GPS World's Navigate! Weekly

DECEMBER 22, 2020

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO OUR READERS!

Santa Claus to fly by the International Space Station

Santa Claus will be performing a ceremonial fly-by of the International Space Station (ISS) on Dec. 24. Learn more about the visit, which will honor the 20th anniversary of continuous life on the ISS.

TOP STORIES OF 2020

There is no question which event in 2020 affected every person on the planet. GPS World devoted two cover stories, May and June, to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our industry, providing an opportunity for readers to share solutions and ideas. We also opened a COVID-19 section on our website to collate related news. In fact, our most popular article of the year was Esri ArcGIS map tracks global coronavirus cases. Below is a sampling of our COVID-19 coverage.

Photo: 1001slide/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

• COVER STORY: GNSS industry adapts during COVID-19 pandemic (4/13/20) • COVER STORY: Indoor location could mitigate COVID-19 (6/25/20) • Survey Scene insights: Surveying and COVID-19: A lesson in essential services (5/6/20) • COVID-19 impact revealed through the lens of GPS (12/1/20) • GNSS helps fight coronavirus while companies adapt (11/3/20) • Skyports joins Thales in COVID-19 drone-delivery trial (6/25/20)

• Taking to the field during the coronavirus pandemic (6/25/20) • TopXGun Robotics uses drones to fight COVID-19 from above (6/25/20) • Using location data in the fight against COVID-19 (6/25/20) • GNSS-RO measurements improved with COVID-19 pandemic (9/24/20) • Drone payloads to become vital in supplying medicines, test results in COVID-19 pandemic (7/30/20) • Garmin offers insights on active lifestyles during COVID-19 (5/1/20) • An overview of GPS/GNSS shows canceled or postponed because of COVID-19 (4/23/20) • New Topcon Talks aimed at professionals at home during COVID-19 (4/9/20) • China adds to BeiDou as satnav service helps fight coronavirus (3/10/20) • 19 countries track mobile location to fight COVID-19 (3/26/20)

MORE TOP STORIES

Visualizing the Australian bushfires through satellites and maps

Before COVID-19 broke, the Australian fires dominated world headlines. Our coverage was popular with our readers. Check out imagery from NASA, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and more.

GPS CONSTELLATION CONTINUES TO GROW

With the launch of two more GPS III satellites, the constellation added two new signals: L1C and M-code. Watch for an update on the GPS constellation in our April 2021 issue. For updates on GLONASS, BeiDou and Galileo, see next week’s Navigate newsletter.

GPS III SV04 receives operational acceptance, needs 1 more
for M-code

The fourth GPS III satellite, space vehicle (SV) 04, received United States Space Force’s Operational Acceptance approval on Dec. 1.

Final steps underway to operationalize GPS M-code signal

The final steps to fully enable the ultra-secure, jam-resistant military code (M-code) signal on GPS were underway starting in March.

4th GPS civilian signal goes live

Researchers from the Finnish Geospatial Research Institute recorded the new civilian signal transmitted by the first GPS III operational satellite.

SPOOFING PLAGUES LOCATION

More state-sponsored spoofing and jamming became evident.

GPS circle spoofing discovered
in Iran

In March, the U.S. government received an unusual inquiry about GPS disruptions. It was from a user in Iran reporting what appeared to be “circle spoofing” — a phenomenon that had only previously been observed in China.

New GPS ‘circle spoofing’ moves ship locations thousands of miles

New research by Bjorn Bergman of the environmental non-profit SkyTruth has found ships in various parts of the world reporting locations thousands of miles away and circling at precisely 20 knots.

INDUSTRY CHANGES AND CHALLENGES

2020 was marked by controversy with the FCC approving Ligado, as well as the merger of two defense giants and the sad passing of an industry pioneer.

Image: A-Digit/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

FCC approves Ligado broadband network; DOD, GPS industry react

The five-member Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted unanimously to approve an order to allow Ligado Networks to deploy a low-power nationwide 5G network.

United Technologies and Raytheon complete merger

Raytheon Technologies Corporation announced the successful completion of the all-stock merger of equals transaction between Raytheon Company and United Technologies Corporation on April 3.

Javad Ashjaee, founder of Javad GNSS, succumbs to coronavirus

Javad Ashjaee, founder of Javad GNSS, died in Moscow, Russia. He died on May 30 after a three-week fight with COVID-19.

UPCOMING WEBINAR

GPS Anti-Jam and the Latest in Sensor Fusion Testing

Date: Jan. 21
Sponsored content by: Spirent Federal Systems

Summary: This webinar will discuss the merger that formed Raytheon Technologies, the critical importance of GPS anti-jam solutions, new methods to interface non-GNSS sensors into a GNSS test suite, how precise time synchronization improves sensor use, and the latest in sensor fusion testing.

Speakers:
• Chad Pillsbury, senior director of resilient navigation and reconnaissance solutions, Raytheon Intelligence & Space
• Ben Graham, director for advanced navigation and surveillance systems, Raytheon Intelligence & Space
• Roger Hart, director of engineering, Spirent Federal Systems
• Ajay Vemuru, product manager, Spirent Communications

You are subscribed to Navigate! Weekly as newsletter@newslettercollector.com.

Forward to a friend | Change your subscription preferences | New subscriber sign-up

Look forward to us each Tuesday? Don't forgot to also subscribe to the magazine or renew your subscription.

If you wish to leave this mailing list, simply unsubscribe. | Refer to our Privacy Policy.

GPS World is a property of North Coast Media, LLC.
1360 E. Ninth St., 10th Floor, Cleveland, OH 44114
© 2020 North Coast Media. All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission.