellite navigation system with global coverage may be termed a global
navigation satellite system (GNSS).

As of April 2013, only the United States NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS) and the
Russian GLONASS are global operational GNSSs. China is in the process of expanding its
regional BeiDou Navigation Satellite System into the global Compass navigation system by
2020.[1] The European Union's Galileo is a GNSS in initial deployment phase, scheduled to be
fully operational by 2020 at the earliest.,[2] India has a regional satellite-based augmentation
system, GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation (GAGAN), which enhances the accuracy of
NAVSTAR GPS and GLONASS positions, and is developing the Indian Regional Navigation
Satellite System (IRNSS). France and Japan are in the process of developing regional navigation
systems.

Global coverage for each system is generally achieved by a satellite constellation of 20–30
medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellites spread between several orbital planes. The actual systems
vary, but use orbital inclinations of >50° and orbital periods of roughly twelve hours (at an
altitude of about 20,000 kilometres or 12,000 miles).

Contents
 1 Classification
 2 History and theory
 3 Civil and military uses
 4 Global satellite navigation systems
o 4.1 Operational
 4.1.1 GPS
 4.1.2 GLONASS
o 4.2 In development
 4.2.1 Galileo
 4.2.2 BeiDou
o 4.3 Comparison of systems
 5 Regional satellite navigation systems
o 5.1 BeiDou-1
o 5.2 IRNSS
o 5.3 QZSS
 6 Augmentation
 o 6.1 DORIS
 7 Low Earth orbit satellite phone networks
 8 Positioning calculation
 9 See also
 10 Notes
 11 References
 12 Further reading
 13 External links
o 13.1 Information on specific GNSS systems
o 13.2 Organizations related to GNSS
o 13.3 Supportive or illustrative sites

Classification
Satellite navigation systems that provide enhanced accuracy and integrity monitoring usable for
civil navigation are classified as follows:[3]

 GNSS-1[citation needed] is the first generation system and is the combination of existing
satellite navigation systems (GPS and GLONASS), with Satellite Based Augmentation
Systems (SBAS) or Ground Based Augmentation Systems (GBAS). In the United States,
the satellite based component is the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), in
Europe it is the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), and in
Japan it is the Multi-Functional Satellite Augmentation System (MSAS). Ground based
augmentation is provided by systems like the Local Area Augmentation System
(LAAS).[citation needed]
 GNSS-2[citation needed] is the second generation of systems that independently provides a
full civilian satellite navigation system, exemplified by the European Galileo positioning
system. These systems will provide the accuracy and integrity monitoring necessary for
civil navigation; including aircraft. This system consists of L1 and L2 frequencies (in the
L band of the radio spectrum) for civil use and L5 for system integrity. Development is
also in progress to provide GPS with civil use L2 and L5 frequencies, making it a GNSS-
2 system.¹[citation needed]
 Core Satellite navigation systems, currently GPS (United States), GLONASS (Russian
Federation), Galileo (European Union) and Compass (China).
 Global Satellite Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) such as Omnistar and StarFire.
 Regional SBAS including WAAS (US), EGNOS (EU), MSAS (Japan) and GAGAN
(India).
 Regional Satellite Navigation Systems such as China's Beidou, India's yet-to-be-
operational IRNSS, and Japan's proposed QZSS.
 Continental scale Ground Based Augmentation Systems (GBAS) for example the
Australian GRAS and the US Department of Transportation National Differential GPS
(DGPS) service.
 Regional scale GBAS such as CORS networks.
 Local GBAS typified by a single GPS reference station operating Real Time Kinematic
(RTK) corrections.
History and theory

Early predecessors were the ground based DECCA, LORAN, GEE and Omega radio navigation
systems, which used terrestrial longwave radio transmitters instead of satellites. These
positioning systems broadcast a radio pulse from a known "master" location, followed by a pulse
repeated from a number of "slave" stations. The delay between the reception of the master signal
and the slave signals allowed the receiver to deduce the distance to each of the slaves, providing
a fix.

The first satellite navigation system was Transit, a system deployed by the US military in the
1960s. Transit's operation was based on the Doppler effect: the satellites travelled on well-known
paths and broadcast their signals on a well-known frequency. The received frequency will differ
slightly from the broadcast frequency because of the movement of the satellite with respect to the
receiver. By monitoring this frequency shift over a short time interval, the receiver can determine
its location to one side or the other of the satellite, and several such measurements combined
with a precise knowledge of the satellite's orbit can fix a particular position.

Part of an orbiting satellite's broadcast included its precise orbital data. In order to ensure
accuracy, the US Naval Observatory (USNO) continuously observed the precise orbits of these
satellites. As a satellite's orbit deviated, the USNO would send the updated information to the
satellite. Subsequent broadcasts from an updated satellite would contain the most recent accurate
information about its orbit.

Modern systems are more direct. The satellite broadcasts a signal that contains orbital data (from
which the position of the satellite can be calculated) and the precise time the signal was
transmitted. The orbital data is transmitted in a data message that is superimposed on a code that
serves as a timing reference. The satellite uses an atomic clock to maintain synchronization of all
the satellites in the constellation. The receiver compares the time of broadcast encoded in the
transmission of three (at sea level) or four different satellites, thereby measuring the time-of-
flight to each satellite. Several such measurements can be made at the same time to different
satellites, allowing a continual fix to be generated in real time using an adapted version of
trilateration: see GNSS positioning calculation for details.
Each distance measurement, regardless of the system being used, places the receiver on a
spherical shell at the measured distance from the broadcaster. By taking several such
measurements and then looking for a point where they meet, a fix is generated. However, in the
case of fast-moving receivers, the position of the signal moves as signals are received from
several satellites. In addition, the radio signals slow slightly as they pass through the ionosphere,
and this slowing varies with the receiver's angle to the satellite, because that changes the distance
through the ionosphere. The basic computation thus attempts to find the shortest directed line
tangent to four oblate spherical shells centred on four satellites. Satellite navigation receivers
reduce errors by using combinations of signals from multiple satellites and multiple correlators,
and then using techniques such as Kalman filtering to combine the noisy, partial, and constantly
changing data into a single estimate for position, time, and velocity.

Civil and military uses

Main article: GNSS applications

Satellite navigation using a laptop and a GPS receiver

The original motivation for satellite navigation was for military applications. Satellite navigation
allows the precision in the delivery of weapons to targets, greatly increasing their lethality whilst
reducing inadvertent casualties from mis-directed weapons. (See Guided bomb). Satellite
navigation also allows forces to be directed and to locate themselves more easily, reducing the
fog of war.

The ability to supply satellite navigation signals is also the ability to deny their availability. The
operator of a satellite navigation system potentially has the ability to degrade or eliminate
satellite navigation services over any territory it desires.

Global satellite navigation systems

Comparison of geostationary, GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Compass (MEO), International Space
Station, Hubble Space Telescope and Iridium constellation orbits, with the Van Allen radiation
belts and the Earth to scale.[a] The Moon's orbit is around 9 times larger than geostationary
orbit.[b] (In the SVG file, hover over an orbit or its label to highlight it; click to load its article.)

launched GNSS satellites 1978 to 2014

Operational

GPS

Main article: Global Positioning System

The United States' Global Positioning System (GPS) consists of up to 32 medium Earth orbit
satellites in six different orbital planes, with the exact number of satellites varying as older
satellites are retired and replaced. Operational since 1978 and globally available since 1994, GPS
is currently the world's most utilized satellite navigation system.

GLONASS

Main article: GLONASS

The formerly Soviet, and now Russian, Global'naya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema
(Russian: ГЛОбальная НАвигационная Спутниковая Система, GLObal NAvigation Satellite
System), or GLONASS, was a fully functional navigation constellation in 1995. After the
collapse of the Soviet Union, it fell into disrepair, leading to gaps in coverage and only partial
availability. It was recovered and fully restored in 2011.
In development

Galileo

Main article: Galileo (satellite navigation)

The European Union and European Space Agency agreed in March 2002 to introduce their own
alternative to GPS, called the Galileo positioning system. At an estimated cost of EUR 3.0
billion,[4] the system of 30 MEO satellites was originally scheduled to be operational in 2010.
The original year to become operational was 2014.[5] The first experimental satellite was
launched on 28 December 2005.[6] Galileo is expected to be compatible with the modernized
GPS system. The receivers will be able to combine the signals from both Galileo and GPS
satellites to greatly increase the accuracy. Galileo is now not expected to be in full service until
2020 at the earliest and at a substantially higher cost.[2]

BeiDou

Main article: BeiDou Navigation Satellite System

China has indicated they plan to complete the entire second generation Beidou Navigation
Satellite System (BDS or BeiDou-2, formerly known as COMPASS), by expanding current
regional (Asia-Pacific) service into global coverage by 2020.[1] The BeiDou-2 system is
proposed to consist of 30 MEO satellites and five geostationary satellites. A 16-satellite regional
version (covering Asia and Pacific area) was completed by December 2012.

Comparison of systems

System GPS GLONASS BeiDou Galileo

Russian
Owner United States China European Union
Federation
Coding CDMA FDMA CDMA CDMA
Orbital 20,180 km 19,130 km 23,222 km
21,150 km (13,140 mi)
altitude (12,540 mi) (11,890 mi) (14,429 mi)
11.97 h (11 h 11.26 h (11 h
Period 12.63 h (12 h 38 min) 14.08 h (14 h 5 min)
58 min) 16 min)
Revolutions
per sidereal 2 17/8 17/9 17/10
day
28 (at least 24 by
4 in-orbit validation
design)
5 geostationary orbit satellites + 8 full
including:[8]
Number of 32 (at least 24 (GEO) satellites, operation capable
[7] 24 operational
satellites by design) 30 medium Earth orbit satellites in orbit
2 under check by
(MEO) satellites 22 operational
the satellite prime
satellites budgeted
contractor
 2 in flight tests
phase
1.164–1.215 GHz
1.57542 GHz Around 1.561098 GHz (B1) (E5a and E5b)
(L1 signal) 1.602 GHz (SP) 1.589742 GHz (B1-2) 1.260–1.300 GHz
Frequency
1.2276 GHz Around 1.20714 GHz (B2) (E6)
(L2 signal) 1.246 GHz (SP) 1.26852 GHz (B3) 1.559–1.592 GHz
(E2-L1-E11)
22 satellites 8 satellites
operational, operational,
Status Operational Operational
40 additional satellites 22 additional
2016-2020 satellites 2016-2020

Regional satellite navigation systems

BeiDou-1

Main article: Beidou Navigation Satellite System

Chinese regional (Asia-Pacific, 16 satellites) network to be expanded into the whole global
system which consists of all 35 satellites by 2020.

IRNSS

Main article: Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System

The Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS) is an autonomous regional

satellite navigation system being developed by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
which would be under the total control of Indian government. The government approved the
project in May 2006, with the intention of the system to be completed and implemented by
2015.[9] It will consist of a constellation of 7 navigational satellites.[10] 3 of the satellites will be
placed in the Geostationary orbit (GEO) and the remaining 4 in the Geosynchronous orbit(GSO)
to have a larger signal footprint and lower number of satellites to map the region. It is intended to
provide an all-weather absolute position accuracy of better than 7.6 meters throughout India and
within a region extending approximately 1,500 km around it.[11] A goal of complete Indian
control has been stated, with the space segment, ground segment and user receivers all being
built in India.[12] The first six satellites IRNSS-1A, IRNSS-1B, IRNSS-1C, IRNSS-1D, IRNSS-
1E and IRNSS-1F of the proposed constellation were precisely launched on 1 July 2013, 4 April
2014, 16 October 2014, 28 March 2015, 20 January 2016 and 10 March 2016 respectively from
Satish Dhawan Space Centre.[13] The only remaining satellite IRNSS-1G should be in orbit by
April 2016.[14]

QZSS

Main article: Quasi-Zenith Satellite System

The Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS), is a proposed three-satellite regional time transfer
system and enhancement for GPS covering Japan. The first demonstration satellite was launched
in September 2010.[15]

Augmentation
Main article: GNSS augmentation

Examples of augmentation systems include the Wide Area Augmentation System, the European
Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service, the Multi-functional Satellite Augmentation System,
Differential GPS, and Inertial Navigation Systems.

DORIS

Main article: DORIS (geodesy)

Doppler Orbitography and Radio-positioning Integrated by Satellite (DORIS) is a French

precision navigation system. However, unlike other GNSS systems, it is based on static emitting
stations around the world, the receivers being on satellites, in order to precisely determine their
orbital position (It may be used also for mobile receivers on land with more limited usage and
coverage). Used with traditional GNSS systems, it pushes the accuracy of positions to
centimetric precision (and to millimetric precision for altimetric application and also allows
monitoring very tiny seasonal changes of Earth rotation and deformations), in order to build a
much more precise geodesic reference system.[16]

Low Earth orbit satellite phone networks

The two current operational low Earth orbit satellite phone networks are able to track transceiver
units with accuracy of a few kilometers using doppler shift calculations from the satellite. The
coordinates are sent back to the transceiver unit where they can be read using AT commands or a
graphical user interface.[17][18] This can also be used by the gateway to enforce restrictions on
geographically bound calling plans.

Positioning calculation
Main article: GNSS positioning calculation

See also
Spaceflight portal

 Acronyms and abbreviations in avionics

 Geoinformatics
  GNSS reflectometry
 GPS-aided geo-augmented navigation
 GPS spoofing
 List of emerging technologies
 Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring
 Software GNSS Receiver
 Space Integrated GPS/INS (SIGI)
 Pseudolite

Notes
1. Orbital periods and speeds are calculated using the relations 4π²R³ = T²GM and
V²R = GM, where R = radius of orbit in metres, T = orbital period in seconds, V = orbital
speed in m/s, G = gravitational constant ≈ 6.673×10−11 Nm²/kg², M = mass of Earth ≈
5.98×1024 kg.
2. Approximately 8.6 times (in radius and length) when the moon is nearest (363 104 km ÷
42 164 km) to 9.6 times when the moon is farthest (405 696 km ÷ 42 164 km).

References
1. "Beidou satellite navigation system to cover whole world in 2020". Eng.chinamil.com.cn.
Retrieved 2011-12-30.
2. "Galileo Assessment Pulls no Punches". SpaceNews.com. 2011-01-20. Retrieved 2011-
12-30.
3. "A Beginner’s Guide to GNSS in Europe" (PDF). IFATCA. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
4. "Boost to Galileo sat-nav system". BBC News. 25 August 2006. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
5. "Commission awards major contracts to make Galileo operational early 2014". 2010-01-
07. Retrieved 2010-04-19.
6. "GIOVE-A launch News". 2005-12-28. Retrieved 2015-01-16.
7. "GPS Space Segment". Retrieved 2015-07-24.
8. "GLONASS status". Retrieved 2015-07-24.
9. "April 15 launch to give India its own GPS". Economictimes.indiatimes.com. 2010-04-12.
Retrieved 2011-12-30.
10. "India to develop its own version of GPS". Rediff.com. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
11. S. Anandan (2010-04-10). "Launch of first satellite for Indian Regional Navigation
Satellite system next year". Beta.thehindu.com. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
12. "India to build a constellation of 7 navigation satellites by 2012". Livemint.com. 2007-
09-05. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
13. The first satellite IRNSS-1A of the proposed constellation, developed at a cost of 16
billion (US$280 million),[3] was[4] launched on 1 July 2013 from Satish Dhawan Space
Centre
14. "ISRO: All 7 IRNSS Satellites in Orbit by March". gpsworld.com. 2015-10-08. Retrieved
2015-11-12.
15. "JAXA Quasi-Zenith Satellite System". JAXA. Retrieved 2009-02-22.
16. "DORIS information page". Jason.oceanobs.com. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
 17. "Globalstar GSP-1700 manual" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-12-30.
18. [1] Archived November 9, 2005, at the Wayback Machine.

Further reading
 Office for Outer Space Affairs of the United Nations (2010), Report on Current and
Planned Global and Regional Navigation Satellite Systems and Satellite-based
Augmentation Systems. [2]

External links
Information on specific GNSS systems

 ESA information on EGNOS

 Information on the Beidou system

Organizations related to GNSS

 United Nations International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG)

 Institute of Navigation (ION) GNSS Meetings
 The International GNSS Service (IGS), formerly the International GPS Service
 International Global Navigation Satellite Systems Society Inc (IGNSS)
 International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS) International GNSS
Service (IGS)
 US National Executive Committee for Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing
 US National Geodetic Survey Orbits for the Global Positioning System satellites in the
Global Navigation Satellite System
 UNAVCO GNSS Modernization
 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) GNSS Implementation Team

Supportive or illustrative sites

 GPS and GLONASS Simulation (Java applet) Simulation and graphical depiction of the
motion of space vehicles, including DOP computation.
 GPS, GNSS, Geodesy and Navigation Concepts in depth

[show]

 v
 t
 e

Time signal stations

 [show]

 v
 t
 e

Satellite navigation systems

[show]

 v
 t
 e

Spaceflight

Authority  GND: 4202846-2

control
Categories:

 All articles with unsourced statements

 American inventions
 Aircraft instruments
 Avionics
 Geodesy
 Maritime communication
 Navigation
 Satellite navigation systems

Navigation menu
 Not logged in
 Talk
 Contributions
 Create account
 Log in

 Article
 Talk

 Read
 Edit
 View history

 Main page
  Contents
 Featured content
 Current events
 Random article
 Donate to Wikipedia
 Wikipedia store

Interaction

 Help
 About Wikipedia
 Community portal
 Recent changes
 Contact page

Tools

 What links here

 Related changes
 Upload file
 Special pages
 Permanent link
 Page information
 Wikidata item
 Cite this page

Print/export

 Create a book
 Download as PDF
 Printable version

In other projects

 Wikimedia Commons

Languages

 Brezhoneg
 Català
 Čeština
 Dansk
 Deutsch
 Eesti
 Español
 Esperanto
  ‫فارسی‬
 Français
 Gaeilge
 한국어
 हिन्दी
 Hrvatski
 Bahasa Indonesia
 Italiano
 ‫עברית‬
 Қазақша
 Кыргызча
 Latviešu
 Lingála
 മലയാളം
 Nederlands
 日本語
 Norsk bokmål
 Occitan
 Oʻzbekcha/ўзбекча
 Polski
 Português
 Română
 Русский
 Simple English
 Slovenčina
 Suomi
 Svenska
 Tagalog
 தமிழ்
 Türkçe
 Українська
 ‫اردو‬
 Tiếng Việt
 中文

Edit links

 This page was last modified on 18 April 2016, at 19:08.

 Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License;
additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy
Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-
profit organization.

 Privacy policy
 About Wikipedia
 Disclaimers
 Contact Wikipedia
 Developers
 Cookie statement
 Mobile view