MODERN CIVILIZATION WOULD BE LOST WITHOUT GPS
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BUSINESS | POLITICS | PERSPECTIVE JULY 2021
MODERN
CIVILIZATION
WOULD BE LOST
WITHOUT GPS
DOUBLING
DOWN ON GPS
:
Mapping out
GNSS alternatives
:
Britain charting
new satnav course
INSIDE
n South Korea's GNSS ambitions get a boost
n Peace in the era of weaponized space
n Drones in space
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CONTENTS JULY 2021
D E PA R T ME N T S
3 QUICK TAKES
24 COMMENTARY
Spencer Kaplan
It's time to seriously
consider space-based
solar power
26 COMMENTARY
Brian G. Chow and
Brandon W. Kelley
Peace in the era of
weaponized space
29 CONNECTING
THE DOTS
07 10 14
Drones in space
30 ON NATIONAL
SECURITY The world would Doubling Down Mapping out
How Space Force be lost without While the U.S. Defense GPS alternatives
learned to worry about
its culture of secrecy
GPS Department is investing in With the future of
GPS and its international alternative PNT technologies, driverless cars and
32 FOUST FORWARD counterparts underpin it's also doubling down on delivery drones riding
The other human huge swaths of the global GPS to counter the system's on reliable location
spaceflight race economy. Losing the signal vulnerabilities to intentional data, space startups are
would have devastating jamming by Russia, China investing heavily in
impacts. and other adversaries. GPS augmentation and
backups.
UPCOMING
ISSUES
Our August issue goes
18 22
Britain charts A big boost for
full-throttle on the big
propulsion trends for
new satnav South Korea's GNSS
small satellites. course ambitions
Our September issue When it comes to With a pledge of cooperation
zooms in on geospatial satellite navigation, the from the U.S., South Korea is
analytics and remote British government has setting off on a journey to build
sensing. struggled to find its way its own satellite navigation
over the last five years. system, advancing a $3.3
billion budget for the effort.
COVER: Companies investing billions of dollars in autonomous cars, delivery drones and urban air taxis are counting on precise and reliable location data being
available when they need it. Credit: Adobe Stock art ABOVE: Companies investing billions of dollars in autonomous cars, delivery drones and urban air taxis are
counting on precise and reliable location data being available when they need it. Credit: Adobe Stock
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2 | SPACENEWS JULY 2021
QUICK TAKES
SIGNIFICANT
DIGITS
$250M
The Seraphim Capital
investment trust started trading
on the London Stock Exchange
July 14, raising about $250
million for large international
acquisitions. Space startup
investor Seraphim Capital’s Space
Investment Trust trades under the
SSIT.L ticker symbol.
€90M BILLIONAIRE BOYS CLUB
ESA awarded Ariane Group a Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson flew to the edge of space on his company’s
contract to build a new kick SpaceShipTwo suborbital spaceplane July 11. The SpaceShipTwo vehicle, named VSS Unity, took
stage for the Ariane 6. The con- off from Spaceport America in New Mexico at 10:40 a.m. Eastern, attached to its WhiteKnightTwo
tract, worth 90 million euros carrier aircraft. Unity was released from the plane and ignited its hybrid rocket motor at 11:24 a.m.
($106 million), covers develop-
Eastern, flying to an altitude of about 86 kilometers before gliding back to a runway landing at
ment of Astris, a kick stage that
the spaceport. Branson was one of six people, including two pilots and four crew in the cabin, on
will be an optional addition to
the Ariane 6 upper stage. Astris this flight, the first time the vehicle carried that many people. The flight took place just nine days
will handle in-space maneuvers before Jeff Bezos is scheduled to fly on Blue Origin’s first crewed New Shepard suborbital flight,
for payloads, such as transport- but Branson claimed he was not trying to compete with Bezos by moving up his flight.
ing satellites to geostationary or- Branson said afterwards the flight was “beyond my wildest dreams.” Both he and Virgin
bit. Astris will first be used to send
Galactic executives said SpaceShipTwo performed as expected on its fourth flight beyond the
ESA’s Hera mission to the asteroid
80-kilometer altitude the company defines as space. Branson flew in order to evaluate the
Didymos in 2024.
experience for future customers and said he found only a handful of minor things he would like to
change. Branson said before the flight he would make an announcement afterwards, which many
$20M
thought would be to announce the reopening of ticket sales. Instead, he said the company was
working with a fundraising platform, Omaze, for a sweepstakes that offers two seats on an early
commercial SpaceShipTwo flight next year. Proceeds will go to a non-profit, Space for Humanity.
Satellite propulsion company Yes, Elon Musk has a Virgin Galactic ticket. No, he didn’t just buy it. Amid the
Orbion Space Technology has hoopla surrounding his own flight, Branson mentioned that Musk has a ticket to fly
raised a $20 million Series
on SpaceShipTwo, leading to reports suggesting Musk just bought it. In fact, says Will
B round. The company says it
Whitehorn, former president of Virgin Galactic, Musk purchased it 15 years ago, shortly
will use the funding to scale up
production of its Aurora plasma after Virgin Galactic started SpaceShipTwo ticket sales. It’s unclear where in the queue of
thrusters for small satellites. ticket holders Musk is, and when, or even if, he would fly.
The company is looking to ramp Meanwhile, Blue Origin is distributing some of the proceeds of the auction of a New
up production to hundreds of
Shepard seat to space nonprofits. The company said July 14 its Club for the Future
units per year to meet demand
foundation was making $1 million awards to each of 19 organizations to support space-
from commercial constellations
and from the U.S. government, related educational activities. The money comes from the $28 million auction for a seat
such as units it is providing to on the July 20 flight, the first crewed New Shepard launch, although the company has
VIRGIN GALACTIC
Blue Canyon for satellites it’s not disclosed the identity of the winning bidder. Bezos separately announced July 14 he is
producing for DARPA’s Blackjack giving $200 million to the National Air and Space Museum to fund renovations and a new
program. educational center.
SPACENEWS.COM | 3
QUICK TAKES
PLANET GOING PUBLIC
Planet will use the proceeds of its SPAC
merger to increase its sales force and
software development teams, not its satellite
constellation. Planet said July 7 it will merge
with a special purpose acquisition company,
dMY Technology Group, Inc. IV, in a deal that
values Planet at $2.8 billion and will provide it
with $434 million in cash. Company executives,
though, said they don’t anticipate using the
capital to further expand its existing Earth
imaging satellite constellation, but instead will
spend it on adding more salespeople to win
more customers, as well as work on software
development and machine learning tools
to analyze imagery. Planet is also open to
acquiring “smaller companies with meaningful
expertise” in the field.
NORTHROP’S HALO CONTRACT FINALIZED SATELLOGIC SPAC AHEAD
NASA finalized a contract with Northrop Grumman to build the first habitation Satellogic will merge with CF Acquisition Corp.
module for the lunar Gateway. The agency said July 9 it issued a $935 million V, a SPAC sponsored by financial firm Cantor
fixed firm-price contract to Northrop for the Habitation and Logistics Outpost Fitzgerald, raising $271 million and giving the
(HALO) module. NASA had been working with the company for nearly two years on company an equity valuation of $1.1 billion.
a contract for the module, which will serve as a habitat and docking node for the Satellogic said July 6 the proceeds will allow
Gateway orbiting the moon. HALO will launch with another Gateway module, the it to build out a constellation of 300 imaging
Power and Propulsion Element, in late 2024 on a Falcon Heavy. satellites by 2025, which will provide daily high-
resolution imaging of the globe. Satellogic has
13 operational satellites plus four launched
last week that will enter service in 6-8 weeks.
Satellogic argues it can dominate the market
for high-resolution imagery since its costs will
be two orders of magnitude lower than its
competitors based on the design of its satellites.
MOMENTUS FINE, NEW CEO
Momentus, Stable Road Acquisition Corp.
and Stable Road CEO Brian Kabot were fined
more than $8 million as part of a settlement
regarding false claims with the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission. The SEC is
continuing to pursue charges against Mikhail
Kokorich, Momentus co-founder and former
AXIOM INKS CONTRACT FOR SPACE MODULES CEO. The SEC alleges that Momentus and
NORTRHOP GRUMMAN/THALES ALENIA SPACE
Kokorich misled Stable Road about national
Thales Alenia Space has signed a contract to build the first two commercial security issues involving Kokorich and about
space station modules for Axiom Space. The contract, valued at $130 million, the performance of key technologies, including
covers the primary structure of two modules that will initially be installed on water plasma thrusters. Stable Road, in turn,
the International Space Station in 2024 and 2025. They will be separated from failed to perform proper due diligence and
the ISS at the end of that station’s life to be part of a standalone commercial endorsed false claims in its merger documents,
space station. Thales Alenia Space separately announced a “memorandum according to the SEC. Momentus says John
of collaboration” with the Italian Air Force to study potential applications of Rood, former undersecretary of defense for
microgravity research. policy, will become the new CEO on Aug. 1.
4 | SPACENEWS JULY 2021
QUICK TAKES
$25B FOR NASA
IN HOUSE BILL
House appropriators passed
a NASA spending bill July
15 after tweaking language
regarding lunar landers and
nuclear propulsion. The House
Appropriations Committee
passed a $81.3 billion spending
bill that includes $25.04 billion
for NASA. The full committee
NRO’s NO. 2 TAPPED made no changes to overall
funding levels for NASA during
FOR SPACE FORCE
its debate on the bill, but did
LEADERSHIP POST adjust language regarding the
The White House has nominated $1.345 billion for the Human
the deputy director of the NRO Landing System to urge NASA
to lead the new Space Systems “to bolster competition in
Command. President Biden on lander development” rather
July 13 nominated Maj. Gen. than direct the agency to
Michael Guetlein for promotion to pick a second company, as
lieutenant general and assignment one amendment proposed.
as commander of the U.S. Space The committee passed an
Force Space Systems Command. amendment inserting language
Space Systems Command is on a flight demonstration for
a new organization the Space nuclear thermal propulsion
Force will stand up in Los Angeles (NTP) technology, similar to
to oversee the development of language in past years’ bills.
next-generation technologies Two days prior to the bill
and the procurement of satellites clearing committee, NASA
and launch services. It will take awarded three contracts to
over activities led by the current begin concept studies of
Space and Missile Systems Center NTP systems. The contracts,
and launch wings in Florida and each worth $5 million,
California. went to teams led by BWX
Technologies, General Atomics
Meanwhile, the director of the
and Ultra Safe Nuclear
Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)
Technologies. The yearlong
has withdrawn his nomination
studies will refine concepts
to be undersecretary of defense
for nuclear reactors that
for acquisition and sustainment.
NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE/SPACEX
would be part of NTP systems,
Michael Brown said he is dropping
which promise much higher
out due to an ongoing DoD
efficiencies and shorter travel
inspector general investigation
times than conventional
into personnel practices at DIU
chemical propulsion systems.
that could last up to a year. The
NASA says it’s cooperating on
DIU is the Pentagon’s commercial
NTP technology development A House spending bill would urge NASA to “bolster competition in land-
outreach office based in Silicon
with DARPA, which has its own er development” rather than direct the agency to pick a second compa-
Valley that has supported launch
NTP technology program. ny to compete with Human Landing System contractor SpaceX.
and other space startups.
SPACENEWS.COM | 5
NEWS SPA CEPLANES
China launches secretive suborbital
vehicle for reusable space system
C
hina conducted a clandestine
first test flight of a reusable
suborbital vehicle July 16 as
a part of development of a
reusable space transportation system.
The vehicle launched from the Jiuquan
Satellite Launch Center July 16 and later
landed at an airport just over 800 kilome-
ters away at Alxa League in Inner Mongolia
Autonomous Region, the China Aerospace
Science and Technology Corp. (CASC)
announced.
No images, video footage or further
information, such as altitude, flight dura-
tion or propulsion systems, were provided.
The CASC release stated however that the
vehicle uses integrated aviation and space The Chinese suborbital vehicle for a reusable space transportation system launched from the Jiuquan Sat-
ellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert, northwest China.
technologies and indicates a vertical take-
off and horizontal landing (VTHL) profile.
The test follows a September 2020 test Spaceplane (XSP) program, also known as 9-like launchers. The spaceplane, the de-
flight of a “reusable experimental space- the XS-1 program, another VTHL concept. velopment and testing of which is to be
craft.” The spacecraft orbited for days, re- The new test also follows days after a completed by 2030, should be capable of
leasing a small transmitting payload and flight of Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo being reused more than 20 times.
later deorbited and landed horizontally. flew passengers to the edge of space for It will be oriented to orbital altitudes
The spacecraft is widely believed to be a the first time. of between 300 to 500 kilometers, meet
reusable spaceplane concept, though no A spaceplane project was included in criteria of being “fast, reliable, and eco-
images have emerged. a 2017 CASC ‘space transportation road- nomical,” and meet the needs of military
Giant space and defense contractor map’. The plans also included fully reus- and civilian payloads, and be applicable for
CASC also developed that vehicle and stated able launch vehicles and, around 2045, a space tourism.
that the new vehicle tested July 16 can be nuclear-powered shuttle. The China Aerospace Science and In-
used as a first stage of a reusable space Chen Hongbo, from CASC’s China dustry Corp. (CASIC), another giant state-
transportation system. The implication is Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology owned enterprise, is working on its own
that the two vehicles will be combined for a (CALT), told Science and Technology Daily spaceplane, named Tengyun. Demon-
fully reusable space transportation system. in 2017 that the reusable spacecraft would stration and verification of the reusable
MODIFIED COPERNICUS SENTINEL DATA 2020
The developments have not come out of be capable of carrying both crew and pay- two-stage-to-orbit Tengyun spacecraft
the blue. China stated in 2017 that it aimed loads. Chen stated that some vehicles would is to be completed by 2025. Tengyun will
to test a reusable spaceplane in 2020. The have the characteristics of both aircraft and be a horizontal takeoff, horizontal landing
U.S. Air Force’s X-37B spaceplane is cur- spacecraft. CALT was noted as the developer (HTHL) system.
rently carrying out its sixth mission in orbit. of the suborbital reusable demonstration Chinese commercial companies and
Last year Boeing exited the Experimental vehicle launched July 16. CASC are also developing reusable rockets.
Chen stated the aim was full reusability, A number of private companies are plan-
ANDREW JONES moving beyond partial reusability of Falcon ning “hop” tests in the coming months. SN
6 | SPACENEWS JULY 2021
INVISIBLE UTILITY
“Positioning, navigation and timing
MODERN signals are important to so many stakeholders
and for so many different applications
that a disruption in these signals would
CIVILIZATION likely be more economically significant
today,” Alan O’Connor, senior economist
and director of innovation economics at
WOULD BE LOST RTI International, the nonprofit research
institute that prepared the 2019 report,
said by email.
WITHOUT GPS GPS and its GNSS (Global Navigation
Satellite System) counterparts — Europe’s
Galileo, Russia’s GLONASS and China’s
Beidou — play a vital role in myriad
A
ircraft, cars, trucks, trains and ships rely on GPS for location data, economic activities. India’s NavIC and
while GPS timing signals underpin cellular communications and Japan’s QZSS are similarly important in
financial transactions. their respective regions.
A 2019 report sponsored by the National Institute of Standards GPS is the oldest and mostly widely
and Technology estimated the loss of GPS would cost the U.S. economy $1 used PNT system. Many infrastructure
billion a day, or $1.5 billion if the technology failed in the April-May planting networks still rely on GPS-only legacy
season for farmers. Two years later, the costs could be even higher with receivers. Multi-constellation receivers
the sharp rise in consumer solutions and location-based rideshare and are becoming a norm to provide for
delivery services. GNSS continuity and accuracy. Since
ADOBE STOCK
these receivers pick up signals from any
ANUSUYA DATTA available GNSS satellite, irrespective
SPACENEWS.COM | 7
INVISIBLE UTILITY
GLOBAL NAVIGATION SATELLITE SYSTEMS
Since GPS established a constellation to provide worldwide positioning, navigation and timing information in 1993, Russia, China and Europe have
followed suit. The European Commission and the European Space Agency are on track to complete the Galileo constellation by the end of 2022.
GPS GLONASS
24 satellites plus spares 21 satellites plus spares
Satellite manufacturers: Lockheed Martin Satellite manufacturers: ISS Rechetnev
Full operational service: 1993 Full operational service: 1995
BeiDou Galileo
SPACENEWS/PENN STATE
35 satellites plus spares 24 satellites plus spares
Satellite manufacturers: Chinese Academy of Satellite manufacturers: OHB, Thales, Airbus
Space Technology and Chinese Academy of Sciences Full operational service: 2022
Full operational service: 2020
8 | SPACENEWS JULY 2021of the constellation, they should “GPS is so important in our everyday lives. If
theoretically provide service continuity in
the event of GPS loss. However, because it were to go away for a significant amount of
they rely primarily on GPS, it’s not clear time, I am sure lives would be lost.”
how they would behave if GPS were lost
for hours.
“GPS is so important in our everyday responders will suffer immediately. There HOW LIKELY IS A TOTAL GNSS
lives. If it were to go away for a significant could be more accidents. Cellphones and BLACKOUT?
amount of time, I am sure lives would internet will begin to degrade, but it’s A failure of all GNSS constellations at
be lost,” Dana Goward, president of the hard to say how much and how quickly.” once is improbable.
nonprofit Resilient Navigation & Timing The COVID-19 pandemic made the “The higher risk is attacks to GNSS
Foundation, said by email. U.S. economy more reliant than ever systems from jammers or spoofers,”
To date, GNSS outages have lasted less on telecommunications infrastructure. said Miguel Amor, chief marketing
than one day, but a longer breakdown “There is broader recognition of the officer for autonomy & positioning at
is possible. Galileo suffered a six-hour role infrastructure plays in our economy, Hexagon, a Stockholm-headquartered
systemwide failure on Dec. 14, 2020, and a though many people are unaware of information technology company.
weeklong outage in July 2019. GLONASS the connections between GPS, robust Anti-jamming and anti-spoofing
failed in 2014 when its satellites broadcast positioning, navigation and timing technologies are available, but have
corrupt information for 11 hours. signals, and the apps and tools we use generally been purchased by national
Outages of individual GNSS satellites every day,” O’Connor said. security agencies rather than commercial
are common and the systems are often customers, he added.
subjected to localized jamming and ECONOMIC IMPACT OF Regional outages are more common.
spoofing. In 2016, GPS-dependent timing DISRUPTION Geopolitical tensions have led to GPS
equipment showed errors after an older A 2017 study commissioned by Innovate signal loss near the Middle East. In July
satellite was retired. The 13-microsecond UK, the UK Space Agency and the Royal 2018, the NATO Shipping Center received
discrepancy affected police and emergency Institute of Navigation estimated a five- reports from ships facing GPS interference
communications equipment in parts day GNSS disruption would have an while transiting the Mediterranean.
of North America for hours and caused economic impact of 5.2 billion pounds NATO also reported similar issues in
power grid anomalies. ($7.2 billion), with road, maritime and December 2019 when ships and aircraft
One reason GNSS failures are far- emergency service impacts accounting in the Mediterranean could not access
reaching is the timing element. GNSS for 88 percent of the cost. Goward said GPS or GLONASS signals.
satellites rely on atomic clocks for signal the cost of disruption would be far higher A U.S. Transportation Department
synchronization, which allows users to in 2021 since location data has become report delivered to Congress in January
determine the time with nanosecond pervasive. The UK Space Agency has identified technologies that can
accuracy. As a result, banks rely on GPS commissioned an updated study to complement or backup GPS service. The
to report the precise timing of financial determine the potential economic impact. report found no current replacement,
transactions and cell towers use it to The past decade has seen a sharp though, for GPS positioning and
synchronize network nodes. rise in the value of GNSS, which largely navigation capabilities. To ensure
“The U.K. is critically dependent on coincides with the rise in smartphones, resilience, the Transportation Department
GNSS. These services are integral to the smart devices and internet penetration, recommended critical infrastructure
U.K.’s safety, security and prosperity, enabling a spurt in consumer solutions. owners and operators adopt diverse
overseas territories and wider global “Satellite navigation systems are also positioning, navigation and timing
interests,” Ian Annett, UK Space Agency important to unlocking future technologies technologies. SN
deputy CEO, said by email. such as driverless cars, smart cities and
artificial intelligence — transforming ANUSUYA DATTA IS A CANADA-BASED
THE SAME IS TRUE FOR THE the way people live, work and travel,” JOURNALIST WHO PREVIOUSLY WORKED
UNITED STATES. Annett said. The UK Space Agency is FOR GEOSPATIAL WORLD. DEBRA WERNER,
If GPS were to fail, “it’s impossible to exploring innovative options for a UK SPACENEWS SENIOR CORRESPONDENT,
predict the exact sequence of events,” space-based positioning, navigation CONTRIBUTED TO THIS STORY FROM SAN
Goward said. “Transportation and first and timing capability. FRANCISCO.
SPACENEWS.COM | 9U.S. MILITARY
for adversaries, said the RAND Corp. in
a recently published report.
In addition to denying GPS through
DOUBLES DOWN
electronic jamming attacks, foreign
militaries could also target U.S. military
GPS users with falsified PNT data, a
ON GPS DESPITE
technique known as spoofing. A GPS
outage could wreak havoc across all
military activities involving aircraft, ships,
munitions, land vehicles and ground
VULNERABILITIES troops. “In an active military conflict,
even brief denials and spoofing of PNT
might make a difference if well timed
with other operations,” said the report.
S
pace weapons meant to target of GPS and communications satellites.” In response to these vulnerabilities,
U.S. satellites are a growing A constellation of 31 satellites (24 plus the Space Force is hardening what it calls
concern for the U.S. military. spares) orbiting the Earth at an altitude the “GPS enterprise” that includes three
Especially worrisome are of 20,000 kilometers, GPS is operated by segments: satellites in space, the ground
electronic jamming devices designed the U.S. Space Force like a global utility. control system and user equipment. “We
to interfere with GPS signals. GPS satellites in six orbital planes circle are looking at how we will continue to
That threat is “real today and concerning,” the Earth twice per day broadcasting evolve this architecture into one that is
the chief of space operations of the U.S. positioning, navigation and timing more robust and resilient than it is today,”
Space Force Gen. John Raymond told (PNT) signals that are critical to the daily said Col. Ryan Colburn, director of the
the House Appropriations Committee’s functioning of the civilian economy spectrum warfare division at the Space
defense subcommittee during a hearing and essential to every facet of military and Missile Systems Center.
in May. operations. DoD uses a number of PNT technologies
Raymond pointed at China and The first satellite, called Navstar 1, was to complement GPS or to serve as backup
Russia as the primary actors pursuing launched in 1978. The full constellation when GPS is degraded or unavailable.
technologies aimed at “robust jamming became operational in 1995. Some military platforms use onboard
ADOBE STOCK
The military’s huge dependence on sensors to track their position and keep
SANDRA ERWIN PNT data makes GPS an attractive target time without the use of an external
10 | SPACENEWS JULY 2021DOUBLE DOWN
signal. Other PNT technologies use Concerns about military and civilian
external sources of information other
than GPS to determine the position of infrastructure dependence on GPS led
a platform. Military combat aircraft use Congress to mandate a study in the 2017
GPS paired with inertial navigation
systems so if GPS goes out the pilot
National Defense Authorization Act.
can still complete the mission. Inertial
sensors and clocks allow a platform to comes down to funding programs, by satellites, the newest generation of GPS
identify its position and keep track of default they choose GPS. now being deployed to replace aging
time without an external signal like “Even if they don’t need that level satellites that have been in service since
GPS. Other technologies rely on celestial of precise PNT, they’re asking for GPS the 1990s.
and magnetic navigation to determine because that’s what they’re used to,” GPS 3 satellites are built by Lockheed
position. There’s also a growing number Howard added. “A ship in the middle Martin under a 2008 contract from the
of satellites in low Earth orbit that of the ocean doesn’t need precision U.S. Air Force. L3Harris supplies the
transmit PNT information. within a few meters of its position but navigation payload. Compared to earlier
None of these alternative PNT they’re still defaulting to that. It’s their generations, GPS 3 signals are more
technologies, however, has reduced the comfort zone.” accurate and better protected against
U.S. military’s dependence on GPS, said Concerns about military and civilian jamming, said Col. Edward Byrne, senior
the Government Accountability Office infrastructure dependence on GPS led materiel leader at the Medium Earth Orbit
in a May report. Congress to mandate a study in the 2017 Space Systems Division at the Space and
“Alternative PNT does not appear to National Defense Authorization Act. It Missile Systems Center (SMC).
be a particularly high priority for DoD,” directed federal agencies to assess and The GPS 3 constellation broadcasts a
said Karen Howard, GAO’s director of identify PNT technologies to back up and new L1C civil signal, which is compatible
science, technology assessment and complement GPS for national security with international GNSS like Europe’s
analytics. and critical infrastructure. Galileo.
Howard’s office investigated the The study, conducted by the RAND DoD is investing $4.1 billion in the GPS
issue at the request of the Senate Armed Corp. and delivered to Congress in April 3 space segment, including production,
Services Committee. 2020, listed an array of technologies that launch and operating costs of the 10
“We interviewed a number of people at can help to augment global navigation satellites, an SMC spokesman said. Five
DoD and outside experts,” she said. “From satellite systems like GPS, but concluded GPS 3 satellites have been launched since
everything we’ve heard, developing and that few can replace them. 2018. The remaining five are projected
integrating alternative PNT technologies No single system is a perfect backup to go to space from 2022 through 2024.
isn’t highly prioritized,” she added. “They for GPS, said the report. Some systems To provide additional security for
are doing research, they’re looking into such as Europe’s Galileo are similar to military users, GPS 3 satellites broadcast
it, but the department is heavily reliant GPS and could be a suitable substitute a stronger signal called M-code. Short
on GPS.” if GPS were spoofed or disrupted by a for military code, M-code transmits at
Jon Ludwigson, GAO’s director cyberattack. There are also ground-based much higher power and is more jam-
of contracting and national security signals used for timing and positioning, resistant than civilian signals. The Air
acquisitions, said Congress for years has including signals from public and private Force launched the first GPS satellite
questioned DoD’s strategy of keeping Wi-Fi transmitters and cellphone towers. capable of broadcasting the M-code
GPS as the centerpiece of its PNT Despite greater availability of alternatives, signal in 2005.
architecture. Because of the success of “all research shows that dependence on A minimum of 24 M-code enabled
GPS, “the alternatives really haven’t had GPS and other GNSS [Global Navigation GPS satellites are needed to provide global
to step forward,” he said. Meanwhile, Satellite Systems] continues to grow,” coverage of the stronger signal, Byrne
“there’s a rising call of concern that if noted RAND. said. The launch of the fifth GPS 3 last
we lost GPS, what would that mean for month was significant, he noted, because
our operational plans?” NEW GPS SATELLITES it was the 24th M-code capable satellite.
“There are known vulnerabilities and DEPLOYED Despite greater availability of M-code,
military officials talk about the need for A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on June 17 most U.S. military forces still can’t take
alternatives,” Howard said. But when it launched the fifth of 10 planned GPS 3 advantage of the more secure signal
SPACENEWS.COM | 11DOUBLE DOWN
retro-reflector arrays for better on-orbit
position determination.
DoD in its proposed budget for fiscal
year 2022 is seeking nearly $1.8 billion for
the GPS program. About $1.1 billion is for
research, development and testing of the
GPS ground system and user receivers,
and for the integration of the remaining
five GPS 3 satellites that are in storage
or in the final stages of production.
An additional $688 million is for the
procurement of two GPS 3F satellites.
“Adversaries have long recognized our
dependence on GPS and have proliferated
technologies to degrade, deny and spoof
GPS signals for civil and military users,”
DoD said in its budget request. “We are
pursuing modernization efforts across
the entire GPS architecture to include
upgrades in space, ground and user
segments.”
The new generation of GPS satellites provides a stronger signal known as M-code for military users U.S. The ground system has been a major
Marine Corps combat engineers use utilize GPS devices during a July 6 exercise aboard the amphibious
hurdle in the modernization of GPS. For
assault ship USS America in the Phillipine Sea.
the GPS 3 constellation, the Air Force
selected Raytheon to develop a new
because they don’t have compatible DoD still needs backup options, he added. ground control system designed to be
user equipment, noted Ludwigson, the “The focus should be on resilience, not more secure against cyber-attacks and
director of contracting at GAO. on a specific technology.” compatible with the stronger M-code
GAO for years has called out the signals. Estimated to cost $6.7 billion,
Pentagon for not producing enough LONG-TERM INVESTMENT IN the Next Generation GPS Operational
M-code-capable receiver equipment GPS 3 Control System (OCX) is considered
and for taking too long to install these The Air Force in 2018 affirmed its one of DoD’s most troubled programs,
receivers across all weapon systems. commitment to GPS when it awarded hampered by delays and more than $2
DoD is working to accelerate the fielding Lockheed Martin a $7.2 billion contract billion in cost growth since the program
of advanced receivers, the Pentagon said with options to produce up to 22 GPS 3 started in 2012.
in its 2022 budget proposal which seeks Follow-on satellites, or GPS 3F. The Space T he A ir Force and Ray theon
$434 million for M-code-compatible GPS Force already has ordered the first four. restructured the program in 2018 and
receiver cards for Army, Navy, Air Force The first GPS 3F is projected to early versions of the ground control
and Marine Corps platforms. launch in 2026. The satellites will have software have been delivered for
Ludwigson said DoD is making some enhancements such as the ability to testing. Contributing to the delays is
U.S. MARINE CORPS PHOTO BY CPL. KARIS MATTINGLY
progress fielding M-code equipment but broadcast stronger military signals a requirement that Raytheon remove
cautioned that this technology is not a regionally to ensure U.S. forces in IBM computer hardware from the
silver bullet. “It’s a stronger signal, but I combat zones can get PNT data. The new OCX system by April 2022. This is for
don’t think anyone expected M-code was satellites also will carry a new payload security reasons following the sale of
a one-stop shop or complete solution.” for search-and-rescue services, and laser IBM’s computer server product line to
“Adversaries have long recognized our dependence on GPS and have
proliferated technologies to degrade, deny and spoof GPS signals for
civil and military users.”
12 | SPACENEWS JULY 2021Chinese-owned Lenovo. Raytheon will
replace the IBM computers with Hewlett
Packard Enterprise hardware.
The Space Force meanwhile is relying
on a ground system developed by
Lockheed Martin to control and operate
the GPS constellation as a bridge until
OCX is ready. The interim ground system
allows the Space Force to implement
the M-code signal. Raytheon is under
contract to complete by 2025 a new
upgrade to make the system compatible
with GPS 3F satellites.
A major criticism of the GPS program
has been a lack of integration and
coordination across the space, ground
and user equipment segments. Both
GAO and the Pentagon’s director of
Northrop Grumman said July 1 it had delivered an ESPAStar-D spacecraft bus to L3Harris in support of
operational test and evaluation have the NTS-3 mission launching in 2022 to demonstrate advanced PNT technologies.
pointed this out in numerous reports and
have called for better synchronization
among the three segments of the GPS Research Laboratory’s Space Vehicles from just mid Earth orbit with GPS and
enterprise. Directorate. start diversifying.”
“One of the lessons learned from GPS Felt said AFRL scientists are working
THE NEXT GENERATION OF was just how important it is to have tight on a more advanced military PNT signal
GPS integration and coupling between the that would be stronger than M-code.
With these challenges in mind, the Air user equipment, the on-orbit equipment “It’s a concept we call Q code, an even
Force in 2018 embarked on a research and the software that flies the satellites,” more advanced way to do PNT signals
project to demonstrate a new PNT satellite Felt said. using quantum and other advanced
with advanced technologies that could Another key feature of NTS-3 is that communications technologies that can
transition to the next generation of GPS. the satellite, the ground system and potentially be applied to navigation.”
The project, run by the Air Force user equipment are fully digital and The Air Force in 2019 designated
Research Laboratory, was named reprogrammable, said NTS-3 program NTS-3 as one of its “Vanguard” programs,
Navigation Technology Satellite-3, or manager Arlen Biersgreen. a category assigned to projects that
NTS-3, as it is the third major space “This gives you the ability to recover promise trailblazing capabilities. If the
experiment by the U.S. military to quickly if there is a denial of service,” said experiment is successful, the Space
advance positioning, navigation and Biersgreen. “If there’s an attack, we can Force likely will transition technologies
timing technologies. The Naval Research pivot, we can do different encryption, demonstrated by NTS-3 to the GPS 3F
Laboratory in the 1970s launched the we can do frequency changes so we’re program, or it could decide to build more
NTS-1 and NTS-2 demonstration satellites able to defeat jamming as it occurs.” satellites like NTS-3 to augment the GPS
that served as technological building Another benefit of reprogrammable constellation.
blocks of the current GPS. satellites is that changes can be made NTS-3 is all about adding resilience
L3Harris is producing NTS-3 using a without having to buy new hardware to the GPS system to ensure availability
Northrop Grumman ESPAStar bus. The and fly it to space “which is expensive of PNT, said Biersgreen.
satellite is scheduled to launch in 2023. and takes ages,” Biersgreen said. “PNT is sometimes considered to be
NORTHROP GRUMMMAN
Unlike the GPS program, NTS-3 will NTS-3 also is expected to add resilience synonymous with GPS because GPS is so
pursue a more integrated approach to to the military’s PNT architecture by awesome, so accurate and so consistently
the development of the space, ground adding a higher layer in geosynchronous available,” he said. “The thinking is that
and user equipment segments, said Earth orbit, he said. “With NTS-3 we are if a military user needs PNT information,
Col. Eric Felt, director of the Air Force looking at where we can move away they should get it from GPS.” SN
SPACENEWS.COM | 13GNSS STARTUPS
STARTUPS MAP OUT
STRATEGIES TO AUGMENT
OR BACKUP GPS
C
ompanies investing billions of dollars in every billion miles.
autonomous cars, delivery drones and urban “When you start doing the math, you realize almost every
air taxis are counting on precise and reliable car in your fleet has to have sub-10-centimeter accuracy for
location data being available when they need it. its entire lifetime,” said Patrick Shannon, CEO and co-founder
GPS-level accuracy of 4.9 meters for a smartphone operating of TrustPoint, a startup based in Silicon Valley and Northern
under clear skies won’t be good enough. Before autonomous Virginia developing a new global navigation satellite system
ADOBE STOCK IMAGE
cars can speed down highways, they will need to know their (GNSS).
location within around 10 centimeters with roughly one error TrustPoint, founded in 2020, is not alone in seeing sky-
high potential for a 21st century GNSS augmentation system
DEBRA WERNER or alternative. Xona Space Systems, founded in San Mateo,
14 | SPACENEWS JULY 2021positioning, navigation and timing better for stationary devices around the
signals from the Iridium Next satellites. world and precise timing within three
GPS reliance “It’s become a utility, which is part of
the problem.”
nanoseconds.
“We offer this service to critical
is so pervasive GPS reliance is so pervasive, in fact, infrastructure sectors, data centers,
that disruption that disruption or manipulation of its
signal could threaten U.S. national and
wireless infrastructure providers, energy
companies and so forth,” O’Connor said.
or manipulation economic security. That message was
AGE OF AUTONOMY
of its signal conveyed by the White House in a 2020
Executive Order and a 2021 Space Policy TrustPoint and Xona are more focused
could threaten Directive. on emerging markets.
U.S. national The U.S. Transportation Department
delivered a report to Congress in January
TrustPoint intends to support 21st
century technologies like self-driving
and economic after testing alternative location and cars, air taxis, drone delivery services
security. That timing technologies. And the Department
of Homeland Security is working with
and augmented reality applications
being developed by commercial and
message was the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure government customers.
conveyed by the Security Agency to ensure the electric
grid, emergency services and other
The global market for GNSS receivers,
ranging from inexpensive chipsets to
White House in components of the nation’s critical precision devices that cost over $10,000,
a 2020 Executive infrastructure are not solely reliant
on GPS.
is projected to grow from a current level
of roughly $55 billion a year to over $175
Order and a 2021 “People realize GPS is a single point billion by 2029, according to a 2019 report
Space Policy of failure for the entire U.S. economy,”
Manning said. “Nothing else out there
by the European Global Navigation
Satellite Systems Agency.
Directive. that can match it.” Before co-founding TrustPoint,
U.S. government efforts to identify Shannon, a former vice president at
technologies to complement or backup Astro Digital and SpaceQuest, considered
GPS are helping fund alternatives. various business opportunities. When he
California, in 2019, is working toward Xona won a Small Business Innovation began looking into “innovating on GPS
the same goal. Research grant in 2020 from the National and revitalizing that industry,” he realized
“GPS was designed to support human Science Foundation for research related to “the user base was just ginormous.”
operators,” said Brian Manning, Xona its proposed low Earth orbit constellation. Xona was founded with an eye
CEO and co-founder. “In the modern Satelles is an Iridium Communications’ toward the autonomous vehicles market.
world, humans are quickly becoming subcontractor on a U.S. Army contract Manning’s co-founder Tyler Reid helped
passengers, or they’re being taken out to develop a hosted payload for a small write standards for autonomous cars
of the loop altogether. The machines satellite constellation with applications while working as a research engineer in
replacing them have very different for navigation, guidance and control. Ford Motor Co.’s controls and automated
requirements when it comes down to Since 2016, Satelles has offered systems organization.
accuracy, security and resilience.” timing and location signals through a Reid, now Xona’s chief technology
channel on Iridium Next satellites that officer, wrote “standards on autonomous
GPS ALTERNATIVES was reserved for paging in the original car accuracy, integrity and resilience
Startups and established companies Iridium constellation. targets,” Manning said. “We found that if
developing commercial positioning, “Since not many people wear pagers you can meet the needs of autonomous
navigation and timing constellations on their belts anymore, we use Iridium’s cars, you can pretty much meet the
or alternative technologies don’t intend L-band frequencies for our positioning, needs of everything.”
to replace GPS. navigation and timing signals,” O’Connor
“GPS is amazing, don’t get me wrong,” said. INDEPENDENT
said Michael O’Connor, CEO of Reston, Satelles broadcasts an encoded signal CONSTELLATIONS
Virginia-based Satelles, which provides that offers accuracy of 20 meters or Both TrustPoint and Xona intend to
SPACENEWS.COM | 15GNSS STARTUPS
While there is competition among the positioning, navigation
and timing startups for contracts and investment, the
enormous global market potential and national security
concerns make it unlikely that one company or technology
will eclipse all others.
establish small satellite constellations rather than requiring a subscription. characters, they could manipulate GPS
in low Earth orbit to offer global Government customers seeking signals to make it appear they were
positioning, navigation and timing specific security features may opt for somewhere else.
services independent of existing GNSS subscriptions. “It’s a lot easier to sit on my couch
constellations. Initially, though, the new and build a spoofer than it is to actually
constellations intend to make money by JAMMING AND SPOOFING go get a Pokémon,” Manning said.
augmenting GNSS data to offer higher A key advantage of delivering location While spoofing in Pokémon Go
precision. and timing signals from low Earth orbit isn’t a serious problem, spoofing an
“Leveraging the tens of billions of is power. autonomous car’s location would be.
dollars of GNSS infrastructure from GNSS signals traveling 20,200 Satelles has encoded its signal to
around the globe that already exists kilometers from medium Earth orbit to make spoofing “virtually impossible,”
means you don’t have to replicate it for receivers on the ground can be disrupted O’Connor said.
your own system,” Manning said. “Now, by low-power devices. TrustPoint’s DeMay said, “In a world
if something goes completely haywire, The problem was demonstrated increasingly plagued by cyberattacks
and all the GNSS constellations go down vividly in 2013 when a truck driver, who and electronic warfare, we not only
or go dark, our system can continue spent less than $100 on a GPS jammer want to provide a more accurate service,
to operate fully independently, just at he plugged into a cigarette lighter, but also, as alluded to in our company
a reduced level of accuracy from the inadvertently disrupted air traffic control name, a service that can be trusted to
centimeter level performance.” at Newark Liberty International Airport. support safety-critical applications.
Xona intends to fly its payload on “Iridium satellites are 25 times closer To maintain security, Xona plans
cubesats and offer its service through to the earth than GPS satellites and to continuously update hardware and
subscription fees. In a national their beams are much more focused,” software.
emergency, however, the company O’Connor said. “The net impact is that “We are designing our security such
could activate its service on all devices to the signal received on the ground is that it can be upgraded at the speed of
serve as a GNSS backup, Manning said. about 1,000 times stronger than GPS.” the technology,” Manning said.
TrustPoint plans to establish a With that extra power, Satelles proved While there is competition among
constellation of microsatellites in a in Transportation Department tests in the positioning, navigation and timing
series of steps. 2020 that its signal extends indoors and startups for contracts and investment,
“Filling out a constellation that can even into basements. The extra power the enormous global market potential
operate on its own and manage its own also makes it “much more resilient to and national security concerns make it
timing to get accurate positioning any kind of intentional or unintentional unlikely that one company or technology
on the ground will take time and will interference,” O’Connor said. will eclipse all others.
require hundreds of satellites,” said Chris Spoofing is another concern for “I think there will be multiple systems
DeMay, TrustPoint co-founder and chief GNSS customers. to build as much resilience into the
operating officer. “In the meantime, Pokémon Go, an augmented reality PNT ecosystem as possible,” Shannon
TrustPoint has a solid plan for deploying application for smartphones released in said. “If GPS goes down, you’ve got a
an interim constellation that still adds 2016, encouraged players to catch and LEO system. If we’ve got a crazy space
a ton of value by augmenting GPS.” train virtual Pokémon characters. Players weather event, there are terrestrial
The cost of commercial TrustPoint quickly learned, though, that instead positioning systems available. There
service is likely to be built into devices, of traveling to various sites to find the will be a lot of players.” SN
16 | SPACENEWS JULY 2021Satelles receivers configured for U.S. Transportation Department testing in 2020. Typical customer installations require far less gear.
PNT alternatives champion Communications’ satellites to back up GNSS since
2016, is OPIA’s administrator and facilitator.
open-market approach Satelles’ Satellite Time and Location (STL)
solutions have already been implemented in
commercial applications that include protecting
Competing positioning, navigation, and timing U.S. space-based PNT policy in more than 16 years. trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
(PNT) companies are joining forces to accelerate The U.S. economy would lose $1 billion a day Many more alternative PNT technologies have
efforts to back up global navigation satellite if widespread GPS services were lost as a result emerged in recent years as improving GNSS ca-
systems (GNSS). of some adverse event, according to a June 2019 pabilities is seen as a key enabler for autonomous
The Open PNT Industry Alliance (OPIA) was study sponsored by the government’s National cars, drones, ships and other emerging industries.
formed in December amid growing support for Institute of Standards and Technology. Emboldened by the U.S. government’s PNT
alternative capabilities to improve the resiliency The study said the cost would likely be higher space policy directive and similar moves world-
of satellite navigation systems that increasingly if the outage occurred during the April and May wide, the OPIA is championing a multi-technology
underpin modern life. planting season, when farmers heavily rely on approach for fortifying GNSS.
It comes as the U.S. government steps up GPS information about their fields. The alliance is pushing for government fund-
measures to encourage more companies — par- “The world is massively dependent and reliant ing frameworks to develop and adopt a ‘system
ticularly those in telecoms, utilities, transportation, on GPS — much more so than it knows,” warned of systems’ strategy for alternative PNT, fueling
defense and other critical infrastructure sectors Brian Manning, CEO of Californian startup Xona multiple solutions to improve resiliency instead
— to implement some form of protection for Space Systems, an OPIA member company de- of relying on just one backup.
GPS-based services. veloping cubesats to improve location services. The lobby group currently has 18 members,
A Space Policy Directive the White House issued Financial transactions, for instance, rely heavily after adding two in May, ranging from those that
in January marked the first high-level update to on PNT to relay and cross-check information. make PNT hardware to service providers seeking
Reston, Virginia-based Satelles, which has to improve the accuracy, security and resiliency
of GNSS. SN
SATELLES
JASON RAINBOW been providing assured PNT services over Iridium
SPACENEWS.COM | 17UKSATNAV
BRITAIN CHARTS A NEW
COURSE FOR SATELLITE
NAVIGATION
W
hen it comes to satellite navigation, the governments not completing the final Brexit deal until
British government has struggled to find December 2020.
its way over the last five years. Among those issues was Galileo, the EU’s satellite
Those problems began with a June 2016 navigation system. With the UK no longer an EU member,
SPACENEWS/ADOBE STOCK/ESA
referendum, when a narrow majority voted in favor of the the British government would need an agreement with the
United Kingdom leaving the European Union. That triggered EU — including, likely, some financial contribution — to
the long, complex process of Britain disentangling itself both continue participation in the manufacturing of Galileo
from the EU across a vast spectrum of activities, with the satellites as well as access the system’s secure signal, the
Public Regulated Service (PRS). The EU has such “third
JEFF FOUST country” agreements with Norway and Switzerland.
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