‘Bhuvan’- India’s answer to Google Earth
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will soon launch ‘Bhuvan’, which will provide online maps based on GIS in line of Google Earth, ISRO chairman, G Madhavan Nair said recently. It is equivalent to the Google Earth, but is going to be much more precise .It will provide the latest information on our natural resources. We are going to provide very accurate maps of the region with the latest picture. The service likely to commence in the coming six months, will be available to the people in appropriate manner. This will provide valuable and updated information to the people. The software and infrastructure necessary for the service is being established. Though most of the information will be online, but precision data will be given to selected users only,” Nair said. http://www.thehindu.com

Kathmandu goes digital with online city-guide
Savant Associates has unveiled mapmandu.com, the first online cityguide of Kathmandu. It uses an interactive mapping engine to facilitate localized search of destinations in Kathmandu on a digitalized map. It provides the users with up-to-date online information and other extensive services on various aspects of city life in Kathmandu. http://www.nepalnews.com

Motorola launches GPS-based touchscreen phone
Motorola has launched its touchscreen GPS-enabled phone offering navigation maps and landmarks of 30 cities in India.
http://economictimes.indiaticommes.

Magellan News
Real-Time Data Server software
Magellan is also introducing new PC software called Real-Time Data Server (RTDS) that allows GPRS communication between one base and several rovers. The base could be a fixed base (with a direct/local connection to the RTDS) or a mobile base (connected to RTDS through GPRS)

The issue of FDI in GPS systems came up recently in a series of meetings held by the foreign investment promotion board (FIPB). Of late, many Indian companies have evinced interest to manufacture GPS devices in joint venture with foreign counterparts. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com

ESA shortens list of bidders for Galileo
The ESA has listed 11 industrial groups invited to compete for contracts to get Europe’s satellite-navigation system, Galileo, into orbit. They are Italian, Dutch, French, British and German. Galileo now aims to launch its 30 satellites by the end of 2013, giving Galileo users more precision that the current American GPS coverage offers. Europe has already spent 1.6bn euros on Galileo. http://www.euronews.net

GeoEye-1 in orbit: 0.5m resolution imagery starting this fall
GeoEye has announced the launch and deployment of GeoEye-1, the world’s highest resolution, commercial Earthimaging satellite. GeoEye-1 will now undergo a calibration and check-out period before imagery products will be available for sale. GeoEye-1 will simultaneously collect 0.41-meter ground resolution blackand- white (panchromatic) images and 1.65-meter colour (multispectral) images. Designed to take digital images of the Earth from 423 miles (681 kilometers) and moving at a speed of about four-and-a-half miles (seven kilometers) per second, the satellite camera can distinguish objects on the Earth’s surface as small as 0.41-meter or 16 inches in size. Due to U.S. licensing restrictions, commercial customers will get access to imagery at half meter ground resolution. www.gpsbusinessnews.com

Govt Approves Modern Navigation Project GAGAN
In a bid to provide seamless navigation over the Indian airspace and waters, the Indian government has approved the implementation of a Rs 774-crore GPS aided futuristic project. The GPS aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) project would place India in a select group of nations, like the US, Europe and Japan, to possess such a system that would not only guide aircraft over its airspace, but also provide them straight-line fuel-efficient routes and precision approach landings.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the implementation of this project which is being developed jointly by the Indian Space Research Organisation and the Airports Authority of India. The GAGAN system would provide coverage of oceanic areas, which is not possible by the terrestrial systems that are in place now.

It would also improve airport and airspace access in all-weather conditions and provide precision-landing approaches to aircraft even at airports, where Instrument Landing Systems do not exist. Press Trust of India

India map in 3D satellite imagery
A new project to map all areas in the country using a three-dimensional satellite imagery would be launched soon, Union Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Kapil Sibal said. http://www.hindu.com/

Trimble to acquire RolleiMetric. Introduces Multi-GNSS CORS Receiver
Trimble Navigation has agreed to acquire RolleiMetric from Rollei GmbH, Germany. RolleiMetric is a provider of metric camera systems for aerial imaging and terrestrial close range photogrammetry.
Trimble has introduced the Trimble® NetR8™ GNSS reference receiver. It can operate as a campaign receiver for post processing, as a Continuously Operating Reference Station receiver, portable base station for RTK applications or as a scientific reference station collecting information for specialized studies.
Specific applications include high-accuracy positioning as part of a Trimble VRS™ network, support for DGPS MSK beacons, and integrity monitoring of networks and physical infrastructure such as bridges, dams and mines. It has 76 channels and supports GPS L1, L2, L2C and L5 signals as well as GLONASS L1/L2 signals. There are also four channels dedicated to tracking SBAS.http://www.trimble.com