GPS market expected to be worth US $757B by 2017
Research and Markets, an Irish research firm (www.researchandmarkets.com) has announcd that, in Western Europe the vehicle navigation market is in its initial stages, but there is a strong demand for traffic information and navigation solutions. Countries like USA, Japan, and some others have gained a cumulative shipment of 9.39 million in-vehicle navigation and traffic information units in May 2002. GPS production value globally is expected to grow to $21.5 billion in 2008 ($13 billion in 2003), according to the Industrial Economics and Knowledge Center of the Industrial Technology Research Institute. In 2003, GPS equipment sales was reported to be around US $3.5 billion worldwide, and that annual market could grow to US $10 billion after 2010, acc ording to the report. http://biz.yahoo.com

US agency says China used laser to jam US satellite
China has beamed a ground-based laser at US spy satellites over its territory, a US agency says. The action exposed the potential vulnerability of space systems that provide crucial data to American troops and consumers around the world. The Defence Department remains tightlipped about details, including which satellite was involved or when it occurred. The Pentagon’s National Reconnaissance Office Director Donald Kerr has acknowledged the incident, first reported by Defence News, but said it did not materially damage the US satellite’s ability to collect information. “Space is a much bigger part of our military posture than it used to be, so any effort by the Chinese or anybody else to jam our satellites is potentially a big deal,” said Loren Thompson, Defence Analyst with the Virginia-based Lexington Institute. Clearly, the incident sparked fresh concerns among US officials about the US ability to determine if satellite problems are caused by malfunctions, weather anomalies like solar flares, or targeted attacks.
www.theage.com.au

Innovative battlefield learning experience for soldiers
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has introduced an innovative training and learning system for its soldiers called Battlefield Instrumentation (BFI). Utilising modern laser and informationcommunication technologies, BFI System brings together soldiers, weapon systems and fighting platforms. It uses the GPS, computer simulation and data communication to record details of battlefield engagements between opposing forces. www.channelnewsasia.com

Glonass full deployment by 2010
Russia’s 24-satellite navigational and GPS, Glonass, will be fully deployed by 2010 as per Russia’s Defense Ministry. The ministry’s press office said the development and use of Glonass was discussed in Moscow at a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov and members of a government military commission. Also discussed were ways to improve the competitiveness of navigational services, the mass production of navigational equipment for consumers, as well as legal issues. http://en.rian.ru

Raytheon completed preliminary test for GAGAN
Raytheon Company, UK successfully completed the Preliminary System Acceptance Test for the GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation- Technology Demonstration System (GAGAN-TDS). “This test was significant because the GAGAN-TDS ground elements supplied by Raytheon were installed and integrated ahead of schedule,” said Andy Zogg, Vice President of Raytheon’s Airspace Management and Homeland Security Business. “More importantly, the system functioned properly and exceeded the accuracy requirements.
The GAGAN-TDS network monitors the Global Positioning Satellite signals for errors and then generates correction messages to improve the accuracy of endusers’ position solution.
During the test period, average accuracy was better than one meter (3.3 feet) horizontally and only slightly more than one meter vertically, thus surpassing the 7.6 meter (25 feet) requirement by a significant margin. GAGAN-TDS is the first phase of a project sponsored by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and Airports Authority of India (AAI) to implement a space-based navigation system in Indian airspace. www.prnewswire.com

China to survey the Great Wall
The Great Wall resource investigation has kicked off officially in Hebei Province. It is the first time for China to make precise measurement and accurate survey on the Great Wall with comprehensive investigation and mapping skills, which will be undertaken for several years.
China has launched the nationwide investigation of the Great Wall for twice since the establishment of the new China. In the mid-1950s, China did primary investigation on the age and distribution of the Great Wall with the help of the national cultural relic survey, and the second-time investigation was undertaken in the 1980s.
http://news.xinhuanet.com

ProLink patent on Payfor- Play approved
ProLink Holdings Corp. the provider of GPS golf course management systems, announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has awarded patent number 7,031,947, Method And Apparatus For Continuing Play With Cart-Based Navigation/ Information System Display, effective April 18, 2006.
www.goprolink.com

GLONASS for civilian use in 2006
The restrictions on precise satellite definition of on-land coordinates will be lifted by yearend, a senior military official said. Lieutenant-General Valery Filatov said the location of geographical objects at accuracy of up to 30 meters would be available for civilian use from the Russian GLONASS satellite system and the US GPS.
www.spacedaily.com

CRPF vehicles to have GPS sets
The Government of India has decided to introduce GPS sets in all vehicles carrying security personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in the country. Initially the GPS sets will be installed in 513 vehicles of the CRPF and later it will be introduced in all vehicles. The ministry has decided to provide 23 mine protective vehicles to the CRPF for counter-insurgency operations. The government has decided to arm its paramilitary forces with hi-tech weapons to fi ght the Naxals and insurgents.
www.asianage.com

Lockheed Martin GPS updates enhance system accuracy

Lockheed Martin has upgraded the software processing and modeling forthe Air Force’s Global Positioning System (GPS), enhancing the Air Force’s ability to monitor GPS satellites and improve system accuracy 10-15 percent for users worldwide. The recently completed update, named the Legacy Accuracy Improvement Initiative (L-AII), doubles the amount of navigation data collected and provided to Air Force operators.