GNSS

Ligado Networks sues U.S. Government

Mobile communications company Ligado Networks has sued the U.S. government for its unlawful taking of Ligado’s constitutionally protected, exclusively licensed spectrum without compensation.

Backed by a multiyear misinformation and disparagement campaign against Ligado to conceal these activities, the U.S. government misappropriated Ligado’s exclusively licensed spectrum to support previously undisclosed Defense Department systems that have been using Ligado’s spectrum without permission.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) exclusively granted the company rights to use this spectrum after a comprehensive, multiyear regulatory review process. In good faith reliance on the FCC’s order, Ligado raised and invested billions of dollars to prepare its spectrum to support nextgeneration terrestrial 5G services.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims against the United States, the Defense Department, the Commerce Department and NTIA, seeks just compensation for the government’s physical, categorical, regulatory and legislative takings of Ligado’s property. ligado.com

EU finalizing contract with SpaceX for Galileo launches

The European Union is in the final stages of completing a deal with SpaceX to launch four Galileo navigation satellites in 2024.

In press briefings during the European Space Summit in Seville, Spain, Nov. 7, Thierry Breton, commissioner for the internal market for the European Commission, said he was “finalizing the discussions” for a pair of Falcon 9 launches, each carrying two Galileo satellites, tentatively scheduled for April and July of 2024.

The last obstacle to completing a launch contract, he said, was negotiating a security agreement to protect sensitive technologies on the Galileo satellites, which previously had been launched from the European spaceport in French Guiana, when those satellites are being prepared for launch from the United States.

The launch contract itself was completed in July, Breton noted, and that the European Commission had approved a European Space Agency proposal to use the Falcon 9 for launching those satellites. He said the European Commission would spend 180 million euros ($192 million) on the Falcon 9 launches. spacenews.com

Geode GNSS receiver by Juniper Systems

Juniper Systems, Inc., is excited to announce its Geode™GNS3M (multi-frequency) GNSS Receiver will now support RTK Fixed position capability. The receiver allows users to easily collect real-time GNSS data with sub-meter, sub-foot, decimeter, and now centimeter accuracy options. With the addition of the Hemisphere® GNSS Athena™ RTK Engine, Geode users will have access to the full spectrum of professional-grade mapping accuracies once RTK is activated. This scalable platform allows users to purchase the level of accuracy they need now while having the option to increase accuracy in the future. junipersys.com

Maxtena GNSS L1/L2/L5 tactical grade antenna

Maxtena has introduced a new GNSS L1/L2/L5 tactical grade antenna. The new M10HCT-TNC antenna will offer concurrent GNSS reception covering all L1/L2/L5 GPS, Galileo, Glonass, and Beidou bands including L-Band correction. Antenna housing is in an IP67 rugged, compact, and ultra-lightweight form factor. M10HCT-TNC is designed to meet MIL-STD-810 requirements and highlights cutting-edge technology and is designed to work in high RF noise environments. www.maxtena.com